Smoothie bowls are the most delicious, refreshing sugar hit, perfect for a summer breakfast or snack. But are they good for you? How about a low carb version?

When I talk about low-carb here, I don’t mean Keto. I am referring to the fact that this smoothie bowl contains at least half the amount of carbs when compared to your standard bowl.

Despite smoothie bowls being packed with healthful ingredients – fruit, greens, honey, seeds – it is an extremely high carbohydrate meal option.

Carbohydrates (particularly sugar) in high amounts can be problematic for some individuals, for example those with diabetes, excess weight, high stress levels, fatigue, or hormonal issues such as PMS and PCOS. In all of these scenarios lies an issue with the hormone insulin – it doesn’t function as well is it should, mopping up excess carbohydrates and burning them for fuel.

A typical smoothie bowl (or smoothie) comes with 100gms+ carbs, mostly in the form of sugar. In addition, they don’t contain enough protein to balance this sugar spike out.

When you have issues with blood sugar regulation, one of the easiest ways to take care of yourself nutritionally is to avoid sugar, particular that sugar which does not come packed with fibre, or which comes in high on the glycemic index scale.

The solution? A high protein, Casein Custard smoothie bowl! All you need to make it is chopped fruit, protein custard, water, and chia seeds. This protein smoothie bowl is higher in protein than it is in carbs, so it will digest well, whilst tasting delicious at the same time

Ingredients:

• Choose 250gms any fruit. Keep in mind that apples, pears, berries are the lowest on the glycemic index. I choose 150gms from these fruits (usually berries) and 100gms from other – generally banana, mango, pineapple or pink dragonfruit (or a combo!)
• Add 15gms chia seeds
• 45gms Muscle Nation Protein Custard – I use vanilla flavour, but you can use banana or strawberry too to compliment the fruit flavour

Instructions:

• Chop up all the fruit, add in the chia seeds, and 3/4 cup water. Soak this for 20-30mins while the chia seeds expand
• Add the protein custard
• Blend with a blender or bullet
• Empty out into a bowl and top with anything you want (not included in the macros below).

Why is it so low in carbs? Generally you need quite bit of fruit in order to get the thick consistency, but because the custard thickens up in water (can be eaten as a protein custard snack), it makes it thicker without you needed to add heaps of fruit!

Macros (without topping):

• Protein: 38gm
• Carbs: 38gm
• Fats: 8gm
• Calories: 376

As I am tracking calories at the moment and having this as a snack, I just topped it with some puffed multigrain, which is virtually calorie-free, and a few of the frozen berries from the fruit allowance. You can top it with anything you like though! Micronutrients include fibre, vitamin C, folate, potassium, vitamin A, calcium and iron.

Hope you enjoy 🙂