RECIPE: Warming Gingerbread Smoothie
Dr Fiona Herron shares a delicious winter warmer.
Words: Dr Fiona Herron
Photos: Chris Herron
Perfect anytime on a cold winter’s day – this smoothie will warm and comfort you in a healthy and nutritious way. Super easy to prepare, it is particularly beneficial if you are having trouble warming up after a chilly ride. It helps promote thermogenesis – the process of your body producing heat in order to metabolise (breakdown) the ingested food.
Our warming ingredients are ginger – awesome for your digestive system, and also diaphoretic (stimulates the perspiration process) helping to warm you up from the inside out. Ginger is also well known for its anti-bacterial properties – a benefit which certainly doesn’t go astray at this time of year. Cinnamon, our second warming ingredient also contains unique anti-bacterial properties and has specifically been shown to warm the body by increasing the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the stomach which, in turn, constricts blood vessels and blood circulation – making you feel warmer.
Combine these warming ingredients with bananas and you have a perfect match – high in vitamin B and magnesium, bananas support the glands that help regulate your body temperature – your adrenals and thyroid. Last but not least, add honey to the mix (manuka if available) for a third boost of anti-bacterial benefits that will help aid and support your body through the cold days of winter – so much more than just a natural sweetener.
Ingredients:
Use organic where possible and always read ingredient labels
– 1 medium sized banana
– 1 tsp minced ginger (fresh preferably)
– 1 tsp ground ginger
– 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1 tbs honey (manuka if available)
– 1 cup milk (your choice – I’ve used Coco Quench)
Method:
- Peel and chop banana into the blender
- Measure in ginger (both minced and powdered), cinnamon and honey
- Add milk and blend
- Pour into glass, sprinkle cinnamon on top and warm up!
Nutrition per serve (approx. 355g):
Energy – 1,250 kJ
Protein – 2.7 g
Fat – 7.2 g
Carbohydrate – 53.1 g
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