Recipe: Banana Cacao Smoothie With a Healthy Twist

Written by M Andre

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

A Banana-Cocoa Smoothie Breakfast

If you are not big on English breakfast, egg and bacon fry-ups, or bready continental breakfasts, then this might just do the trick. There are great known health benefits related to the ingredients I use in my recipe, and be assured with this recipe you will not start your day on an empty stomach.

Most of the ingredients I use are organic, although occasionally non-organic products do find their way into my culinary lab. More often than not I also substitute milk for almond or soya milk or simply just filtered or distilled water. However, I find there is great pleasure in combining bananas and cocoa with cow's milk, and although some believe this could be an unhealthy compromise, perhaps a worthy compromise for the glory of the taste. I therefore figured I’d give you the 'milky' version of the recipe. Please do make your adjustments to the recipe to suit your personal preferences and do share your ideas in the comments below.

Ingredients for the Banana-Cacao Smoothie

I use the following ingredients:

2 slightly browning organic bananas – I find those are sweeter and have a richer flavour;
1 heaped tablespoon of unsweetened organic cacao powder;
1 tablespoon of organic cacao nibs;
1 heaped teaspoon (or half of tablespoon) of organic acai berry powder;
1 heaped teaspoon (or half of tablespoon) of organic maqui berry powder;
1 teaspoon of organic lucuma powder;
½ teaspoon of organic camu-camu powder;
½ teaspoon of organic maca powder;
1 glass of organic milk (or a milk substitute of your choice).

Take the skin off the bananas and chuck everything, except for cocoa nibs, into the blender. Blend it until smooth and pour it into glasses. Sprinkle the cocoa nibs on top.

The recipe above will produce approximately two glasses, depending on the size of the bananas and the glasses you use. You can share the banana shake with friends or family or you can have it all to yourself. Generally, when I have this for breakfast, I have this all to myself as I find the amount of smoothie made from 2 bananas is just the right amount for me to fulfill my breakfast appetite. However, you can tweak the recipe and the amounts to suit your preferences and requirements.

If you would like to add anything to this story please share it in the comments below.

Detoxification Symptoms

Occasionally some people experience adverse effects, such as lightheadedness, when they start taking some of the superfood ingredients listed in this recipe. These symptoms may actually be detoxification symptoms. If your body is more accustomed to consuming processed and cooked foods, take it easy and start by taking-in these nutritionally dense superfood supplements in smaller quantities, build up over time and in your own time. The key thing is to know and to listen to your body.

Additional Info on the Superfoods

Cacao Powder and Cacao Nibs

Cacao powder and cacao nibs are made from cacao beans found inside near-football-sized pods - the fruit of the tree. The word "cacao" (or when we see "cacao nibs" or "powdered cacao" for sale) refers to the bean in its raw, uncooked and unprocessed state. After the beans are cleaned, roasted and processed, they are called "cocoa". The one I choose for personal consumption is the cacao and not cocoa due to its associated health benefits.

Cacao, the stuff that chocolate is made from, is a delicious and fun ingredient considered a superfood for its health benefits - when it is in the raw form. All the bad things commonly attributed to non-raw chocolate bars, such as cavities, weight gain and diabetes, are actually caused by the dairy, sugar and others fillers added to the dark chocolate.

Health benefits of cacao are said to include weight loss due to its high chromium and coumarin content, prevention of cavities because theobromine actually kills streptococci mutans - one of the strains of bacteria that cause tooth decay, and regulation of blood sugar which is beneficial for diabetes as chromium can naturally regulate blood sugar. Raw cacao benefits the heart and the entire cardiovascular system, contains high level of antioxidants, phenethylamine (PEA, the feel good neurotransmitter responsible for the feeling of love!), Omega 6 fatty acids, vitamin C, tryptophan (a commonly deficient amino acid in those who consume a diet of mostly cooked food) and serotonin. Cacao is the highest whole food source of magnesium, and the dark chocolate antioxidants have been clinically proven to literally dissolve plaque built up in the arteries which helps in reversing heart disease and causes naturally lower blood pressure. There are various other vitamins and minerals in raw cacao that benefits the cardiovascular system and the body.

Acai Berry

The Amazon rain forests berries, that taste a bit like a fruity red wine with chocolate overtones, are considered one of the top superfoods due to their incredible antioxidant properties and are said to have numerous other health benefits.

Acai has a very high concentration of antioxidants (antioxidants are molecules that prevent the oxidation of other molecules, and oxidation produces free radicals which can damage the cells and glands within our bodies making us more prone to disease and ageing). Our bodies are exposed to a variety of toxins and produce trillions of free radicals. A diet rich in antioxidants helps reduce the effect of free radicals in the body, and Acai is a great dietary addition for preventing free radical damage. Acai has been recognised as one of the world’s highest ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) foods; the higher the ORAC value, the better the body utilises it to fight free radicals.

Anthocyanins, the antioxidants found in Acai berry, are excellent for heart health and are good at preventing the oxidation of cholesterol. When circulating cholesterol gets oxidised it sticks to the walls of arteries causing their narrowing, which eventually leads to high blood pressure.

Acai is high in essential fatty acids, contain amino acids, as well as a good variety of vitamins and minerals, and the berries offer a range of health benefits in addition to the ones described above. However, Acai is expensive since the berries have to be freeze dried within 24 hours to keep their nutritional profile intact. Freeze drying preserves the goodness of Acai berries found in the skin and pulp and not in the juice.

Maqui Berry

Here is another South American berry, and an antioxidant gem, that frequently pops up on the 'superfoods' list. The berry grows wild in the rainforests in Chile and Argentina and contains antioxidant compounds, such as the anthocyanins that help protect the body from the toxic effects of free radicals and unstable atoms that are generated by things like cigarette smoke and pollution. Free radicals can cause DNA damage that can lead to age-related diseases and health problems. Research shows that anthocyanins are the dominating antioxidant compounds in Mqui. According to a study published in the journal Phytochemical Analysis, dried maqui berries contain a whopping 212 milligrams per 100 grams. Maqui powder is made by grinding dried fruits.

Lucuma Fruit

Lucuma, a super nutritious Peruvian fruit that looks a bit like an avocado, is said to reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, and protect against some forms of cancer. The Incan superfruit contains beta carotene, iron, zinc, vitamin B3, calcium, and protein, is full of essential nutrients and can be used as a healthier substitute for sugar (it is claimed that unlike cane sugar, lucuma is low in sugar and does not lead to the same increase in blood sugar levels), making it a perfect sweet addition to smoothies, shakes and homemade ice cream.

Lucuma can be hard to come by as it grows at altitudes of 4,500 to 10,000 feet, however the powder, typically obtained by drying the whole fruit at low temperature and grinding it into powder, can be obtained from many health food stores.

Camu Camu Fruit

Camu camu mostly grows in flooded areas of the Amazon rainforest in Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela, where its lemon-sized light-orange-coloured fruits and leaves are used for medicinal purposes.

The fruit is an immune system stimulant and has astringent, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, emollient and nutritional properties. Allegedly the fruit contains more natural vitamin C than any other natural food source recorded on the planet (in comparison to oranges Camu Camu apparently provides 30-50 times more vitamin C, ten times more iron, three times more niacin, twice as much riboflavin, and 50% more phosphorus). The fruit also contains beta-carotene, potassium, calcium, protein, serine, thiamin, leucine, and valine. These powerful phytochemicals and amino acids have a surprising range of therapeutic effects.

Maca Root

This nutritionally dense superfood is grown in the mountains of Peru - in the high plateaus of the Andes mountains and has been cultivated as a vegetable crop in Peru for thousands of years.

The root, sometimes referred to as "Peruvian ginseng", belongs to the radish family and in Europe it is most commonly available in powder form. It is said that maca contains high amounts of minerals, vitamins, enzymes and all of the essential amino acids. Maca root is rich in B-vitamins - the energy vitamins and is a vegetarian source of B-12. It contains high levels of bioavailable calcium and magnesium and is great for remineralization.

Maca is used for "tired blood" (anemia); chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS); and enhancing energy, stamina, athletic performance, memory, fertility and apparently to arouse sexual desire - in humans and livestock!