Oh how I love pineapple, let me count the ways! Pineapple is the true symbol for warm sunny days, afternoons by the pool and a mini tropical escape.
This creamy fat burning smoothie contains ginger which is great for digestion and pineapple which is one of the top anti-inflammatory foods. The combination of banana and ginger may help to increase fat burning in the body.
Pineapples are a member of the Bromeliaceae family, which is a type of flowering plant. Of these family of plants, pineapple is the only food crop. Other members of the Bromeliaceae family include mostly ornamental plants, grown as both garden and houseplants. Now do you see why pineapples are so pretty??
Does Pineapple Burn Belly Fat?
Actually Bromeliaceae plants are named after the enzyme bromelain. The powerhouse ingredient that make pineapples so special, apart from their outer beauty of course. The enzyme bromelain is the enzyme that makes pineapple one of the top anti-inflammatory foods to reduce inflammation in your body. It also helps to manage bloating and food cravings and m. and to break down proteins which is why some chefs use it to tenderize meat.
In addition to the fat burning enzyme bromelain, pineapples are also high in fiber.
Pineapple’s ability to reduce inflammation, metabolize proteins and high fibre content are why I love it as a weight loss food, making it excellent for getting rid of belly fat.
Other notable nutrients in pineapple?
They are one of the best sources of Vitamin C and have an abundance of vitamin B6, folate, potassium, manganese, and fiber.
With that praise comes some caution. They do tend to be a bit high in sugar, so I wouldn’t recommend eating more than once a day or every day.
Everything in moderation friends.
This why I’ve included some healthy fats in this smoothie like almond butter which will help to stabilize your blood sugar.
How to Pick a Pineapple
When shopping for pineapples look for ones that are ripe and nice and yellow at the base. Give the stem a good sniff and if it smells sweet pack her up and take her home ‘cause you got a winner.
Okay so now that we’ve placed pineapple on a pedestal let’s dive into the supporting cast of other fat burning foods in this smoothie.
Are Bananas Weight Loss Friendly?
Bananers….aka bananas 🙂
Okay so I get irked when people try to ban bananas from weight loss plans. Check out this research that found that consuming bananas regularly is linked to weight loss.
Bananas are jammed with fiber which helps to keep you full for a long period of time and helps to remove toxins from your body. They are also great in aiding in digestion AND I like that they give you a great boost of energy since they help to metabolize carbs.
Bananas are also high in potassium which is known to help reduce blood pressure and also helps with your body’s acid alkaline balance.
Ginger Health Benefits and How it Helps with Weight Loss
Now finally let’s move on to ginger. I put that s**t in everything. I really do. Ginger to me is like Bey to Jay-Z, it’s everything. I can always find a way to toss some into any dish and for good reason. I’ll add it to smoothies, stir fries, juices and anything in between.
Ginger is one bad mutha****** and is considered to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet. It’s a great weight loss food that I like to recommend to my clients due to its natural ability to suppress appetite and make you feel satiated or full.
Many people are aware of ginger’s effectiveness in curing nausea, however it has many numerous therapeutic properties. Ginger is also a powerful anti-inflammatory food due to the compound ‘gingerols’. It also provides a healthy boost to your immune system, which makes it a go to in a cold flu cocktail that I like to whip up in the winter months.
Now that you are thoroughly convinced, it’s time to break out the blender and whip up this tropical escape in a glass.
Have it for breakfast or dessert!
Pineapple Ginger Spice Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- ½ cup frozen or fresh pineapple
- 1 inch ginger grated
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 cup coconut or almond milk
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to blender, give it a whir and enjoy!
Should the ginger/pineapple mix have a strong ginger taste?
If it’s too strong then I would just reduce the amount of ginger a bit
Love this smoothie. Its filling and refreshing. I use tinned pineapple in pineapple juice instead of fresh , so I know that the pineapple will be of good quality. I’ve not been happy with a few of the fresh ones that I have been able to buy.
I would like to know how many calories it contains though.
Glad you enjoyed it Michele! It’s one of my favs as well 😊 I typically don’t count calories and instead encourage people to embrace a healthier, more intuitive relationship with food (this is what helped me to lose 30lbs). Focussing on how food makes you feel will help you to develop a healthier relationship with food. That’s said, this one is about 430 calories
Want to try this ASAP! Can you use a different nut butter like peanut butter or cashew butter?
Hey Martha! I haven’t tried it with either but I’d go with cashew butter since the flavour is more neutral than peanut butter. Let me know how it goes!