smoothies are one of the easiest ways to work seed cycling into a busy morning. a spoonful of ground seeds blends in almost invisibly, adding fibre, healthy fats and a subtle nutty flavour without any extra effort. below are three smoothies to try, depending on where you are in your cycle.
follicular phase berry smoothie
for the first half of your cycle, up to ovulation, seed cycling traditionally uses ground flaxseed and ground pumpkin seeds.
- 150ml milk of your choice
- 100g frozen mixed berries
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 tbsp ground pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 banana
- handful of spinach (optional)
- add all the ingredients to a blender.
- blend until smooth, adding a splash more milk if it's too thick.
- pour into a glass and drink straight away for the freshest flavour.
luteal phase banana smoothie
after ovulation, seed cycling traditionally switches to ground sesame seeds and ground sunflower seeds.
- 150ml milk of your choice
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp ground sunflower seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- handful of ice
- place everything in a blender.
- blitz until creamy and smooth.
- taste and add a little honey if you'd like it sweeter.
the easy swap template
once you've got the hang of it, you don't need a strict recipe. any smoothie can become a seed cycling smoothie by stirring in one tablespoon of the seeds for your current phase just before blending.
- a base liquid: milk, plant milk or water
- a frozen fruit: banana, mango or berries
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed and pumpkin seeds (follicular) or ground sesame and sunflower seeds (luteal)
- optional extras: oats, yoghurt, cocoa powder or a handful of greens
blend everything together and enjoy. ground flaxseed and pumpkin seeds provide fibre, healthy fats and minerals such as zinc and magnesium, while ground sesame and sunflower seeds are a source of calcium, vitamin e and protein. keeping a small jar of each already ground in the fridge makes it much easier to build this habit into your week.