Nothing chaps my ass more than dried-out winter skin. Just because it’s bulking season doesn’t mean Miss Thang wants to stop running her hands down your back. Unless it’s more scaly than Godzilla’s butt cheeks, that is.
As we learned in third grade, the skin is our body’s largest organ. Protect it with this fruity protein smoothie with ingredients that are scientifically proven to rejuvenate your skin from the inside out.
Sure, it’s bright pink, thanks to antioxidants in the skin-smoothing strawberries, but don’t label this a girlie drink. It packs 33 grams of protein and nine grams of fiber. The sweet boost from Manuka honey will make up for the slightly less-sweet frozen berries, and it also has medicinal properties that your body will appreciate when it’s cold outside.
Ingredients
8 ounces unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon chia seeds
10 raw almonds
1 scoop collagen powder
1 teaspoon manuka honey
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender, beginning with the liquid to avoid sticky protein-powder clumps. Blend until smooth.
Total: 242 calories, 24 g carbs, 33 g protein, 14 g fat, 9 g fiber
The Superfoods:
Almonds and Almond Milk: Rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that is vital to skin health, almonds are vessels of skin-promoting nutrients. The sun’s rays are deceptively harmful in winter, but almonds defend against this radiation and prevent free-radical cellular damage that comes from within.
Manuka honey: Don’t freak out when you see the price tag as compared to regular grocery-store honey. This is pollinated from the New Zealand–native manuka bush and is widely known for its antibacterial qualities. It can even be spread directly over a wound to aid in healing. The label must read UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) of 10 or above to fit the significant antibacterial quality criteria. Soaking in your sweat or failing to exfoliate dry wintry skin can lead to bacteria buildup in your pores, which lead to breakouts. Manuka is a sweet way to fight those pesky bacteria.
Collagen Powder: It’s been well established that collagen aids in skin elasticity and strength, and a lack of it can lead to wrinkles and fine lines. Today’s powder and pill collagen supplements are vastly more bioavailable than topical products that aim to deliver the essential protein through the skin. Collagen also maintains tendons and cartilage, which is invaluable to anyone who pushes heavy weight in the gym. Most supplement stores will carry collagen powder. IM
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