The Green Engine: My Morning Smoothie

If you’re expecting a high-street, mango-passionfruit sugar bomb, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. This one is green. It’s thick. And it tastes… purposeful.

But it keeps me going all morning and from a performance perspective, it’s one of the smartest changes I’ve made this winter.

So what’s in it?

The greens: 1 frozen spinach cube, 2 heads of broccoli, 1 long kale leaf

The fruit: 1 kiwi or ½ mango, 1 banana, a handful of frozen mixed red berries

The good stuff: 1 tsp spirulina, 1 tsp blended mushroom powder, a sprinkle of chia seeds and 1 tbsp flaxseed

The rest: 3-4 walnuts, a small handful of oats, 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt and 200-250ml unsweetened almond milk

If you think that sounds excessive; it probably is… but here’s why it works.

Micronutrient Density

Spinach, kale and broccoli are absolute heavyweights providing vitamin C, vitamin K (for bone health), folate (healthy red blood formation), magnesium (for blood pressure regulation and reduced fatigue) and a host of phytonutrients, plant-based compounds that specifically boost our immune system.

While most cereals are refined carbohydrates with synthetic vitamins added back in, this is real, intact plant nutrition doing what it does best.

Anti-Inflammatory Support

The red berries deliver polyphenols (like our good friend red wine) which are powerful antioxidants and help reduce inflammation.

Chia, flax and walnuts are great sources of omega-3s, fatty acids that are not only critical to heart, brain and eye health, but also assist with inflammation.

Both powders are superfoods. Spirulina is packed with protein, vitamin B12 and iron (hence of particular importance to me at present). Blended mushroom powder (Lion’s Mane, Shiitake, Reishi) is rich in Vitamin D, helping to reduce fatigue, boost the immune system and keep you mentally sharp.

Since endurance training creates inflammation by design, we need to manage it. We can do this by reducing unnecessary systemic load, allowing us to recover better between sessions and to train consistently.

Stable Energy (no 10:30am crash)

I’ve always loved a standard breakfast of cereal and toast. Porridge with honey followed by toast with butter and marmite (or peanut butter) is tasty and it has served me well over the years. But recently it has left me feeling bloated, particularly when exercising and last year I noted that I had started to snack mid-morning, indicating an energy dip. My new smoothie combines fibre, healthy fats, natural carbohydrates and protein. The effect has been to slow digestion and stabilise my blood sugar. Result? I’m not hungry at 10:30 and not craving coffee or sugar.

Enough Protein (without feeling heavy)

Between the Greek yoghurt, seeds and nuts, it provides roughly 20g protein

This is enough to support muscle repair and maintain lean mass without feeling heavy and sluggish

Gut Health & Fibre Diversity

Greens, seeds, oats and berries provide a broad range of fibres. Greater fibre diversity supports gut microbiome diversity and increasingly we’re seeing how important gut health is for immunity, keeping us healthy and allowing for more consistent training blocks.

Estimated Macro Breakdown (depends on exact quantities):

• Calories: 550–650 kcal

• Protein: 18–22g

• Carbohydrate: 65–80g

• Fat: 25–30g

• Fibre: 12–18g

Compare that to two slices of toast or a bowl of cereal and milk, which is typically higher in refined carbohydrate, lower in fibre and far less micronutrient dense.

Is it glamorous? Not really. Does it taste like dessert? Definitely not. But it sets the tone for the day: stable energy, fewer cravings and better recovery.

For endurance athletes trying to train consistently from March through to late summer, the benefits speak for themselves.