Many nursing women rely on oatmeal to boost their milk supply, but this smoothie could be a delicious alternative to a monotonous week of oats.
One of the biggest concerns for a nursing mom is the question of whether or not she is producing enough milk for her baby. Nursing on demand should create an adequate supply, but adding some lactogenic foods to the diet may help boost milk supply even more.
This green smoothie is a delicious way to consume some of these lactation-boosting foods! Fruits and vegetables high in phytoestrogens, such as dark leafy greens, are believed to promote healthy breast tissue and lactation. Paired with essential fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids, in the form of fresh coconut meat and hemp protein, this drink could have you producing more milk in no time. If nothing else, it’s a healthy shake that tastes fantastic!
I’ve been enjoying a variation of this smoothie almost daily, and it’s definitely doing the trick for me. I hope it works just as well for my fellow nursing mamas out there!
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Green Lactation Smoothie
serves 1
Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup fresh young Thai coconut meat
2 tablespoons hemp protein powder
2-3 soft Medjool dates, pitted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavor
2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
1 cup frozen strawberries
handful of ice
Directions:
Combine the almond milk, coconut meat, dates, spinach and vanilla in a blender, and blend until completely liquified. Add in the frozen strawberries and ice, and blend again until smooth. Serve immediately!
Green Lactation Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup fresh young Thai coconut meat
- 2 tablespoons hemp protein powder
- 2-3 soft Medjool dates , pitted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavor
- 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- handful of ice
Instructions
- Combine the almond milk, coconut meat, dates, spinach and vanilla in a blender, and blend until completely liquified.
- Add in the frozen strawberries and ice, and blend again until smooth. Serve immediately!
Nutrition
Substitution Notes:
- If you don’t have fresh coconut meat, feel free to use up to half an avocado for a creamy fat alternative.
- Substitute any other fruit of choice for the frozen strawberries.
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Enjoy!
Thanks!
My niece was just born Monday!! I happily sent this link to my SIL 🙂 Thanks for posting! XO!
I love that you are supporting breastfeeding mamas and helping get accurate information out there! Thank you!!
Wonderful recipe!
I actually nursed all 5 of our children and I had the most milk production when I nursed our 5th child. I had just converted to a raw vegan shortly into the pregnancy and so he got “raw breast milk” and boy did I have an abundance!!
If Mom is healthy, Mom’s milk is healthy and plentiful.
Thank you for your wonderful post, helping support nursing Moms.
Peace & Raw Health,
Elizabeth
I’m a nursing mama that just went back to work and have to pump 3x/day while at work and once after the baby goes to bed to make enough to send to daycare each day. I had no idea that leafy greens would help with milk production, so this will really help force me to eat my greens every day.
This is totally random, but where do you find fresh coconut meat? I’m in the Seattle area and do most of my shopping at Trader Joe’s or a local grocery store like Safeway. I’ve never seen coconut meat (but maybe it’s because I’m not looking in the right place). Would love to know so that I can add it into my diet!
Congrats on the baby and that nursing is going well for you!
Hi SusanC,
Megan may want to jump in here and answer your question directly on where she buys her coconut meat; but I thought I’d share with you that you can buy organic coconut meat at Whole Foods in the Frozen Foods Area. I’ve also seen them at My local large Asian supermarket in the Frozen Foods Area, but it wasn’t organic – not sure if that matters to you. Good luck in your search!
Thanks, Alia! I’ll check Whole Foods! I try not to hang out there too often, as I spend too much on all of the exotic health foods. 🙂
Great recipe! Fenugreek and Maca also help with milk production.
So Proud of you for supporting nursing! Makes me love your sight even more-yeah!
I have a naturolpath diet that requires I not eat raw spinach can you recommend a replacement for the spinach?
Thanks
How about kale? I use it often in my smoothies!
Good luck!
Can you use raw coconut butter instead of fresh young Thai coconut meat?
I am trying to get as many smoothie lactation recipes and other lactation desserts and other meals and snacks for breastfeeding moms has any one wrote a book on this? Please let me know!
Hi Megan, can you tell me what you mean by vanilla flavour? Is it vanilla extract?
Yes, vanilla extract contains a small amount of alcohol, though, so you if that concerns you, you can also buy alcohol-free vanilla extract/flavor.
Hi- I have been making a variation of this and love it. I have been subbing half an avocado for the coconut meat…do u think that is ok? Will the avocado help with lactation?
Thanks
The healthy fats in avocado are great, so I would think they’d help, too!
I have a question…do you have an alternative for GRIPE WATER??
My granddaughter is 6 days old:)
I use a catnip and fennel tincture for my babies, instead of gripe water.
Where would I be able to buy hemp protein powder?
I order mine on Amazon for the best price: http://amzn.to/1ED0SRc
Thanks!
Hi, I listed this recipe in my post about lactation smoothies. http://blenderauthority.com/lactation-smoothie-recipes/
Hopefully that is OK. Great website BTW. -Anna
Any substitute for the dates