A low-sugar dessert smoothie made with all-natural ingredients; full of antioxidants and magnesium to satisfy that late night sweet tooth and help you fall asleep.

With late night shifts at the restaurant and early morning clients, sleep becomes my number one priority in order to keep my body and mind in good health. Like most people, my sleeping habits can sometimes become super spotty. And without sleep, I'm one nasty B-word...

Whenever I get out of whack, I usually take a look at my diet; what I'm eating and when. I also pay special attention to my sugar intake, especially late at night.

If you tend to eat a lot of sugar before you go to bed, your hormones can become imbalanced and your blood sugar may rise to a higher level than you're used to. When this happens, a few hours after you fall asleep, your blood sugar will start to drop and begin to level off. This change can wake you up in even the deepest of sleep cycles.

Now, the problem for me is that I only get a craving for something sweet right before I go to bed (who would've thought). So I decided to come up with a late night tonic that would work in my favor. One that would satisfy my sweet tooth while keeping my sleep habits in check.

This Midnight Tonic dessert smoothie is sweetened with my favorite fruits, bananas and blueberries, and of course, with chocolate, but not the chocolate you're used to...

the chocolate I use is the real deal; cacao (cuh-cow). Now, Cacao is way different than its cocao (coh-coh) counterpart. Cacao has no sugar or additives, it isn't processed and it's 100% pure chocolate. Usually when we crave chocolate, it's our body's way of screaming for magnesium. Cacao is chalk full of magnesium, which helps regulate our stress levels, relax our bodies, and in turn, helps us sleep.

This smoothie also has my ULTIMATE FAVORITE ingredient; Tart Cherry Juice (duh) There is a compound found in tart cherries that have been shown to help you fall asleep. Combining cherries, blueberries and chocolate is like heaven in your mouth....but better.

(check out why Tart Cherries are so effing awesome here!)

So give this tonic a go next time you're wanting a late night treat. The best part about it is that it can be made with only 5 ingredients. That makes it one easy smoothie to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Like my recipe? If you make it (or anything from TWR) I would love to see! Tag me on Instagram and use the #TheWellnessRookie

INGREDIENTS

1 frozen banana
8 blueberries
1/2 tsp cacao nibs
1/4 c milk of choice (check out my cashew milk)
1/4 c tart cherry juice
1 tsp chia seed (optional)

METHOD

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend on high for 30-60 seconds or until smooth. May add water (to thin) or ice (to thicken) to desired consistency.

TIP: Don't exceed recommended amount of cacao nibs as they do contain a slight amount of caffeine. Consuming too much before you go to bed will keep you awake.

Tart Cherry & Chocolate Tonic Dessert Smoothie