Pineapple Coconut Smoothie

Last week I bought a really big pineapple and cut it up into chunks and tossed it into a container to eat as I wanted it.

Pineapples are one of my favorite sweet treats, and as it turns out... they're healthy too!  Some of the amazing ingredients they contain:

• Bromelain (A powerful enzyme that helps break down our foods and clean blood by removing toxins and debris from the bloodstream.  It also contains anti-inflammatories that benefit our internal organs.)
• Manganese (A vitamin that our body can't produce on its own which is responsible for bone formation, healing wounds, and keeping skin healthy. It regulates blood sugar levels, and helps the immune system fight off diseases.   
• Vitamin C ( a water soluble vitamin that  helps in the formation of collagen, collagen is a protein that grows new skin and blood vessels.)
• Vitamin B1 ( a vitamin that is partly responsible for the development of energy in the body, turning carbohydrates into the daily energy we need. Vitamin B1 is important for the nervous system and muscle functions. Vitamin B1 also goes by the name 'thiamine')   

So as I said before, I bought the biggest pineapple in the store last week, so I needed to use it up or let it go into the compost within a few days.  The benefit of letting it sit so long in the fridge was that it had made its own juice too in the bottom of the container.  So I decided to turn it into a smoothie!!!  A Pineapple Coconut smoothie!

Coconuts are also really healthy for you as well and the tree has been called the Tree of Life.  There are some amazing benefits from all parts of the coconut that can be found HERE.  Some of the ingredients that they contain are:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E 
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin B6 
• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
• Folate 
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 
• Iron
• Selenium
• Sodium 
• Calcium
• Magnesium 
• Phosphorus
• Potassium 
• Zinc

I'm not going to go fully into the individual ingredients and what each one does, but some of the benefits of coconut milk I will list.  Cause they really are that amazing!

• Helps to maintain blood sugar places: Glucose intolerance may cause manganese deficiency in your body. Coconut milk is a rich source of manganese. Whole grains, legumes and nuts are some other excellent sources of manganese.
• Keeps skin and blood vessels flexible and elastic: Copper is a very important mineral for most of the bodily functions. Copper and vitamin C help to maintain the flexibility and elasticity of the skin and blood vessels.
• Aids in building strong bones: Coconut milk is not rich in calcium, but it is rich in phosphorus. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient that the body needs for strengthening bones. It is must to take phosphorus with calcium particularly to prevent bone loss because it supplies phosphate to the body.
• Helps to prevent anemia: Lack of iron is the most common nutrient deficiency among the people throughout the world. Iron deficiency in body does not allow the body to develop enough hemoglobin for keeping sufficient oxygen levels in red blood cells, resulting in anemia. Each cup of coconut milk supplies the body with nearly a quarter of daily value of iron.
• Relaxes muscles and nerves: Whenever you feel muscle cramps or muscle soreness, have some food along with coconut milk. It is rich in magnesium and can help you in relieving the problem. One of the functions of magnesium is it acts as a gate block in many nerve cells. If magnesium is not present in body, nerve cells become very active because of calcium that activates nerves. Excess contraction of muscles is caused by over-active nerve cells.
• Helps in Controlling Weight: This can be good news for people who are trying to reduce weight. Coconut milk makes you feel full very quickly because of high concentrations of dietary fiber.
• Decreases the risk of joint inflammation: Selenium is an important antioxidant. It controls the free radicals and thereby helps in relieving the symptoms of arthritis. It is observed that people with low levels of selenium may suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
• Helps in lowering high blood pressure: People who are concerned about their blood pressure will not face any problem consuming foods containing potassium. Potassium helps in lowering blood pressure levels in the body.
• Helps in maintaining healthy immune system: Coconut milk helps in warding off colds and coughs by keeping the immune system healthy. It supplies vitamin C to the body which boosts the immune system.
• Promotes the health of prostate gland: Zinc plays a vital role in promoting the health of prostate gland. A preliminary study showed that it slows down the activities of cancer cells.

So now that I have raved for a full two pages on how great coconuts and pineapple are, let me tell how awesome of a drink I just made!

Ingredients
2 c. Fresh pineapple (cut into chunks)
1/3 c. Fresh pineapple juice (remember how I said it sat for a week - this was the advantage!)
1 can coconut milk (I normally use a Taste of Thai, but the store was out so I got the Roland instead)
2 heaping Tbsp. Greek Honey Yogurt
2 Tbsp. Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1 Frozen Banana (not in the pic as it's already in the blender)

Directions
Very simple!  Pour it all into the blender and blend until smooth!

I topped it off with a couple of wedges on the side of the glass, and it made two full glasses and one half pint mason jar as well.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!  And now I have the energy to go do some Zumba.  So cheers!!!

Thanks to my little man for the pic!