When it’s rainy and snowy and slushy and yucky outside, I numb the pain with coconut.

The winter blues is real. I’m one of those people that is most definitely a happier person in the spring and summer. Maybe it’s because I don’t ski or maybe it’s because I don’t celebrate Christmas, but I’ve come to believe that I’m mildly allergic to winter. I’m convinced that my body is ten degrees colder than everyone else’s this time of year. Like why am I the only one shivering up in here?! Wrap me up in a plaid scarf and ship me off to Hawaii PUH-LEASE.

I may not be able to delete the winter season, but I sure as hell can dump tropical coconut and hot coffee into everything in sight. So when the healthy hedonists over at Bai5 offered to send me some of their all natural antioxidant-infused drinks to try (one of which was Molokai Coconut), I was all ears.

Bai is made with natural fruit juices, white tea extract, vitamin C, coffeefruit extract, organic stevia, and erythritol. Erythritol is a natural, low-glycemic, low-calorie sugar alcohol that’s nearly as sweet as sugar but won’t raise your blood sugar. Winning! Stevia is super sweet and can actually be pretty bitter if used in excess, so erythritol helps balance out that overwhelming sweetness. Per serving, Bai has 35 mg of caffeine, which is about the same as a cup of green tea. It’s just enough to make you do laundry but not enough to make you write a ten-page paper, ya dig?

So what the heck is coffeefruit? It’s actually the juicy red fruit surrounding the coffee bean. This little fella happens to be pretty potent in disease-fighting antioxidants.

Do you mind if I step on my nutrition soap box for a hot second? “Antioxidant” has become quite the buzzword in the health community, so let’s delve into that a bit. Molecules called free radicals are formed by simply living and breathing, but also via exercise, stress, pollution, x-rays, and smoking. While free radicals are natural for the body, high concentrations can damage our cells and DN.

This accumulation over time leads to the development of chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, inflammatory disorders, heart disease, and neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s. Antioxidants found in fruits, veggies, spices, cacao, coffee, etc. help neutralize these free radicals and prevent the damage that accumulates as we age. Moral of the story: eat your fruits and veggies!!

With five calories (ahem, Bai5) and one gram of sugar per serving, Bai is a great alternative for those hooked on toxic energy drinks loaded with artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. I of course love that it’s sweetened with stevia, but I also appreciate that the caffeine content isn’t off the wall. The thought here is that the antioxidant blend will give you a natural energy boost that won’t have you wired all day. Did you know that Bai’s use of the coffeefruit has also created sustainable jobs and economic opportunities through the direct relationship they have with hundreds of farmers in Indonesia? Dreamy.

This smoothie is like caffeinated paradise. It’s totally creamy from the frozen nanners and coconut, plus it has a super unique coffee flavor that pairs perfectly with the banana. Is this not the easiest smoothie of all time?! Finally, you can have your coffee and banana and eat them, too.

GIVEAWAY: The folks over at Bai5 are giving one lucky ready an entire case (twelve 18-oz bottles) of Bai5! To enter, simply use the Rafflecopter below (it may take a few seconds to load). Log-in using Facebook or an email adress, and then leave a comment telling me what antioxidant-packed snack is your favorite.  Leaving a comment is mandatory to enter. To gain additional entries, follow the prompts.

This giveaway is open to everyone and will end Monday, December 15th at 12am EST. The winner will be notified via email. The winner will also be listed in this post on December 15th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coconut Coffee Smoothie

★★★★★ 4.7 from 6 reviews

• Author: Alexis Joseph, MS, RD, LD
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 5 mins
• Yield: 1 1x
• Category: Smoothie

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Ingredients

• 2 frozen bananas (overripe and pre-sliced)
• 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup Bai5 Molokai Coconut

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bai5. Thanks for supporting Hummusapien!