Written by MasterHealth Staff
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- How to Make Energizing Smoothies
- Avocado Smoothies Give You “Avocardio” Benefits
- These Foods Mix and Taste Great with Avocados
- Dr. Frank Lipman’s Chocolate Avocado Smoothie Recipe
- How to Thicken Smoothies or Shakes
- Smoothie Hacks to Aid Digestion
- Do Avocados Make You Gain Weight?
- Should You Refrigerate or Freeze Avocados?
- It’s Okay to Eat Brown or Dark Avocados
- Learn More About Dr. Frank Lipman’s How To Be Well Health Program
An energy-packed smoothie can fuel your body for hours and is truly a liquid meal.
For a smoothie to properly energize and nourish, it needs to be strengthened by quality proteins and boosted with quality fats like avocado, coconut oil, or flax seeds that promote sustained metabolism and lasting energy. Then take your smoothie to the next level by adding boosters like spices, adaptogens or superfood powders.
You may be asking, “Do avocados give you energy?” You bet they do. In fact, 1 avocado provides you with 318 calories from 29g fat, 4g protein, and 18g carbs (of which 14g are from fiber!).
If your smoothie is simply a blend of sugary foods like juices and sweet fruits your blood sugar will spike and then crash leaving you feeling sluggish and tired.
You can use this pretty simple formula to make a wide variety of different smoothies. We absolutely love Dr. Lipman’s recipe below, which is packed with ingredients including cacao, coffee, cinnamon, and avocado that will leave you feeling energetic and amazing!
Healthy fats and bioactive compounds found in avocados have been shown to lower cholesterol, decrease inflammation, and help avoid cardiovascular issues. Eating between half to a full avocado every day can help lower the levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein, which are associated with promoting buildup in the arteries (Wang et al., 2019). Have you ever heard the phrase “An avocado a day keeps the cardiologist away”?
Avocado smoothie health benefits extend beyond their healthy fat profile, as avocados are also naturally rich in antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber, protein, and potassium. They’re an excellent source of vitamins C, E, B6, and B9 (folate). They’re also a wonderful source of beta carotene, which will make your skin glow! The body converts beta carotene into vitamin A (retinol), which you need for good eye health, your immune system, and healthy skin.
Anything! Avocados are a versatile superfood that tend to take on the taste profile of other ingredients that they’re mixed within recipes. Since they have a mild flavor, think about avocados as a texture-building ingredient that takes smoothies to the next level.
If we have to pick a winner, we love mixing in chocolate or cacao as its rich and intense flavor really complements avocado’s creamy texture. Throwing some berries in there is a whole
Looking for other fruits to mix with avocados? Steer clear of bananas because of their high carb and sugar profile, and instead reach for blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries. Berries are naturally low in sugars and high in antioxidants that bring you a multitude of health benefits.
Chocolate Avocado Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 serving vanilla protein powder preferably whey from grass-fed cows
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/4 cup brewed organic coffee alternatively 1 teaspoon organic instant coffee powder
- 1 to 2 tablespoons raw cacao
- 1/4 avocado
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon flax, hemp, or chia seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 to 8 ice cubes or 1/2 cup room temperature water
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Notes
- 1 tablespoon maca powder (for strength, hormone balance, and energy)
- 1 tablespoon cacao powder or nibs (for focus, alertness, and extra antioxidants)
- 1 teaspoon spirulina (for detoxification, energy boost, and plant protein)
- 1 teaspoon chlorella (for immune and detoxification support)
- 1 scoop greens powder (for vitamins, minerals, anti-inflammatory effects, and immunity support)
- Pinch of sea salt (for electrolytes)
- 1 serving of powdered probiotics (for microbiome support)
One of our favorite ways to thicken a smoothie is to use frozen fruits or vegetables when you’re blending it.
You’ll often see recipes use bananas as a smoothie-thickening agent, but they’re really high in carbohydrates and sugars, which raise blood sugar levels. Instead, skip the sugar by substituting cooked (and cooled) cauliflower or creamy smooth avocado – now that’s a smoothie with health benefits!
If you’re short on time, most grocery stores sell frozen avocado as well as many other smoothie-friendly fruits and veggies in bags that you can keep in your freezer.
Another simple strategy to make a smoothie or shake thicker and creamier is to simply use less liquid.
If you typically have issues digesting foods, then you may already know that smoothies are generally easier to digest than a typical plated meal. This is mainly because the blender has done a big part of the job to break down the food into much smaller bits for your digestive system to process.
You’ll also want to drink your smoothie mindfully. That means sipping it over time rather than chugging it down in under a minute – you can even try to “chew” it. This gives your digestive system some time to start processing the beginning of your meal before becoming overwhelmed with it all at once.
Lastly, consuming it at room temperature will be easier on digestion versus drinking it ice cold.
Short answer, no! While avocados are high in fat and calories, people who eat avocados generally tend to be healthier and not pack on the pounds (or kilograms!). In fact, when eaten in moderation, avocados can potentially prevent weight gain. They are high in fiber, which is known for promoting weight loss and helps your metabolic health.
Typically, foods higher in fiber help reduce your appetite because they’re so filling. Since these are so filling, you won’t feel hungry for a while after drinking this chocolate avocado smoothie, so you are consuming fewer calories afterward. They’re keto-friendly!
Benefits aside, please remember that moderation is key, and commonly you’ll see recipes call for just a fraction of an avocado. For example, the chocolate avocado smoothie recipe by Dr. Frank Lipman included in this article only calls for one-quarter of an avocado.
We love to freeze avocados for smoothies! It helps preserve most nutrients and helps reduce food waste since avocados ripen so fast.
You can either buy frozen avocados from the grocery store or make frozen avocado chunks yourself. Simply peel and cut the avocado into chunks. Then freeze. Consider separating your frozen avocado into servings/portions if you’re particular about consistency.
After freezing, they can become mushy when thawed, but if you blend them into your smoothie right away you’ll have nothing to worry about. Simply enjoy their smoothie-enhancing benefits – creamier, thicker, and colder.
Sometimes avocados ripen too fast, which makes them look brown and sometimes unappetizing. It’s a chemical reaction where compounds in the flesh react to the oxygen to produce brown pigments called melanin, with the help of enzymes. They also bruise easily, meaning if they’re handled too roughly, they’ll also turn brown in some spots, but either way, they’re still safe to eat.
Avocados will get a little darker if you keep them in the freezer in chunks, and while that looks unappealing, it’s perfectly safe. You won’t even be able to tell they browned up a little if you’re blending them with cacao and other ingredients.
