Give Smoothies A Fiber And Protein Boost With This Unexpected Canned Ingredient

Smoothies (not shakes, those are different) make morning breakfast fast and convenient. Just blend and go, or make it the night before and grab and go. Plus, you can pack in a lot of nutrition with what you add to your smoothies: fruit, vegetables, Greek yogurt, protein powder, milk, flaxseed or chia seeds, and more. You get all the nutrients you need in one meal with a smoothie. But what if there's another way to level up your protein and fiber intake instead of using powders and supplements? This is where adding canned beans to your smoothies comes in.

We know, it sounds a little weird, but it can work. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines, adults need about 45 to 55 grams of protein and around 30 grams of fiber per day. Spooning in, for example, 1 cup of pinto beans adds 15.4 grams each of protein and fiber (via the USDA) to your smoothie. Another bean that really upgrades your smoothies' protein and fiber content are lima beans, also called butter beans, which have 11.9 grams of protein and 11.6 grams of fiber per cup (via the USDA). You can also try black beans and even chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans).

This cup of beans gets you a good deal of the way to your daily goals. Plus, eating a plant-based diet can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease, as well as improve brain function. Finally, canned beans are more convenient than dry beans since there's no soaking needed.

When making your smoothie, add liquids before solids so the ingredients blend well. Aim for 1 cup of canned beans so you get a good serving of plant-based protein and fiber. Since one 16-ounce can of beans is equal to roughly 1.5 cups, you should have some leftover. Add those beans to a freezer-safe plastic bag, flatten, and store in your freezer for the next time you make a smoothie. The frozen beans blend up nicely, and add some chillness to your smoothie without ice cubes.

If you're looking for smoothie suggestions, try a chocolate banana smoothie by blending lima beans, oats, bananas, milk, chia seeds, and cocoa powder. You could also whip up a coffee mocha smoothie with pinto beans, bananas, dates, cocoa, and instant coffee, or you could try a strawberry smoothie with chickpeas, strawberries, milk, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and your preferred sweetener. No matter your choice of canned beans, you're leveling up the plant-based protein and fiber content of your smoothie with ease.