A Functional MD's Go

When it comes to hormone-balancing foods, experts are quick to recommend a hearty helping of fiber. Fiber, you see, plays a critical role in estrogen balance, as it helps to modulate circulating estrogen1 concentrations in your body—not to mention, getting your fill of fiber means you'll stay fuller for longer, with none of those dreaded blood sugar crashes during the day.*

The National Academies recommend women consume at least 25 grams of fiber2 daily (more during pregnancy and lactation) and men consume at least 38 grams daily. But that's easier said than done, seeing as 95% of Americans3 fail to consume enough fiber each day.

To meet your daily fiber quota, functional medicine doctor and mbg Collective member Taz Bhatia, M.D., recommends getting six servings of fruits and vegetables per day. "And the way to do that is at every meal, half of your plate needs to really consist of that," she explains on the mindbodygreen podcast. Including, yep, your breakfasts: And what better way to pack in a ton of fruits and veggies than with a nutrient-dense smoothie?

"I can't live without my morning smoothies," Bhatia says. Here, she shares her go-to recipe.

Smoothies are easy, delicious, and nutritious—truly, there's no better breakfast for busy mornings. "I've tried to play around with other things, but I don't have time to sit and eat a big breakfast," Bhatia explains.

So at least four to five days a week, she whips up a nutritious blend for breakfast. Usually, she'll chuck in whatever healthy ingredients she has on hand, but one of her favorites happens to be this creamy, banana-coffee confection. Feel free to play around with the measurements below:

Advanced fiber sources to promote satiety and regularity*

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Bananas, chia seeds, and flaxseeds add a good base of fiber. Yellow bananas, for example, contain soluble and insoluble fibers, with about 3 grams per medium banana; chia seeds contain 11 grams of fiber in just 2 tablespoons; and 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds boast 7 grams. Throw some spinach into the mix if you choose, and you're adding even more prebiotic fiber plus antioxidants. And to ensure you're meeting your minimum fiber needs (a rarity for most Americans) add a scoop of your favorite fiber supplement.*

Of course, we recommend mindbodygreen's organic fiber potency+, which combines soluble, insoluble, and prebiotic plant fibers to support satiety and healthy blood sugar, not to mention regularity and digestive comfort.*

While the smoothie's blood-sugar-balancing properties will give you all-day energy, that extra nudge from the instant coffee certainly doesn't hurt. Plus, it can even help you streamline your morning routine (because why not compile your coffee and breakfast into one step?).

There are endless concoctions and blends for a stellar morning smoothie, but Bhatia especially loves the recipe above for hormone balance. Feel free to tweak the ingredients as you see fit—as long as you have a significant portion of fiber, you're all set.

Advanced fiber sources to promote satiety and regularity*

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This product keeps me regular thanks to all the gut-friendly ingredients. I focus on nurturing a healthy gut each day, and this supplement really is critical in that goal.*

Hayley P.verified buyer of immune support+

Jamie Schneider is the Beauty & Wellness Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare. In her role at mbg, she reports on everything from the top beauty industry trends, to the gut-skin connection and the microbiome, to the latest expert makeup hacks. She currently lives in New York City.