Good morning! By now, you probably know how we feel about protein and fiber–combine them both and you’re set with an energy boost without crashes. So, we love this lil’ hot number that’ll kick start your day with nutrients, protein and fiber and that may even boost your metabolism with a special ingredient that’s showing some encouraging fat burning potential– apple cider vinegar!
(Pssst…In addition to starting our day by drinking a large glass of water, on days when we want an extra lift, we also have one of our refreshers like our Kale Recharge Smoothie, Sparkling Cucumber and Refresh Detoxer, or we go for one of our smoothies that use the Easiest Way To Get our Greens — or when we feel like we want a fresh start after eating foods that we don’t typically eat, we go for this Apple Cider Vinegar Mint “Detox” Drink, that we just added to our list!)
Our Rise and Shine Nutritious Smoothie includes a little apple cider vinegar (ACV) and research shows that this may be the small edge you’re looking for to help to control your weight. 😉
You’ve probably heard that apple cider vinegar can help you lose weight. Small amounts before a meal may help lower your blood sugar. It seems that acetic acid, the main component in vinegar, may interfere with the body’s ability to digest starch; less starch being broken down into calories in the bloodstream could mean a little less fat on your body over time.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to drink gallons of the stuff—there’s great news! It doesn’t take much vinegar—just about two teaspoons.
Although more research is needed, as long as you don’t have trouble digesting foods that are high in acid, you have nothing to lose by giving it a try!
More good news? It’s not only ACV that’s helpful since all vinegars contain acetic acid. Wine vinegars have a smoother taste (like in our Green Goddess Edamame Salad and Dressing), but even white distilled vinegar will do the trick. Just look for those with 5% acidity, which is what you’ll find in most cooking and salad vinegars. (Avoid pickling vinegars, which have a higher acid content.)
NOTE: Keep in mind that consuming too much acetic acid can hurt your throat. A tablespoon of vinegar mixed with 8 ounces of water and taken before a meal is a safe dose. Go for this delish g’mornin smoothie to get a dose of ACV (and some delicious and wholesome nutrient-packed foods!)!
Rise and Shine Nutritious Smoothie
Serves 1
Ingredients
¼ cup shredded zucchini
½ cup Greek Yogurt, nonfat, plain
¼ cup sliced frozen strawberries
¼ cup diced pineapple
1 TBSP flax seed
½ TBSP apple cider vinegar
Directions
Add all ingredients into a blender, mix and enjoy!
Nutritional Information, per 1 serving
156 calories, 4g fat, 59mg sodium, 354mg potassium, 18g carbohydrates, 6g fiber, 15g protein!!
Also: 54% Vitamin C AND 19% Calcium AND 43% Manganese
- ¼ cup shredded zucchini
- ½ cup Chobani Greek Yogurt, nonfat, plain
- ¼ cup sliced frozen strawberries
- ¼ cup diced pineapple
- 1 TBSP flax seed
- ½ TBSP apple cider vinegar
- Add all ingredients into a blender, mix and enjoy!