Jennifer Garner’s ‘fibremaxxing’ smoothie contains surprising root vegetable

Celebrity smoothie recipes don’t get more fibre-packed than Elektra actress Jennifer Garner's. The star recently revealed her two go-tos, including one with a surprising vegetable base.

Earlier this year, we rediscovered the ‘secret’ to Reese Witherspoon’s incredible apperance: a daily green drink Kerry Washington put her on to.

The Morning Show icon’s drink comes nutritionist-approved, with Hannah Alderson, a British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine-registered nutritionist, telling Hello! Magazine: “[It’s] a simple way to increase colourful fibre, hydration, and micronutrient intake first thing in the morning.”

Garner is also a firm fan of the morning smoothie, having recently disclosed her favourite recipes on her Instagram series #PretendCookingShow.

On a recent episode of the digital programme, the mother-of-three was joined by her Once Upon a Farm co-founder Cassandra Curtis to create a beetroot, cherry and banana smoothie.

Jennifer Garner beet smoothie recipe

• Apple (Fuji or Gala)
• Banana
• Beetroot
• Cherries
• Coconut water
• Dates
• Filtered water
• Lemon juice
• Orange juice
• Probiotic cultures
• Pumpkin seeds
• Why protein powder

While including apple, banana, and even nutrient-dense pumpkin seeds make sense, you may be surprised by the addition of beetroot.

Beetroot is excellent source of fibre

However, it turns out the root vegetable is actually packed with fibre—something around 90 percent of people living in the UK aren’t getting enough of, statistics suggest.

"Beets are high in fibre, which traps the sugar and slows its absorption into the bloodstream,” Whitney Linsenmeyer, an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Consumer Reports.

Food expert Zoe suggests you can scoop up 2g of soluble and insoluble fibre per two beets.

The former helps to bind cholesterol to the gut to clear it from the body, supports digestion, and promotes fullness.

Insoluble fibre, better defined as ‘roughage’, adds bulk to the stool, helping soften and push waste through your gut, preventing constipation.

Other benefits of eating beetroot

In addition to being high in fibre, beetroot contains other nutrients, such as flavonoids, polyphenols and potassium, the British Heart Foundation says.

Naturally occurring nitrates in the vegetable can help keep blood pressure in check.

Meanwhile, a number of studies suggest that drinking beetroot as a juice can help protect against oxidative damage to DNA.

Dr Allison, a clinical dietitian and nutritionist at Herbalife, told the Independent that beetroot is especially popular with athletes as studies show it can speed up recovery and improve endurance by helping muscles use oxygen more efficiently.

“Beetroot can also provide cardiovascular support through lowering exercise-induced blood pressure spikes and contributing to an overall reduction in blood pressure,” he explained, adding that drinking up to 250ml of beetroot juice, two to three hours before exercise may give you the fitness boost you need.