Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

This recipe is a great way to boost your immune system whilst simultaneously indulging in the sweetness of fall. If you love pumpkin everything (like I do) but don’t want to plummet your immune system by taking in more sugar than any human body was designed for, you will love this recipe.

Contrary to the majority of Fall pumpkin-y treats, this recipe actually contains real pumpkin, which is high in beta carotene (the phytochemical that gives pumpkin, as well as other orange fruits and veggies, its vibrant orange color). Beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in our bodies and that is important because vitamin A is vital to maintaining a healthy immune system. It is especially helpful to eat foods high in beta carotene during the colder seasons when all manner of contagions abound. Vitamin A not only improves our body’s ability to fight off pathogens, but it also helps to keep them from invading our nasal mucosa, lungs and GI tract. Without vitamin A we are susceptible to all manner of pathogenic invasion.

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6162863/

Finally, this recipe is just as delicious with a handful of dark leafy greens, which are vital for absorption of bio-available folate and crucial minerals. However, I left them out this particular recipe, but you can add them in as an option.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium banana

• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree

• 2 teaspoons hemp seeds

• 2 teaspoons flax seeds

• 1/2 tablespoon nut butter (any kind: cashew, almond, hazelnut or organic peanut)

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• Dash of cinnamon

• Dash of nutmeg

Blend and enjoy!