One of the never ending searches for all performance athletes is to find that perfect concoction of foods and rituals which will help them bring out their best during and after the event. Every single physical body is unique and hence the needs are unique as well. But practically every single physical body has common core needs as well. These common core elements can be taken and customized to match the individual needs. One such smoothie recipe which I have seen work extremely effectively is the one listed below, especially when taken 30-90 minutes before long rides.
Ingredients:
Nuts/Seeds (Soaked overnight, or least a few hours)
1. Chia (whole)
2. Sprout -
Moong, Methi, alfaalfa at a minimum, expand over time with broccoli, clover and more seeds
- 1 tablespoon is plenty
Ingredients:
Nuts/Seeds (Soaked overnight, or least a few hours)
1. Chia (whole)
2.Hemp
3. Flax (whole)
Probiotics
5.Sauer-Kraut. Or raw fresh purple and green cabbage
Berries (keep qty low to keep overall sugar on lower end . say 1 tsp for a large 20oz serving)
6.Blueberries
7.Strawberries
Vegetables
8.Beetroot
9. Greens
10. celery
11. broccoli - skip it if you have broccoli sprouts - sprouts are ~ 100X more nutrient dense
Sprouts
12.One or more of - broccoli, alfalfa, moong, methi(fenugreek), clover ..
Dried Fruits ( only if you need to sweeten it more ... These are healthy, but with berries, bananas , watch out for overall sugar load)
13.Figs and/or Prunes
3. Flax (whole)
Probiotics
5.Sauer-Kraut. Or raw fresh purple and green cabbage
Berries (keep qty low to keep overall sugar on lower end . say 1 tsp for a large 20oz serving)
6.Blueberries
7.Strawberries
Vegetables
8.Beetroot
9. Greens
10. celery
11. broccoli - skip it if you have broccoli sprouts - sprouts are ~ 100X more nutrient dense
Sprouts
12.One or more of - broccoli, alfalfa, moong, methi(fenugreek), clover ..
Dried Fruits ( only if you need to sweeten it more ... These are healthy, but with berries, bananas , watch out for overall sugar load)
13.Figs and/or Prunes
Other
14.Cacao Beans
14.Cacao Beans
15. banana
Recipe:
1. Soak these overnight (Soaking activates the seeds, nuts and grains. This gets rid of the toxic protection layer they have in their outer shells and increases the nutritional density of the food)
chia, hemo, flax
Recipe:
1. Soak these overnight (Soaking activates the seeds, nuts and grains. This gets rid of the toxic protection layer they have in their outer shells and increases the nutritional density of the food)
chia, hemo, flax
- 1 tsp
2. Sprout -
Moong, Methi, alfaalfa at a minimum, expand over time with broccoli, clover and more seeds
- 1 tablespoon is plenty
seeds like broccoli, methi, clover, alfalfa will take 2-4 days to sprout so plan ahead for them - 1 tablespoon is a good starting point, increase over time based on how your microbiome adapts ..
3. Fermented (spoon of sauer-kraut). fresh raw cabbage is great too .
- 1 tsp is good
4. Berries - handful of blueberries, strawberries and/or cherries
5. Veggies - Beetroot - 1/4th of a onion sized beetroot. Add a handful of greens and 1/4 stick of celery and a broccoli flower
6. Water - at least the level until all ingredients are submersed or a little more if it's too thick ... chia and other nutty things will make it thick, so add a little more water for it to be drinkable
7. Bonus adds- Raw cacao beans, a dried fig / a dried prune, banana
Nutritional notes
1. Calorie - this is high calorie. By design
2. Bio-availability - consuming nutrients is not enough. They have to be absorb-able and utilize-able by the body. It's like mother's milk - it is nutritious but also contains all live enzymes to digest it as well. A baseline quality of any food is that it should be digestible on it's own without requiring something to go along with it .... e.g. all dairy, meats and poultry needs veggies with it. Meaning on their own - they are not bio-available ...
3. Sugar - This is high in sugar. but all sugars are not alike. The sugars this has is combined with the best of earth anti-oxidants, macro and micro-nutrients and most importantly fiber. Unless someone had insulin issues and could not tolerate any sugars, normal healthy immune systems love this concoction. Minus intense physical activity, 8-10 oz for adults is perfect.
4. Slow release - Foods are either instant assimilation into body or slow. Slow are best for performance training - long range activity as it sustains consistent energy needs
5. In this single preparation, you are getting a combination of
a. Anti-oxidants (Berries, Cacao)
b. Macro nutrients (high quality fully bio-available protein, carbs, fats)
c. Micro nutrients (high quality vital minerals)
d. Pro-biotics (Our microbiomes love it)
e. Pre-workout, strenuous activity slow release but highly potent energy from Beets
3. Fermented (spoon of sauer-kraut). fresh raw cabbage is great too .
- 1 tsp is good
4. Berries - handful of blueberries, strawberries and/or cherries
5. Veggies - Beetroot - 1/4th of a onion sized beetroot. Add a handful of greens and 1/4 stick of celery and a broccoli flower
6. Water - at least the level until all ingredients are submersed or a little more if it's too thick ... chia and other nutty things will make it thick, so add a little more water for it to be drinkable
7. Bonus adds- Raw cacao beans, a dried fig / a dried prune, banana
Nutritional notes
1. Calorie - this is high calorie. By design
2. Bio-availability - consuming nutrients is not enough. They have to be absorb-able and utilize-able by the body. It's like mother's milk - it is nutritious but also contains all live enzymes to digest it as well. A baseline quality of any food is that it should be digestible on it's own without requiring something to go along with it .... e.g. all dairy, meats and poultry needs veggies with it. Meaning on their own - they are not bio-available ...
3. Sugar - This is high in sugar. but all sugars are not alike. The sugars this has is combined with the best of earth anti-oxidants, macro and micro-nutrients and most importantly fiber. Unless someone had insulin issues and could not tolerate any sugars, normal healthy immune systems love this concoction. Minus intense physical activity, 8-10 oz for adults is perfect.
4. Slow release - Foods are either instant assimilation into body or slow. Slow are best for performance training - long range activity as it sustains consistent energy needs
5. In this single preparation, you are getting a combination of
a. Anti-oxidants (Berries, Cacao)
b. Macro nutrients (high quality fully bio-available protein, carbs, fats)
c. Micro nutrients (high quality vital minerals)
d. Pro-biotics (Our microbiomes love it)
e. Pre-workout, strenuous activity slow release but highly potent energy from Beets
6. Sprouts are one of the best ways to super-energize your energy levels as they are full of life force and are contain ALL amino acids (protein building blocks) ..
This is a great a baseline recipe. Add/subtract at will depending on individual needs, increase, reduce Sugars, Anti-oxidants or other Macro, micro nutrients.
Remember, don't let perfection get in the way of good enough - you don't need all the ingredients and follow all the steps from day 1. Start small and maybe even with 10% of the ingredients and work your way up. A Starbucks mocha-smocha is easily beat just by a berry and nut smoothie that has nothing but let's say almonds and blueberries with water.
Remember, don't let perfection get in the way of good enough - you don't need all the ingredients and follow all the steps from day 1. Start small and maybe even with 10% of the ingredients and work your way up. A Starbucks mocha-smocha is easily beat just by a berry and nut smoothie that has nothing but let's say almonds and blueberries with water.
Have fun with your long rides, runs, swims, triaths, plain old workouts or just being healthy. Every decision we take either takes us towards health or away from it, enjoy the journey : ) ..