Boost Heart Health with the Strawberry Banana Sweetheart Smoothie
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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and if you are like me, I’m sure you find those boxes of chocolates and little conversation heart candies incredibly tempting. There’s no reason to avoid Valentine’s Day treats all the time, but you also don’t want to have them every day. With February being National Heart, I thought it would be the perfect time to create a sweet treat that not only curbs those Valentine treat cravings, but also one that can boost heart health. So what did I come up with? The Strawberry Banana Sweetheart Smoothie! It’s a combination of my favorite smoothie ingredients along with foods that research has shown can be protective to the heart. And it’s even pretty and red, which makes it perfect for your Valentine’s Day menu!
Let’s take a look at the research behind the heart-healthy ingredients so you can see why I added them to the recipe:
Walnuts
Eating walnuts affects various heart health markers such as reducing total cholesterol, decreasing blood pressure, reducing inflammation and improvements in arterial function. (1)
Strawberries
Clinical research suggests that eating just a serving of eight strawberries a day may improve heart health, help manage diabetes, support brain health, and reduce the risk of some cancers. (2)
What better way to celebrate a day that’s all about love than taking care of your heart.
Strawberry Banana Sweetheart Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
For Smoothie:
- 6 each strawberries frozen
- 1 medium banana frozen
- 1 ounce walnuts
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
For Toppings:
- whipped cream
- freeze dried strawberries
Instructions
- In a blender, combine strawberries, banana, walnuts, milk, orange juice and chia seeds. Blend until smooth.
- Smoothie will be thick so add liquid for desired texture. Top with whipped cream and freeze-dried fruit. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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- Heart Health. (n.d.). Retrieved January 13, 2017, from https://www.walnuts.org/health-and-walnuts/health-research-initiatives/heart-health/
- California Strawberries. (n.d.). Retrieved January 13, 2017, from http://californiastrawberries.com/health_and_nutrition