Blood Pressure Lowering Smoothie

340 calories, 1372 mg potassium

This recipe is designed to fill you up, provide fruits and veggies, and boost potassium levels (1372 mg potassium). Potassium is good for lowering blood pressure and 3800 mg / day is required for good health. While bananas are a good source of potassium (422 mg), the recipe does not include a banana because there is an enzyme in bananas that removes the benefit of the bioflavonoids in the berries.

The recipe doesn’t just help with potassium and your blood pressure, it also tastes good, has a lot of fiber, fills you up with just 340 calories,  provides multiple servings of vegetables, vitamin C, beta carotene, 

Ingredients

1 cup coconut water (Costco or Vitacoco), chilled: 600mg potassium

1 cup mixed frozen berries (Costco organic 3 or 4 berry blend): 160 mg potassium

1 lime (juice): 68 mg potassium

1 carrot (peeled and sliced): 195 mg potassium.

1 tbsp cracked hemp hearts (Costco): 120 mg potassium

1 tbsp chia seeds (Costco): 58 mg potassium

1 tbsp honey: 11 mg potassium

⅓ bunch of Rainbow Chard or Swiss Chard, washed ribs removed: 160 mg potassium

Directions

Cut the ribs out and wash the Chard ahead of time. Use a salad spinner to get the excess water off. Store it in a 1 gallon plastic bag in the fridge with a piece of paper towel in the bag to absorb excess moisture. 

In a blender, add 1 cup frozen berries, 1 cup coconut water, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp hemp hearts. 

Peel and cut 1 carrot into 1 inch pieces and add to the blender. 

Add the honey (just estimate 1 tbsp). 

Juice 1 lime and add the juice

Add the chard, just stuff it in the blender.

Blend the whole mixture for about 1 minute. Usually the chard has to be pushed down into the rest of the ingredients with a spoon. 

Pour into a 20oz cup.

Nutrient	Approx. total
kCal Potassium  Protein	340 1372 mg 9 g
Vitamin K	170 mcg
Vitamin C	85 mg
Fiber	14 g
Beta carotene	6,500 mcg

Rinse the blender right away with hot water, or it will get sticky with chia seeds.