This is the simplest, easiest chocolate shake out there. Best for when you are craving something chocolatey but still want to fuel your body. Blend together: frozen banana, raw cacao powder, flaxseed, ice, your choice of milk (cow or nut milk).

Nourishing ingredients in this healthy chocolate banana shake

1. • Cacao Powder: Cacao powder is a lot healthier than cocoa and has more nutritional benefits. It’s higher in antioxidant than cocoa powder. Also, it’s less processed than cocoa powder and has only 0.5 grams of sugar instead of 75 grams that cocoa has.
   • Almond milk or whole milk: Almond milk is low in calories and rich in vitamins. Whole milk is is high in natural healthy fat, calcium, and proteins. If I drink milk, I drink whole milk since its so much better for you. Read this article for more information. 
   • Banana: Packed with lots of potassium and vitamin B6. These vitamins and minerals help your gut health and keep your immune system working properly.
   • Flaxseed: Loaded with fiber and minerals.

Cacao vs Cocoa powder, which one is healthier for you?

Cacao is way healthier. First of all, it’s less processed than cocoa powder and has more nutritional benefits. Not being as processed as cocoa, allows all the nutritional minerals to still be there like

Since cacao is less processed it still has lots of nutritional minerals like magnesium and iron.  As well as antioxidant flavonoids and enzymes. In fact, Cacao has 126% more icon, 149% more magnesium, and 136% more potassium. Cacao is high in protein and fiber as well.   Cacao has only 0.5 grams in a tablespoon instead of 75 grams.

Extra nutrition boosters to add to this shake

Enhance any smoothie with any of these nutritious ingredients that will add even more health benefits to your chocolate banana shake:

• • Chia seeds: These tiny little seeds add so much fiber and healthy fats. I love adding a tablespoon or two to my smoothies.
  • Spinach or kale: I always love to pack some leafy greens into my smoothies, because you can’t taste it at all but it adds an extra dose of vitamins, fiber, and other amazing nutrients. Plus it’s an easy way to get vegetables in.
  • Hemp seeds: If you want a boost of healthy fats, omegas, and minerals add a tablespoon of this to your smoothies.
  • Vital Protein Collagen: Add in a scoop of this if you want a boost of vitamins that help your skin, hair, nails, joints, and digestive system.
  • Greek yogurt: Easy way to boost your protein by adding in a 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt

How to blend the perfect smoothie

• Add liquid first and then your ingredients: This helps so your frozen bananas don’t get stuck in the blades of the blender.
• Use frozen bananas: This is so important to make a good thick smoothie is using frozen bananas. Without it, the smoothie is a thin consitency.
• Use a high powder blender: I love using my Blendtec. It’s amazing how well it blends everything together.
• Use the smoothie button on the blender: The smoothie button starts blending at a low speed and then increases while it’s blending so it doesn’t over-blend it.