Iron-Rich Green Superfood Chocolate Mint Smoothie {vegan + gf}

Hello friends!

How’s everyone doing with starting 2018 on a healthy note? Sometimes for me, it’s tough to get back to cleaner eating after I’ve been splurging while traveling as I did for a few weeks over the holidays. I usually just try to start my reset and take it one day at a time. Making my meals healthy while also delicious is THE KEY to me sticking with a lighter diet. If I was forced to eat the same boring meals all the time, I’d be miserable… That’s just not how a foodie is supposed to live!

Today’s recipe is a super tasty, healthy smoothie that fits in lots of superfoods & nutrients, so we’re getting lots of bang for our buck. Made with ingredients like frozen banana, oats, hemp hearts, cocoa powder, and a superfood greens supplement, this smoothie is packed with iron.

Green superfood supplements are a great way to sneak in some extra goodness into your smoothies. There are a lot of brands on the market, but they’re generally packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and plant-based vitamin-rich ingredients like wheat grass and spirulina. Many greens powders contain ingredients that are linked to a stronger immune system, which is important during this time of year when so many people are coming down with colds and the flu. Some brands you might want to check out are Sun Warrior, Greens First, Amazing Grass and Athletic Greens.

The reason why I included a number of ingredients that are significant sources of iron is because it’s shockingly common for us to not get enough iron in our diets. According to the World Health Organization, iron deficiency is the top nutritional disorder in the world. Research suggests that as much as 80% of people in the world don’t have enough iron in their bodies.

It’s even more important for vegetarians and vegans like myself to be conscious about their iron intake, since a lot of the most common iron-rich foods are animal sources, like beef and sardines. Personally, I’ve noticed that some days when I log in my eats to MyFitnessPal, I come up short when it comes to daily recommended iron intake. Some of my favorite iron sources are lentils, spinach and black beans – oh, and don’t forget about dark chocolate!

Many people are iron deficient and don’t know it for awhile. Symptoms are general things that could have countless causes, including fatigue, weakness, dizziness and headaches. I’d recommend getting a blood test to see if you’re deficient in iron or anything else, as sometimes we can be ingesting enough iron in our diets, but not be absorbing it properly.

This smoothie is an easy way to fit in a lot of iron. In fact, it contains 46% of my daily recommended iron intake!* My plan is to make this smoothie if I notice that my iron intake has been low for a few days – which shouldn’t be a big problem, because it’s a yummy way to get my chocolate + mint fix.

This recipe also packs in 27% Vitamin A, 84% Vitamin C, & 29% calcium standard daily recommended amounts, plus healthy fats, 14 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein.

Iron-Rich Green Superfood Chocolate Mint Smoothie {vegan + gf}

Foodie Loves Fitness

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Prep Time 5 mins

Total Time 5 mins

Servings 1 smoothie

Calories 480 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 frozen banana
• 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/3 cup dry oats
• 1 TBSP hemp hearts
• 1 TBSP dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 serving green superfood supplement i.e. Amazing Greens or Sun Warrior brands
• 2 TBSP chopped macadamia nuts for topping
• 1/2 TBSP dairy free mini chocolate chips, for topping
• 1/4 TSP peppermint extract
• Handful of ice
• Pinch of sweetener of choice optional

Instructions

 

• Combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips and macadamia nuts in blender or food processor. Blend until everything is smooth.
• Pour into a glass and top with the chocolate & nuts. Enjoy immediately!

Notes

This smoothie provides 46% of the daily standard recommended amount of iron, along with 84% Vitamin C, 29% calcium, and 27% Vitamin A amounts.

Nutrition

Calories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 12gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 4gFiber: 14gSugar: 20g

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Tell me… Do you use any green superfood supplements? What are your favorite ways to get iron in your diet? 

Disclaimer: This post contains a sponsored outbound link. As always, all opinions expressed are genuinely my own. 

*My greens superfood supplement contains 12% of the recommended daily standard iron amount.