Breakfast, Fertility, Pregnancy, Recipes, Snacks
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Banana, Oat and Almond Smoothie

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This smoothie is so deliciously indulgent that you’ll think that you’re actually having a milkshake. It is perfect for breakfast on the run, or when you feel like an afternoon treat. It literally takes 2 minutes to make, so there’s no excuse not to make it. We used to make this smoothie at Rose Bakery, a wonderful cafe I used to work at that started in Paris, but is now also in London. This smoothie was very popular, and you’ll know why when you try it. Whenever someone ordered it, I would make a little extra just to I could have some too.

As you know, dairy milk is high in calcium, a mineral very much needed during pregnancy for the healthy formation of bones, teeth, nails, as well as the muscles, heart, and nerve development among others. Your need for calcium doubles during pregnancy, and if you don’t get enough to support your baby’s development, your body will remove calcium from your bones, leading to problems later in life such as osteoporosis and brittle bones. I’m actually not someone who tends to like milky things, so I usually substitute cow’s milk for nut milk, oat, coconut or soy. These substitutes contain varying amounts of calcium, but all significantly less than dairy milk. However, there continues to be a debate as to whether dairy products actually protect you from osteoporosis, and there is a lot of research suggesting it doesn’t. So, it’s up to you whether you choose to make this smoothie with dairy or non dairy milks. If you choose dairy products make sure to get them organic, as if not they may contain traces of hormones and antibiotics given to the cows (cows reared to organic criteria are not given these as standard). Other sources of calcium include, you probably could guess it, dark leafy greens & veg! Almonds, figs, sesame seeds, sardines, tofu and canned salmon are also good sources of dietary calcium.

Dates are another nutritional powerhouse, though in this recipe I’ve only included 1 per person, as I find it too sweet with more. But you can snack on a few dates when you’re craving something sweet as these little dried fruits are packed with iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium, and are great for muscle development. Bananas are also high in potassium, which makes this smoothie great if your having pesky leg cramps during pregnancy.

Last but not least, what are the health benefits of oats? Oats are full of fibre to help prevent constipation, they’re a rich source of many vitamins and minerals and also feed our good bacteria in our guts. Being a whole grain, they help stabilise blood sugars, and are thought to help our immune system too! What more could you ask for?

But despite all these health benefits, you’ll think you’re having a cheat day when having this smoothie, as it really does taste indulgent!

RECIPE   Serves 2   Total time 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 bananas
2 handfuls of oats
2 handfuls of almonds
2 dates (pitted)
2 cups of your choice of milk

Method
Place all the ingredients in a blender, and blend till smooth.

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