Lisa George
Peanut butter and jelly. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Bread and butter. There are a lot of dynamic duos in the world of food, but one of the most powerful is the combination of probiotics and prebiotics.
3 Easy Probiotic and Prebiotic Smoothies for a Healthy Gut
If you’re not sure what prebiotics are, the tl;dr is that prebiotic foods are foods that are full of the digestible fiber that good bacteria thrives on. To get technical, prebiotics are oligosaccharides, a type of fiber that helps create a hospitable gut environment for the friendly probiotic bacteria we all want more of.
So combining the two is a one-two punch when it comes to optimal gut health.
That’s what makes these 3 smoothie recipes so fantastic for your gut–they’re not just packed with prebiotic fruits like most smoothies are, they also contain probiotics too, from the addition of probiotic milk. Which is a thing!
Now getting your daily probiotic fix can be as easy as pouring yourself a bowl of cereal or sipping one of these smoothies–no need to hold your nose and chug that bottle of kombucha. (Yeah, I’ll say it: kombucha is gross!)
By drinking a single 8-ounce serving daily (hint: the same amount in each of these smoothies!), you’ll support your digestive health with billions of live probiotic cultures including acidophilus and bifidus–but it still contains the 9 essential nutrients, calcium, protein, and vitamins A and D you’d expect from any dairy milk.
Having a healthy gut biome isn’t just about digestion–good gut health supports a whole range of bodily functions. You’ll be surprised what a difference it makes when you’re getting probiotics on a regular basis and probiotic milk makes it a cinch to do, even if you have trouble remembering to take pills or don’t care for the taste of fermented foods and drinks.
3 Probiotic + Prebiotic Smoothies
With good bacteria for gut health and prebiotic fiber to help that bacteria thrive, these smoothies are ideal for getting your body back in balance.
Total Time5 mins
Ingredients
Blueberry Tummy Tamer
- 1 cup Probiotic Milk 2% or Fat Free Skim
- 3/4 cup frozen blueberries
- 1- inch piece of ginger grated if you don’t have a high-powered blender
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- Honey to sweeten if desired
Mango Sunrise
- 1 cup Probiotic Milk 2% or Fat Free Skim
- 3/4 cup mango
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Dark Chocolate Breakfast Milkshake
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup Probiotic Milk 2% or Fat Free Skim
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cacao powder
- 1 small banana cut into pieces and frozen overnight in a freezer bag
- 1 tablespoon ground flax
Instructions
Notes
To make the Mango Sunrise smoothie layered, blend the mango, milk and hemp seeds first; pour half of the mango smoothie into a glass. Add the strawberries to the blender, blend until smooth, and pour into a second glass, then carefully pour the mango layer over it.
Photos by Ana Stanciu
Featured via: HG
