- Dr. Florence Comite, an expert in healthy aging, shared her go-to smoothie recipe with BI.
- Comite blends four ingredients for an easy, protein-packed smoothie that she drinks every morning.
- A dietitian recommended including ingredients other than fruit to keep you feeling full.
A precision medicine doctor, who tailors her patients’ care to boost their longevity, shared the recipe for the simple, four-ingredient protein smoothie that she drinks every morning.
Dr. Florence Comite, an endocrinologist and founder of the New York-based Center for Precision Medicine & Health, told Business Insider the protein-packed smoothie helps her to maintain muscle mass and get her essential nutrients in at the start of the day.
“It’s pretty simple, but it fills me up and it’s very rich,” she said.
4-ingredient chocolate smoothie recipe
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Berries
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Dark chocolate
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Whey protein (at least 20 grams protein per scoop)
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Ice
Comite simply blitzes these ingredients together in a food blender and then drinks it on the move.
Comite thinks of dark chocolate as a supplement
Comite considers dark chocolate a supplement because it is so “rich in powerful flavonoids,” which are antioxidants that come from plants. They have been linked to health benefits including lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation, and improved cognition.
Comite uses a brand called CocoaVia, but you can use any dark chocolate, she said. She recommends chocolate that contains 70 to 90% cocoa content, because it has the most antioxidants and far less sugar than milk and white chocolate.
Although dark chocolate with such a high percentage of cocoa can be “hard to eat unless you really love it” because it’s bitter, Comite said that putting it in a smoothie can be a great way to absorb its nutrients while mellowing out the taste.
Prioritizing protein
Comite makes sure that the whey protein she puts in her morning smoothie contains at least 20 grams of protein per scoop, because she prioritizes the macronutrient in her diet.
This is because, she said, protein is great for maintaining muscle mass — something which is essential for healthy aging as the body naturally loses it over time.
Whey protein also makes for a more balanced breakfast.
Registered dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine previously told BI that making smoothies with 100% fruit is a mistake, because it doesn’t keep you feeling full for very long and can cause sugar crashes.
Bulking up a smoothie with protein powder, oats, greens such as spinach, Greek yogurt, or nut butter, makes it more balanced and keep you feeling fuller for longer, she said.
BI previously shared six other healthy smoothie recipes, which will keep blood sugar stable.