I love smoothies, and I love coffee, so in the morning I have both. But every morning, I face a dilemma:
Which do I drink first?
Coffee and smoothies are both great for livening up your mornings, but that's where the similarities end.
So I asked The Good Stuff’s Nutrition Adviser, Diana Steele, B.Sc. (Diet.), RD, about my dilemma. Here’s what she had to say:
“The first thing to consider is how far apart you have them. It’s best to space out coffee from calcium-containing foods by at least 30 minutes.
Coffee interferes with the body’s ability to absorb calcium, so if you have coffee close to a calcium-rich smoothie, you’ll lose some of the benefits." More on that here.
What makes a smoothie calcium-rich? Many people blend their smoothie with milk or fortified almond milk, both of which are high in calcium. The leafy greens in green smoothies, like kale and chard, also contain calcium.
So that partially answered my question - don’t have them close together. But if I’m going to split up my morning routine, that only intensifies the question - which that should come first?
Diana, again on whether to drink coffee or smoothies first:
“If you are going for a workout that morning, you’re best having a smoothie first to start digesting sooner. If you aren’t working out, it doesn’t really matter nutritionally as long as they’re spaced out.”
The Conclusion
So there you have it:
- Space out your coffee and smoothie by at least 30 minutes.
- If you’re working out that morning, have your smoothie first.
I work out regularly, so I’ve elected to have my smoothie at home in the morning, and save the coffee until I arrive at The Good Stuff HQ. Of course, if you want the best of both, you could always have our Good Morning smoothie instead. It contains matcha, which has all the caffeine you need to kick start your morning without the drawbacks of coffee.
What do you think? Will this change your morning routine?