The first thing you’re probably thinking is “yeah, right – this smoothie can’t help me lose weight.” But hold onto those thoughts. This mango berry smoothie contains an ample amount of blueberry and blackberry-goodness, which have been shown to be effective in reducing total body fat and body fat storage.
Preclinical studies have demonstrated that when the diets of obese, insulin-resistant men and women were supplemented with whole blueberries, their glucose concentration levels reduced over time (1). Even studies done with rats who consumed an otherwise unhealthy diet found that rats who ate a blueberry-rich diet on top of their poor diet, lost abdominal fat and had lower cholesterol and improved glucose control.
Why does this happen? Blueberries contain anthocyanins, which changes how the body stores and processes glucose for energy. Seymour and colleagues (3) found that anthocyanins can alter peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) activity, which makes our bodies more efficient at metabolizing fat.
These high antioxidant levels also act as a gentle cleanse by removing toxins and replacing them with cancer-fighting compounds, keeping disease and illness at bay.
Mango Berry Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
– 1 cup blueberries
– 1 cup blackberries
– 1/2 cup raspberries
– 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
– 1 cup cut mango
– 1 inch fresh ginger root
– 1 cup packed spinach leaves
– 1 inch fresh turmeric root (or 1 tsp. turmeric powder)
– 1/2 cup water or coconut water
Method:
Run all of the ingredients through a blender and enjoy!
Sources:
(1) Stull, A., Cash, K., Johnson, W., Champagne, C., & Cefalu, W. (2010). Bioactives in blueberries improve insulin sensitivity in obese, insulin-resistant men and women. American Society for Nutrition, 140, 1764-1768.
(2) University of Michigan News Rooms (2009). Blueberries make their mark on cardiovascular and diabetes risks, U-M animal study finds. University of Michigan Health System.
(3) Seymour, M., Tanone, I., Urcuyo-Llanes, D., Lewis, S., Kirakosyan, A., Kondoleon, M., Kaufman, P., & Bolling, S. (2011). Blueberry intake alters skeletal muscle and adipose tissue peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor activity and reduces insulin resistance in obese rats. Journal of Medicinal Food, 14, 1511-1518.
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