Creamy Coconut Green Beauty Smoothie (Paleo)

We all know that my obsession with green smoothies is a little too real. If you watch my Instagram or Snapchat stories, you know I drink a green smoothie every single day. Usually as my afternoon snack.

When made properly, green smoothies are powerhouses when it comes to health benefits. Unfortunately, most people make a high-sugar, fruit-filled smoothie, add in some spinach to make it green, and call it a day. That is not my idea of a healthy green smoothie.

I’ve had this recipe on repeat for weeks now, and I seriously can’t get enough. You guys have all been asking for the recipe, so I had to share. I follow a high-fat diet, and this smoothie is healthy-fat central. Because this smoothie is high in fats, your blood sugar will stay balanced, and you’re going to stay full for a long period of time.

Besides tasting amazing, this smoothie is thick – my #1 smoothie requirement. It’s just not as satisfying if it’s not thick, ya know? More than that, though, every single ingredient in this smoothie is exploding with health benefits. And it’s a super simple recipe. You don’t need to add in 5,000 superfood powders to create a delicious, healthy smoothie.

Let’s talk about those ingredients, shall we? We all know I have a coconut addiction – coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut butter, coconut flakes. It’s by far one of my favorite flavors on this planet. If you don’t eat coconut butter by the spoonful, you’re seriously missing out. It tastes like frosting.

Most people tout the benefits of coconut oil, but what about coconut meat itself? This smoothie contains coconut butter, coconut meat, and unsweetened coconut flakes. Just like coconut oil, coconut meat and its by-products contain medium chain triglycerides, also known as MCTs. I’m sure you’ve heard of MCTs before. MCTs are basically magical fuel. They move straight from the intestines to the liver and are immediately turned into fuel for your bod, which means they won’t hang out and store as fat. MCTs actually boost the metabolism and help promote fat loss. MCTs also increase the body’s ketone levels, and ketones are a fab source of energy for the brain. Heard of the term “fat burner”? If you’re a fat burner, your body knows how to use fat instead of glucose to power up.

Coconut meat is full of vitamins A and E, polyphenols, and phytosterols, which all work to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Did you know that areas of the world with the highest amounts of coconut consumption have the lowest rates of heart disease? Now you do.

High in fat and fiber, coconut meat is QUEEN when it comes to keeping you full and satisfied. Coconut consumption has been linked to better immune health due to its anti-viral and antibacterial properties, and it has also been linked to improved thyroid function. And what about the beauty benefits?! Coconut consumption has been shown to keep your hair healthy and improve the look of your skin. ALL ABOUT THOSE HEALTHY FATS.

The next star of the show is Vital Proteins Collagen Beauty Greens. Where do I even begin with this stuff? I’ve been taking collagen every single day for almost two years now. I cannot being to explain to you what it’s done to transform my digestive system, my skin, my hair, and my joints. I’m going to do an entire post on collagen very soon, because I really want to get into it. I really think everyone should be taking collagen every single day. But for now — let’s focus on the Beauty Greens.

First of all, the Beauty Greens are Paleo, gluten-free, and sugar-free. Duh. The collagen is from non-GMO, wild-caught red snapper. I’ll save all the details about collagen for my in-depth post, but what you need to know right now is that collagen improves the health of your hair, skin, and nails. Like, your hair and nails will grow insanely quickly, and your skin will definitely become more vibrant and supple. Collagen also helps build and preserve muscle, reduces inflammation in the body, and helps heal the gut lining.

Let’s talk about gut health for a sec. Collagen itself is amazing for digestive health, but the Beauty Greens are extra fab for digestion because they contain probiotics. (Bacillus coagulans, to be exact.) Probiotics are key when it comes to digestive health, but they also support the immune system and protect against skin conditions, like eczema, as well.

The Beauty Greens taste like heaven. They’re coconut-vanilla flavored, which is seriously the ultimate combo. They also contain 10 grams of protein per scoop, and this smoothie has 2 scoops. So 20 grams of protein. That’ll keep you full, and it’ll help you build dat muscle.

The last few ingredients are spinach and cinnamon. Spinach is high in zinc, magnesium, fiber, vitamins A, C, E and K, potassium, copper… the list goes on. I mean, it’s spinach.

I put cinnamon into every single smoothie I make, and it’s not only because it makes everything taste extra delicious. Cinnamon helps balance blood sugar levels, which should be your goal every time you eat. Balanced blood sugar means a happy body! Cinnamon also has antibiotic and antimicrobial effects that benefit the skin, so it’s a must in a beauty drink!

Basically, you cannot go wrong with this smoothie. It’s delicious, it supports gut health, and it’s the ultimate beauty smoothie.

Creamy Coconut Green Beauty Smoothie

Serves: 1

Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Handfuls of Spinach (I always use Organic Girl)
1/2 cup coconut meat (I always buy pre-cut from Whole Foods because I’m lazy)
2 tbsp raw coconut butter (Artisana is my favorite)
2 scoops Vital Proteins Collagen Beauty Greens
1/2 cup – 3/4 cup ice (use more ice if you want it thicker, but it will dilute the flavor a little bit)
dash of cinnamon
1/2 cup water
1-2 tbsp coconut flakes

Instructions:

Add all ingredients except for the coconut flakes into a blender and blend. Add more water to thin, if you want.
Pour into a glass and top with coconut flakes.
Enjoy!