Prebiotic Power Smoothie
Smoothies are one of the easiest and most versatile ways to increase your nutrient intake. I’ve added some green banana powder to this one for an extra prebiotic boost
What is green banana powder?Milled from dried banana pulp, green banana powder can add texture to any sweet or savory dish (or a smoothie!) . But what really sets it apart, is its high content of resistant starch, a type of functional fiber. As the name implies, this type of starch ‘resists’ being broken down into sugar. Instead, it ferments into a nourishing meal for our ‘good' bacteria. In fact, green bananas contain the world’s richest source of resistant starch, making it an optimum food for your digestive tract. Creating a balanced community of bacteria translates into several health benefits for you. These include:
✧ A healthy digestive system
✧ Boosted mood
✧ Balanced blood sugar levels
✧ Antioxidant action
Our gut is home to an extraordinary community of bacteria. Termed the ‘gut microbiome,’ this group of diverse bacteria plays a pivotal role in keeping us in good health. Providing them with an optimum fuel source ensures they continue to do their job. That’s where prebiotics come in.
What are prebiotics?
Put simply, prebiotics are food for the good bacterial strains in our digestive system. In academic parlance, the exact definition of prebiotics is: “ nondigestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon, thus improving host health.” That’s a mouth full.
Although all prebiotics are fiber, not all fiber is prebiotic. In order for a food to be classified as ‘prebiotic’ it has to: resist digestion and absorption in the upper gastrointestinal tract, be fermented by intestinal flora (ie. bacteria), and selectively stimulate the growth and/or activity of intestinal bacteria that are associated with health benefits. Examples include Jerusalem artichoke, chicory root, onions, garlic and green banana powder.
Prebiotic Power Smoothie Recipe
Prep time: 5 mins
Ingredients:
✧ ½ banana
✧ 1 cup milk
✧1/2 cup frozen blackberries
✧¼ cup greek yogurt
✧1 tbsp chia seeds
✧ 1 tbsp green banana powder
✧1 tbsp rolled oats
✧1/2 tbsp almond butter
Instructions:
Throw everything in a blender and voila! Add a dash of honey for added sweetness