A post-workout smoothie is a quick and effective way to help your body recover from a workout. One of the best things about smoothies is that you can easily add powder supplements to give yourself an extra boost. These powders easily dissolve into your smoothie along with any unpleasant tastes that would be present if you simply added water.

The perfect post-workout boosts should provide you extra protein to help the muscle repair necessary after a hard workout and something that will help relive pain through reducing inflammation.

Two Super “Extras”

Spirulina

Spirulina is often mistakenly called an herb however it is actually a very specific kind of algae that is rich in protein and other nutrients. Today, Spirulina is grown and harvested from specially controlled water farms. You can purchase spirulina as a powder or pills from most nutrition supplement stores. The powder form is best as a food or smoothie additive. Spirulina health benefits are due to concentrations of chlorophyll, B-12, iron, and protein. These are all important nutrients your body needs to recover from a workout.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a root vegetable that can be dried and ground up into a fine powder. Turmeric health benefits include reducing pain through a reduction of inflammation. Turmeric’s ability to reduce inflammation and pain make it a perfect ingredient in your post-workout smoothies.

How to include them in your Smoothie

I like to use a simple healthy base of ingredients for my smoothies which I can then add my flavor and nutritional boosts into.

My base ingredients:

1 banana

½ cup of milk (soy, almond, or low-fat milk)

2 ice cubes

Optional Fruit:

½ cup of fresh or frozen fruit (Strawberries and blueberries work great)

Optional Boosts:

Spirulina sprinkles

Or

Turmeric powder

Please note that I do not include an amount for the boosts. The concentration of spirulina and turmeric can vary so check the label.

Equipment:

While a Vitamix would be ideal, most countertop blenders should do the job. I currently use a kitchenaid blender which works just fine.

Tip: Avoid sweet syrups as an additive as they can pack on the calories while providing little to no nutritional value.

About Author: Chris regularly contributes at HealthSmartLiving.com. Chris has published a detailed guide to smoothie makers based on his personal experiences.

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