Monday, June 10, 2019

The Health Benefits of a Keto Strawberry Shake


Strawberries are sweet, delicious, and filling fruits added to a keto diet, but should be in moderation. A half-cup serving of sliced strawberries contains approximately 4.1 grams of sugar and 4.7 grams of net carbs.

You can eat the strawberries in raw or blend a handful into a small low-carb smoothie or shake. In a study published in the February 2010 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Food, strawberries have a host of benefits including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

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How Does A Keto Strawberry Shake Hold Up?

However, consuming too many strawberries could get you out of ketosis. On average, you should not have more than eight medium-sized strawberries per serving. In every 100 grams of strawberries, you will be taking in 6 grams of carbs.

You will find a variety of keto strawberry shake recipes on the internet, but you should only use the one that fits within your calorie requirements. With that said, we looked at a variety of recipes and found one that will best meet your macronutrient needs.


Healthy Low Carb Strawberry Smoothie

This super healthy and low carb strawberry shake is perfect for a quick and low carb breakfast.

Low Carb Strawberry Smoothie
Ingredients:

  • Half cup of fat Greek yogurt (it can be store bought or homemade)
  • Five ripe strawberries frozen or fresh
  • One tablespoon of your preferred sweetener
  • ¼ cup almond milk (optional)
  • ¼ ice for a thicker yogurt (optional)
  • A drop of pink food color (optional)
Instructions:
  1. Add all the ingredients into a blender starting with the liquids, the ice, and then the strawberries
  2. Blend until smooth
  3. For a thick shake, skip on the almond milk.

You can add the crushed ice, as needed especially on a hot day. This is a single serving and has a total of 149 grams of calories. The addition of the Greek yogurt makes this one of the top keto strawberries shakes.

Better yet, this recipe is easily adaptable to suit the macronutrients needs of a keto diet. The variations to this recipe include:

If you want more proteins, you can add plain protein powder
You can add a sweetener if the strawberries are more tang than sweet

Health Benefits of a Strawberry Shake

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It is no secret that strawberries are not only good for your taste buds but also pack many healthy benefits for the body. A keto strawberry shake has the following benefits:

Immune Booster

A cup of strawberries a day is enough to give you the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C. This is a brilliant antioxidant, and it also acts as an immune booster. More so, several studies show that vitamin C from strawberries plays a significant role in strengthening the eye’s retina and cornea.

Fights Cholesterol and Cancer

The flavonoids and ellagic acid in the strawberries protect the heart from bad cholesterol, but only if you consume the keto strawberry shake religiously. 
Ellagic acid also fights and controls the growth of cancerous cells. More so, the strawberries also contain zeathancins and lutein antioxidants that fight free radicals to reduce their negative effects in your system. 

Anti-Inflammatory

The phytochemical and antioxidants in strawberries help in reducing inflammation in joints. This makes it a perfect snack or drink for people prone to arthritis.

Regulating Blood Pressure

The strawberries contain potassium that helps in managing high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. The potassium balances out the effects of sodium in the system. This is why strawberries are said to good for your heart. 

Healthy Source of Probiotics

Probiotics are microorganisms that live in your intestines, such as yeast and bacteria. Greek yogurt is a good source of probiotics, which control the buildup of bad bacteria.

Almond Milk

For vegans on a keto diet, almond milk is a healthy alternative to regular milk. It too has several benefits for persons on the keto diet, including:
It is dairy free
Unsweetened almond milk does not raise your blood sugar
Enriched almond milk is high in vitamin D
It is low in calories
It is nutritious
On top of this, some studies show that almond milk can reduce the risk of heart disease. 

Conclusion

A strawberry shake is a good addition to a keto diet. However, the health benefits of a strawberry shake will vary depending on the ingredients used. With that said, you will also enjoy the benefits of the main ingredients, the strawberries, and the Greek yogurt.
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