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!
PrintCoconut Coffee Smoothie
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 frozen bananas (overripe and pre-sliced)
- 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup brewed coffee
- ½ cup Bai5 Molokai Coconut
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bai5. Thanks for supporting Hummusapien!
Molly says
Blueberries! My freezer is full from past season - I'm hoping my stock will last until next summer.
Molly says
Blueberries! My freezer is full from past season - I'm hoping my stock will last until next summer.
stefanie says
Just recently heard about this new drink. Would love to try it!
stefanie says
Just recently heard about this new drink. Would love to try it!
Cheryl Harris says
I absolutely love almonds! Can't go a day without eating them!
Cheryl Harris says
I absolutely love almonds! Can't go a day without eating them!
Jordan D says
I love coffee and green tea. I also love snacking on raw veggies with homemade hummus!
Jordan D says
I love coffee and green tea. I also love snacking on raw veggies with homemade hummus!
Nikki says
Sounds delicious!
Nikki says
Sounds delicious!
Chanelle Bellamy says
I go through cases upon cases of fresh blueberries a week. Mmmmm!
Chanelle Bellamy says
I go through cases upon cases of fresh blueberries a week. Mmmmm!
Lacey says
Dark chocolate, lots and lots of dark chocolate!
Lacey says
Dark chocolate, lots and lots of dark chocolate!
Emily says
I love trail mix with gogi berries.
Emily says
I love trail mix with gogi berries.
Devin Self says
green tea, kale, berries, nuts!!!!!! eat them everyday! so good:)
Devin Self says
green tea, kale, berries, nuts!!!!!! eat them everyday! so good:)
Julie Raye-Rod says
i love mangoes!
Julie Raye-Rod says
i love mangoes!
Madeleine Pasquariello says
This looks amazing! My fave would have to be fresh, plump blueberries 🙂 x
Madeleine Pasquariello says
This looks amazing! My fave would have to be fresh, plump blueberries 🙂 x
Heather Rennie says
i love fresh blueberries when they're in season... otherwise frozen added to yogurt/oatmeal!
Heather Rennie says
i love fresh blueberries when they're in season... otherwise frozen added to yogurt/oatmeal!
Kate says
dark chocolate, duh! I also love kale chips.
Kate says
dark chocolate, duh! I also love kale chips.
Julie S. says
For antioxidants I love berries or steamed broccoli. yummm
Julie S. says
For antioxidants I love berries or steamed broccoli. yummm
Leah H. says
I love green tea! Esp. the candy cane green tea from Trader Joe's!
Leah H. says
I love green tea! Esp. the candy cane green tea from Trader Joe's!
Jessica Z says
I like mixing blueberries, pomegranate seeds and dark chocolate in a high protein Greek yogurt!
Jessica Z says
I like mixing blueberries, pomegranate seeds and dark chocolate in a high protein Greek yogurt!
Rachael@AnAvocadoADay says
Never heard of this brand but excited to try it out! I always double batch my morning smoothies for an antioxidant rich snack!
Rachael@AnAvocadoADay says
Never heard of this brand but excited to try it out! I always double batch my morning smoothies for an antioxidant rich snack!
Cara says
This smoothie sounds amazing! Especially after a sweaty workout before heading to work.
Cara says
This smoothie sounds amazing! Especially after a sweaty workout before heading to work.
Annie B says
Blueberries! 🙂
Annie B says
Blueberries! 🙂
JD Bray says
I'm totally all about some almonds and berries 🙂
JD Bray says
I'm totally all about some almonds and berries 🙂
Keeley says
Berries!
Keeley says
Berries!
Marissa says
I really love to snack on pomegranate seeds and frozen blueberries!
Marissa says
I really love to snack on pomegranate seeds and frozen blueberries!
Jordan Troublefield says
Blueberries and walnuts! I get a litttttleeee carried away snacking on those together!
Jordan Troublefield says
Blueberries and walnuts! I get a litttttleeee carried away snacking on those together!
Natalie says
Berries! All kinds -- strawberries, blueberries, blackberries! YUM!
Natalie says
Berries! All kinds -- strawberries, blueberries, blackberries! YUM!
Sally says
Blueberries are my favorite way to get some antioxidants! I throw them in smoothies, over greek yogurt, or just plain. Love them.
And YES to downright hating winter - I've already begun the countdown to warmer Spring days!
Sally says
Blueberries are my favorite way to get some antioxidants! I throw them in smoothies, over greek yogurt, or just plain. Love them.
And YES to downright hating winter - I've already begun the countdown to warmer Spring days!