Supercharge Your Breakfast Smoothie with Coconut Oil

The best part of waking up? A breakfast smoothie, we believe, not coffee. It’s a sweet and refreshing jolt of energy that offers a ton of nutrients in a single glass. What’s not to like?

Thomas Joseph of “Kitchen Conundrums” has a not-so-secret ingredient to rev up the old yogurt-fruit combo: coconut oil. Specifically virgin coconut oil, which is considered healthier than the partially hydrogenated variety sometimes used to pop trans fat–rich movie-theater popcorn. ”It has no cholesterol at all,” he says. Watch the video above to see how Joseph folds this buttery but light ingredient into a power smoothie of banana, Greek yogurt, orange juice, honey, ice, and old-fashioned oats.

Because of its high saturated fat content, Harvard University’s Department of Nutrition suggests using coconut oil sparingly—which means one power smoothie a week instead of seven. Of course, you can sub that smoothie out for two other dishes Joseph loves: scallops pan-fried in coconut oil, or a no-bake, popped rice cereal bark with coconut oil-infused chocolate.