I ruled out smoothies as a reasonable part of my diet quite some time ago. With my hypoglycemia, all of the bananas, mangos, pineapple, and raw honey were decidedly counterproductive. Blood sugar crash guaranteed. I also discovered that soy protein powders weren’t a good option because of my hypothyroidism and female hormone imbalances. Not to mention that smoothies didn’t seem to satisfy me for more than forty-five minutes.
Lately, however, I’ve been dallying with smoothies again. They are one of the nutritional experiments to which I referred a few weeks ago. It was The Truth about Beauty by Kat James that inspired me to give the ubiquitous smoothie another shot–but with a few twists. So far, it’s working. Here’s what I’ve been doing to make smoothies a viable option for me, blood sugar problems and all:
Base
OUT: soy milk (hormonal concerns), rice milk (too sweet), pasteurized milk (hard to digest, lower vitamin content, and exacerbates allergies), commercially sweetened yogurts (duh), skim milk
IN: 8 ounces of whole raw cow milk, raw goat milk, or whole kefir or yogurt made from said raw milks (homemade nut milks or diluted coconut milk would work too)
Fat slows down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, thus making the overall meal lower glycemic. High quality dairy fat (from organic, grass-fed cows) also has many other health benefits, particularly in relation to fertility. Kefir and yogurt are lower glycemic than plain milk because bacteria have already eaten most of the milk sugars (lactose) and converted them to lactic acid.
Fat
OUT: none, since the standard advice has been, “Fat is E.V.I.L. Run away!”
IN: 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Not only does fat lower the glycemic index of the smoothie, it keeps you full longer. Even better, coconut oil boosts the metabolism and supports the thyroid. Nice!
Fruit
OUT: bananas, mangos, papaya, pineapple, and grapes
IN: just berries–strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries
Berries are high in fiber and low in sugar, making them a perfect choice for the hypoglycemic or diabetic. I use them frozen. Occasionally, I throw in a fresh pear or peach with the skin, both of which are still much lower in sugar than tropical fruits.
Protein
OUT: soy anything
IN: raw eggs from free-range hens or unsweetened hemp protein powder (a good-quality, unsweetened whey powder would work too; I just haven’t tried one yet)
Raw eggs from well-kept, free-range hens are extremely safe, contrary to popular belief. They provide an excellent source of protein with lots of health benefits. They are undetectable in a smoothie, so you don’t need to worry about taste or texture. I add them in at the very end while blending on low speed. Supposedly, blending eggs vigorously damages the proteins. I don’t know if this is really true, but I figure, “Why not slow down the blender?”
Hemp protein may not taste great, but it surely packs a nutritional punch with GLA and tons of fiber. I bought the Nutiva brand, which is available at a steep discount at Vitacost.
Fiber
OUT: is there any fiber in traditional smoothies?
IN: coconut fiber (also called coconut flour) and/or hemp protein powder
Like fat, fiber slows down our digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, which keeps blood sugar levels steady. Raising blood sugar too quickly is often what leads to a blood sugar low, so a slow, steady rise in blood sugar is most desirable.
Sweeteners
OUT: sugar, unrefined sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave nectar
IN: stevia (I strongly prefer NuNaturals brand); xylitol and erythritol would also be good options, though I don’t particularly care for them myself (they make me feel thirsty)
Many people use agave nectar as a low-glycemic option, and I did too for a while. But I’ve read enough unsettling information about it that I’m going to keep it out of my pantry for now. The jury’s still out on it.
Extras
IN: a few leaves of lettuce or spinach, a greens powder
I don’t always add the greens, though I look forward to experimenting more with green smoothies in the future.
Blending up these ingredients with a little ice has produced some very tasty and filling meals for me that don’t seem to lead to blood sugar lows. I think it helps that it take me, easily, an hour to drink a smoothie. I just sip on it steadily. Only time will tell if smoothies will work for me long-term, but I’m quite happy at the moment.
Do you have any other ideas or tips for low-glycemic smoothies? What works for you? I’m very interested to know!
Thanks for hosting Kitchen Tip Tuesday, Tammy!
This was a really interesting post! I didn’t know that coconut oil helped to support the thyroid. Mine needs all the assistance it can get *L*
I enjoy a little home brewed vanilla in my smoothies too from time to time.
Your newest smoothies sound exactly like mine
I guess the only difference is that I’ve never added coconut flour, but I do have some…how much are you adding per serving?
I usually do raw cow’s milk (or raw cow yogurt), 2 raw farm eggs, a handful of frozen organic berries, some stevia, a few Tbs of virgin coconut oil and maybe a splash of vanilla.
I didn’t know that high speeds might be bad for the eggs.
YUM
Whitney
Kim,
Many people have seen improved thyroid function after incorporating significant amounts of coconut oil in the diet. Interesting, isn’t it? Especially since main-line nutrition has demonized coconuts!
Something else you may want to look into is iodine deficiency. The book, Iodine: Why You Need It Why You Can’t Live Without It, though poorly written, gives a great overview of the problem. Basically, the iodine in iodized salt alone is *not* sufficient for good thyroid function. I wrote a little bit about thyroid and iodine in one of my posts on fluoride: http://wholesomegoodness.net/2008/03/21/why-i-avoid-fluoride-even-in-my-toothpaste/
Coconut oil and iodine supplementation have not completely fixed my hypothyroidism, but I have been able to decrease my thyroid medication. There are good genetic reasons why my thyroid problems are not solely diet-related (both of my parents have the autoimmune thyroid disorder, Hashimoto’s), but for many people, diet is the major culprit. Homeopathy is also a wonderful way to treat thyroid problems. I have seen great results and have hope that I may soon be able to stop taking my thyroid meds altogether. Here’s hoping!
Whitney,
I add one or two tablespoons of coconut flour to the smoothie. It really gives the smoothie a nice texture–keeps it thick even once the berries and ice begin to melt.
As far as the egg thing goes, I really don’t know how true this is. Dr. Mercola insists that it is, but who knows? I’m not convinced it’s something to worry about. I just figure that it doesn’t cost me anything to slow down the blender.
Thanks for the comment!
Wow, this is cool. I’m not hypoglycemic but I do try to avoid sugar highs and lows. I’m going to check out coconut oil.
I’m stuffed right now or I’d run to the blender to try the coconut flour addition.
It *is* easy to just slow down the blender…and your reasoning sounds a lot like mine…the jury’s out, but what can being careful hurt, especially if it doesn’t make my life harder?
Thanks for the advice and inspiration,
Whitney
Yay, I was going to ask you about your low glycemic smoothies. I’ve been using berries, peaches, kale, organic brown rice protein powder, ground flax and some kind of milk or some juice and water. I never add any extra sweetener (unless I use the juice in there when my girls drink it) I haven’t decided if I am for or against soy yet, I hear great things and bad things….. I’ve never used coconut flour, I’ll have to check that out. Thanks for the info!
DeAnna,
I definitely go for fermented soy (miso, tempeh, etc), but I do feel wary of unfermented soy or overconsumption of soy. I *really* don’t need those phytoestrogens. That said, I can understand why others eat it. You are right that there is a lot of conflicting information on the stuff.
I don’t think any of us can feel perfectly confident that we’ve got it all “right.”
I was also wondering about your low-glycemic smoothie! I usually add frozen bananas (maybe will try without to see if I feel different) and blanched, food processed, frozen kale cubes. I’ve never tried coconut flour or NuNaturals, which might improve the flavor if I don’t add banana. I’ll definitely try it! I recently discovered your blog and I really enjoy it
.
Sharon,
Thank you! I’m so glad to have you here.
I love your idea of frozen cubes of blanched kale. I’ve been wondering how to go about adding kale and other dark, leafy greens. I was concerned about using them raw because of their goitrogenic effect, but blanching would fix that. Cool!
I really have found bananas to be one of my worst foods ever. Not only do they spike my blood sugar (which then leads to a severe low), they refuse to be digested without a serious struggle. And when I can’t even stand up straight because of the pain, I have to acknowledge that the banana is winning. So I don’t even try anymore. Too bad. I loved bananas.
Thanks for the kale cube idea Sharon. I’m normally trying to make sure I use all my kale up quickly so it doesn’t go bad, you’d think I would have thought of freezing it. I used to do kale cubes all the time for my girls when they were babies and I was making their baby food.
And Alison, my goodness, you poor thing. Its awesome that you are learning what is making you sick and how to help it, (as well as sharing it with others), but I can’t imagine being in that much pain.
I also didn’t know that coconut oil supports the thyroid. I will definitely have to give that one a try…
Also, I went back and looked at your post on flouride. Interesting stuff for sure! I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s about three years ago, and unfortunately, am only now starting to learn how much diet and environmental factors can impact our health. I just know there has to be a better way to manange my health problems than pills… I would be greatly interested in hearing about some of the other things you have done to improve you thyroid function!
Just wondering (if you don’t mind sharing-hope I am not being to forward!), what medication are you on for your Thyroid? My old endocrinologist would only perscribe Synthroid (which is what I am on now), but I am thinking about asking my new doctor about Armor Thyroid because I have read that some people respond better to a T3/T4 combo (plus it natural rather than synthetic) . I am a little scared to ask though because I have heard that many doctors won’t perscribe it!
Sorry this is so long and off-topic! Your smoothie ideas sound wonderful!
Jodean,
I’m going to email you with information if that’s okay with you. It’s definitely a topic worth discussing!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing how you make your smoothie.
Kimi,
You’re welcome!
I forgot to add that I will throw in a chunk or two of avocado if we have some (fresh or I’ll freeze in chunks if we’re not eating them fast enough and they are starting to get too ripe).
Besides healthy fats, avocado thickens a smoothie and has more potassium than bananas. The taste blends right in…adding too much will result in a smoothie that’s way too thick before you’ll taste it in my experience.
Frozen strawberries and a bit of avocado and a splash of raw milk in a food processor makes “ice cream” that my little boys love, BTW.
Whitney
Whitney,
What a good idea! I’ve never thought of that. I especially love the “ice cream” idea. My poor children won’t know how warped they are until they go off to college. Poor things…
Alison,
Tonight I made “ice cream” in the food processor without avocado…just frozen strawberries, raw milk, and the awesome NuNaturals stevia (thank you for that recommendation!!). It was a little drippy so I stuck it in the freezer for a while and stirred once when the sides looked more frozen than the middle. It was nice soft serve about 10 minutes later. YUM
I will, in the future, try the ice cream recipes you’ve posted with the NuNaturals stevia, but my frozen ice cream bowl is trapped in our testy freezer. I’ve been telling myself that it’s better for my waistline that way, but now that you’ve taken it sugar-free I might have to tackle the freezer issue.
Oh, yeah, my boys know that other children eat out of a lot of packages, but I have them convinced for now!
Thanks!
Whitney
You know, I never thought of putting some coconut oil in my smoothies. I know it’s really good for you, but haven’t used other than ‘normal’. I’ll have to give this a shot, thanks for the tip!
Donielle,
You’re welcome! I had read about it several different places, and when I finally decided to try it, I found that it was really good. I hope it work for you too!
I too occas use avocado in a smoothie. My protein powder is also hemp; I prefer the Ruths Hemp Products and also those of Navitas. My addins include raw cacoa powder or nibs as well.
My base is water, zico, and/or coconut milk. I cant tolerate raw milk (cow or goat) either
I had been using some raw kefir for a while but realized that wasnt good for me either.
Oh and no sweetener for me in a smoothie. But I do like the addition of cinn (which incidentally is awesome for blood sugar issues, nutmeg and/or pumpkin pie spice!!
My friend recently posted this recipe on her blog:
http://next-step-conditioning-systems.blogspot.com/2008/09/lets-hear-it-for-avocado.html
although that recipe would send me into sugar heaven!!
I’ve tried coconut oil before and the flavor was too strong. Also, how do you keep the oil from hardening with all the cold stuff?
Sherri,
I’ve heard other people mention the clumps of hardening oil problem. I don’t know why it isn’t an issue for me. Perhaps because I have a powerful blender (Vita-Mix), it distributes the oil evenly. As far as being overpowering in taste, you may want to look into Wilderness Family Naturals coconut oil. I’ve heard Kimi of The Nourishing Gourmet blog say that they have a high-quality oil with almost no coconut taste.
Alison,
I know for Candida sufferers that coconut oil can be difficult to tolerate without starting out on small amounts and working your way up to the 2 or 4 tablespoons a day. You probably know coconut oil is great for fighting off Candida but since it is so effective too much at first causes too much die off and can make you feel sick. You might want to mention that for people with Candida they should start out with just 1/2 teaspoon- 1 teaspoon and see how they feel before increasing it. Did it ever bother you?
I love the kale ice cubes idea, will have to try that. Oh, one smoothie I make is just:
1 avacado,
1 handful of baby spinach
pure water
lime juice
sea salt
blend to the consistency that you like. Can also add ice before you blend if you like your smoothies icy. This seems to be ok on a Candida diet.
I’m really glad I stumbled across this website. I’m a vegetarian that’s now trying to cut out dairy for health reasons. That makes eating a whole lot trickier.
I’ve recently been using unsweetened almond milk. I quite like the taste. I was just wondering if anyone has an opinion or has done any research into almond milk.
great tips. i found recipes in my vitamix blender handbook for ’sesame milk’ and ‘rice milk’. just blend raw unhulled seasme seeds with water. for rice milk, blend half cup of cooked brown rice with water. you could also make almond and cashew milks.