This is a brilliant smoothie for the days that you need to feel brain-sharp and super focused. It is nutritious and filling with a fantastic vibrant pink colour that can make a perfect start to a busy day.
The beautiful pink colour comes from the combination of the beetroot and polyphenol-rich mixed berries. The beetroot is rich in iron which is an important brain food. The sweetness of the berries and banana subdue the earthy tones of the beetroot, so this is an easy win for fussy eaters who are not that keen on eating their veg.
The sunflower lecithin is the champion brainy ingredient, as it is rich in choline which is a key nutrient for learning, memory and emotional regulation. There is also some evidence that it can help to clear blocked breast ducts in breastfeeding women who have a tendency to mastitis. Sunflower lecithin is also protective of the liver and gall bladder and so it is a perfect tonic after long periods of indulgence. Because it is a natural emulsifier it makes the smoothie shiny with a silky texture.
The cashew butter also adds some creaminess as well as magnesium and vitamin B6. Cashew nuts also contain tryptophan, which is the key building block to make our happy neurotransmitter serotonin.
- 1 Banana
- 0.5 Beetroot (Cooked, plain not steeped in vinegar!)
- 100 g Berries (frozen, mixed)
- 250 ml Coconut Milk (from a carton rather than a tin)
- 1 tsp Sunflower lecithin
- 1 tsp Cashew Nut Butter
- Simply whizz up all of the ingredients together in a blender and serve!
- I recommend 1 teaspoon of NOW Sunflower Lecithin. You can add more than this to the smoothie, up to 20g a day. The pot will last a LONG time!
- Alternatively if you do not have sunflower lecithin you can also use 2 heaped teaspoons of sunflower seeds, which do not contain quite as much choline, but are still good enough. You will need to blend the smoothie for longer if you use sunflower seeds.
- You could substitute any plant-based milk, other nut butter or tahini (sesame paste) to make this yummy smoothie if there are any coconut or cashew allergies.
