Who doesn’t like a smoothie?? And they can be such an efficient way to get lots of great nutrients into your system quickly if you are in a rush or if you don’t LOVE vegetables. There are so many ways to get creative with smoothies, and they are something that has been a big bonus to my fertility diet. I love that you can make them as ‘thick’ or as ‘thin’ as you feel like for the day by varying the content!
I enjoy experimenting and finding new combinations, but below are a few 'go-to' favourites I’d like to share with you. They are on my list as they combine good fertility foods with good taste (well in my taste-buds opinions anyway!).
My top 3 'Go-to' Fertility Smoothies:
Chocolate Raspberry Green Smoothie
- 1-cup homemade almond milk – almonds are a great source of protein, good fats and calcium, magnesium and Vitamin E (among other things!)
- 2 cups Leafy Greens- I use spinach and/or kale. Both great sources of folate, A, B and C vitamins and iron. Kale is also high in Vitamin K, and anti-inflammatory, always a bonus in TTC
- 2 Tbsps. ground flaxseed or LSA- protein, source of good omegas, great for detoxing the liver and keeping those hormones regulated
- 2 Tbsps. Shredded Coconut- source of good fats, good for immunity and increasing energy, and its tasty!
- 1-cup organic raspberries- anti-oxidant, low fructose fruit portion, great source of fibre
- 1 tbsp. cacao powder- contrary to what you might expect unprocessed cacao is great for calming things down and balancing your mood, full of anti-oxidants and magnesium (important for stress levels, relaxation). Chocolate for breakfast- oh yeah!!
- 2 filtered water ice-cubes
Coconutty Mint Green Machine
- 1-cup coconut water- very hydrating and has lots of health benefits. Great for skin and immunity, plus it’s packed with electrolytes, calcium, potassium, sodium and riboflavin.
- 1-2 cups leafy greens- see above for my usual choices and why!
- Juice of a Lime. Alkalising, good for digestion.
- 1 scoop 180 Degrees Natural Protein Powder. I use this type as it is all natural, and doesn’t have some of the ingredients you should ideally avoid when TTC that are in most other protein powders. It packed full of nuts and seeds (inc chia, sunflower, pumpkin and flaxseed).
- Fresh Mint leaves- just a small handful. Good for relaxation and digestion
- Ripe Avocado- either a small whole one, or a half medium one. Packed with good omegas, also a great source for vitamins A, B, C and even Folate.
- 1 handful organic mixed berries- really you can use what you like here but I use a combination of frozen strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Good anti-oxidants, low fructose, fibre and they take the edge off the green veggie taste!
- 1 pinch vanilla powder- mostly for flavour but its also a source of calcium, iron and fibre.
- 2 teaspoons of green powder (optional). I like to add FertiliGreens or Vital Greens to my smoothies for an extra nutritional power hit. **This is something I would personally avoid when pregnant or sometimes in the Two Week Wait owing to Vitamin A levels in these powders. (Check with your Dr if you are not sure what’s right for you)
Sweet Clean Protein Machine
*I can’t take credit for coming up with this one!! It’s from Sarah Wilson’s I Quit Sugar, but its quick, tasty and has lots of fertility benefits so it’s on my go-to-list!
- Handful of Frozen Berries- I tend to use blueberries for this one, but Sarah suggests Strawberries. See benefits above!
- 1 peeled Kiwi Fruit. Kiwis are a great, low fructose, immunity boosting fruit for fertility.
- Few handfuls of Leafy Greens- again see above for my choices and why!
- 1 scoop Protein Powder- see benefits above!
- 1-teaspoon chia seeds- powerhouse seed packed full of protein, vitamins and immunity boosting qualities
- 1-cup coconut water- see benefits above
Bonus smoothie suggestions:
- Top with chia seeds, pumpkin or sunflower seeds to add more protein, crunch and chunkiness to the smoothie.
- Blend in chia seeds to thicken things up
- Experiment with adding in teaspoon of nut butters for a creamier flavor and protein hit
- Add more filtered water if you prefer a runnier consistency
- If you are like me and trying not to have foods that are too cold I make my smoothies when I first get up, then go have a shower and drink it after so it has time to get to room temperature.
The world of smoothies is full of endless possibilities- I hope these give you some inspiration! I'd love to hear about some of your combinations to try so please feel free to share!