Ah, the humble pear. Didn’t quite get the PR that berries and kale got, but in my eyes is still a seriously superfood.
While there are lots of high fibre foods, pears are the highest fibre fruit and contain both insoluble and soluble fibre, as well as prebiotics. One medium-sized pear packs 5.5g grams of fibre, which is around 20% of your daily fibre needs. What’s more, pears are an excellent source of polyphenol antioxidants.
But! Be sure to leave the skin on, as the skin boasts up to six times more polyphenols than the flesh, and is also where you’ll find lots of the fibre.
There are loads of different ways you can enjoy pears (stewed on porridge, sliced finely in a rocket salad, whole as a snack) but as we move into the warmer months and crave some cold, I thought there was no better time to work them into a smoothie.
🛒 INGREDIENTS
1 pear, roughly chopped
A handful of fresh spinach
1/2 cucumber, chopped into chunks
One cup of milk (I used almond)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon of almond butter
Serve of protein powder (or sub for natural yoghurt)
👩🍳 Add everything to your blender and blitz until smooth. Add some ice cubes for a thicker consistency.
👩🍳 If you’re going to be enjoying this smoothie as a meal by itself, make sure you add some complex carbohydrates such as oats (1/4 cup will do) to ensure your smoothie is balanced and sustaining.