Picture this: you’re blending up a smoothie, tossing in those antioxidant-packed and polyphenol loaded blueberries, feeling like a total health rockstar… only to unwittingly add in ingredients that completely undermine those benefits.
The Culprits: Bananas, Beets, Chard, and Swiss Chard.
These otherwise powerfully healthy foods contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase. And as the name suggests, it’s like a wrecking ball for polyphenols – the very compounds you’re trying to get from your blueberries!
I used to be a banana-in-my-smoothie kind of guy. I loved how it added creaminess… until I discovered the polyphenol oxidase problem. And let me tell you, it evolved my smoothie game and I’m sad to say these polyphenol counteracting ingredients are found in every smoothie shop out there.
But wait, it gets worse. A 2023 study found that when people drank a smoothie with blueberries and banana, their polyphenol levels plummeted compared to those who had the blueberries alone. That means all those great brain benefits from the blueberries were essentially blocked by the banana!
There is really not a lot of foods you can put into a smoothie that would degrade the polyphenols, but of the ones that would counteract the polyphenols with their high polyphenol oxidase enzyme includes bananas, beets, anything in that family such as chard, and swiss chard. These foods are wonderful foods with powerful health benefits, just don’t put them in with blueberries. An ideal green that works beautifully with blueberries in your smoothies would be Kale Leaves, Spinach, or Romain Lettuce.
The Smoothie Recipe That Actually Works
Okay, enough about what not to do. Here’s my revised smoothie template recipe that boosts the benefits of those blueberries I got based from a recipe by Dr. Rhonda Patrick of Cell Biology and Biochemistry:
- 4 Kale leaves
- 1 Avocado
- Copious amounts Frozen blueberries
- Protein powder (I use Plant-Based Shakeology which includes 16 grams of Protein per serving. I do 2 servings a day)
- hydrolyzed collagen (not needed if you have a good protein powder)
- A heaping tablespoon of Moringa powder (this stuff is like a polyphenol supercharger!)
- Water
About the Moringa powder. It’s like magic. It activates the same genetic pathways as sulforaphane (found in broccoli sprouts) to increase antioxidants in the brain, lower DNA damage, and more. Plus, it helps control blood sugar spikes from the smoothie!
Upgrade Your Smoothie Game
- Ditch the banana! Add avocado instead for creaminess as well as it’s own health benefits.
- Sneak in some kale, spinach or romaine.
- Avoid beets and chard (save them for your salads)
- Consider adding Moringa powder for an extra polyphenol boost and help with controlling blood sugar spikes.
Now it’s your turn! Give me your smoothie recipe and I’ll grade it for you.