The Gut-Healthy Smoothie Bowl a G.I. Doc Recommends for an Easy Summer Breakfast
A common smoothie bowl mistake is getting overly excited about the fruit and not adding anything else to the equation. While fruit is absolutely a major part of what makes smoothie bowls so delicious (and nutrient-rich with all their glorious antioxidants), if that's all you use, you'll end up with an overly sweet breakfast that will leave you hungry in about 20 minutes.
When it comes to a healthy smoothie bowl recipe that's delicious, filling, and (bonus!) good for your gut, gastroenterologist and Fiber Fueled author Will Bulsiewicz, MD, has it on lock. He recently shared his go-to breakfast on Instagram, and it's full of nourishing ingredients.
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His healthy smoothie bowl recipe: blueberries, walnuts, hemp seeds, and coconut chips. While everything in his recipe brings something to the table, nutritionally-speaking, it's the walnuts and hemp seeds that Dr. Bulsiewicz says are key because they're full of omega-3s, an oft-overlooked nutrient for many people. "Omega-3 fatty acids are a form of polyunsaturated fats. Generally speaking, polyunsaturated fats are considered healthy and are important for many functions in the body," he says.
Dr. Bulsiewicz explains that while most Americans get enough omega-6 fatty acids, many people don't get enough omega-3s. "The ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s is a marker of health," Dr. Bulsiewicz says. He explains that many cultures known for their healthy eating habits (like, hello, the Mediterranean) have a diet that's an even mix of omega-3s and omega-6s, but here in the States, the ratio isn't so even. "It’s a ratio that when skewed [in favor of omega-6] can promote disease: cardiovascular, cancer, osteoporosis, and autoimmune diseases," he says.
Omega-3s have gut healthy benefits, too. "The omega-3 fatty acids in chia, flax, and hemps seeds are known to reduce intestinal inflammation, have protective effects against colon cancer, and promote a healthy balance to the gut microbiota," Dr. Bulsiewicz says.
Besides walnuts and hemp, chia and flax seeds are good sources of omega-3s and taste great in a smoothie bowl, too. The fatty acids are also key for staying full longer—something that definitely won't happen with fruit on its own. Get Dr. Bulsiewicz's smoothie recipe below for a healthy way to start your day:
Smoothie bowl
Yields 1 bowl
Ingredients
1 cup blueberries
3 Tbsp alternative milk
1/4 cup walnuts
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 Tbsp dried coconut
1. Pour the blueberries and alternative milk in a blender. Blend for 30 seconds and pour into a bowl.
2. Top with the walnuts, hemp seeds, and dried coconut.
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