Spice up your morning with this Spiced Apple Kefir Smoothie! It’s a perfect treat for those crisp autumn days. Feel free to skip the maple syrup for a healthier treat!
Cultured Dairy: The Nutrition Benefits You Actually Need to Know
With increasing research linking the correlation between probiotics, gut health, and immunity, it’s no secret that the integrity of our gut is vital to our health. Although additional factors such as stress, antibiotic usage, and individual health conditions can contribute to the condition of our gut, a focus on healthy food choices is one of the easiest ways to support the microbiome.
Several studies have shown a strong association between the gut-brain-microbiota. Probiotics introduced to the gut have been found to support immunity, improve allergies, and improve digestion.
Studies have shown that reduced diversity of healthy gut bacteria during early years is associated with an increase in food allergies during school age years. In addition, kefir made from whole fat milk helps absorb key nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin K is important because it helps your bones absorb calcium. It’s important to know that kefir contains a special trio: vitamin D, K, and calcium – all three crucial elements to support bone health.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups Lifeway Lowfat Vanilla Kefir
- 2 medium apples
- 2 ripe bananas, sliced and frozen
- ½ cup ice cubes
- ⅛ tsp. cinnamon
- ½ Tbsp. maple syrup*
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of ginger
Directions
- Cut apples into quarters and remove the cores. You can leave the skins on, if you’re using a high-powered blender. This would be preferable because there are a lot of nutrients and fiber in the peels. However, if you're using a regular blender, we advise you peel the apple before blending.
- Add all of the ingredients to the pitcher of a high-powered blender. Blend on high until smooth, or until desired consistency is reached.
- *The maple syrup is completely optional, depending on level of sweetness desired. If you like your smoothies more tart, skip this.
