Whether you enjoy smoothies for breakfast, a snack or even dessert, they're a great way to increase your daily servings of fruits and vegetables. But depending on the ingredients they're made with, smoothies can quickly become heavy on calories and filled with sugar. One of the healthiest ways to enjoy a smoothie is to make your own so you know how much of and what foods you are getting.
Wondering how to make a smoothie? A healthy smoothie should include some protein and fiber to help keep you full and provide antioxidants, vitamins and minerals—typically from fruits and vegetables.
Need inspiration? Check out the best ingredients to choose from—and the ones to limit.
Adding protein helps make your smoothie more satisfying. Protein helps fill you up, and there are plenty of ways to add it to your smoothie without using protein powder. If you do want to add protein powder, choose one without a lot of extra ingredients and no added sugars or sweeteners. Or try adding one of these protein-rich ingredients below.
Pretty much any fruit is great for smoothies. Use fresh fruit, frozen fruit or fruit canned in water or its own juice. One great tip is to freeze your fresh produce if you know you won't get to eat it before it goes bad. This works with overripe bananas, strawberries, blueberries, sliced apples and more.
Use raw or frozen vegetables. Usually, the sweetness of the fruit masks the vegetable flavor, but you may need to play around with combinations and amounts to find what works for you. These veggies are all a good place to start.
Add these to boost the nutrition even more or add to the flavor of your smoothie. Flax and chia seeds add omega-3s and protein, and oats deliver healthy fiber. Spices and extracts, like vanilla, add fun flavor.
Flaxseed
Chia seed
Old-fashioned oats
Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)
Vanilla extract
Coconut water
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Smoothie Ingredients to Choose Less Often
To keep your smoothie as healthy as possible, choose these ingredients less often. All these ingredients provide more calories in the form of added sugar—in some cases without many nutrients—and turn your healthy smoothie into more of a milkshake.
Sugar-sweetened fruit juice or concentrate
Flavored yogurt
Flavored kefir
Whipped cream
Ice cream
Sorbet
Sherbet
Chocolate syrup
Chocolate milk
Canned fruit in syrup
The Bottom Line
Smoothies can be a healthy, nutritious addition to your day—any time of day. Making your own smoothies allows you to tailor them to your taste buds and nutritional needs. Including fruits and vegetables, a protein source and flavor and nutrition boosters make the tastiest, nutrient-dense smoothies that will satisfy your taste buds and appetite.
If you're looking to cut calories and sugar from your diet, water is the perfect choice for liquid for smoothies. Not only is it calorie-free and sugar-free, but it's also money-free! Water is the ideal choice if you're trying to lose weight, as drinking water helps you burn calories and stay hydrated.
Smoothies rich in fiber and protein keep you full longer, while those made with fruits and vegetables increase your daily vegetable servings. As long as you are drinking smoothies made from a variety of fruits and vegetables and low in refined sugar, there would be no problem with consuming smoothies every day.
Planet Smoothie is known for its healthier ingredients, all-natural sweetener and supplements. We use real fruits in our smoothies, and we also have our own line of supplements to help provide more vitamins, boost protein, and help customers achieve their personal goals.
1. Apples. Thanks to their low-caloric value and high-fibre content, apples are sweet juicy fruits that are perfect for weight loss. Apples are a prime source of dietary fibre, polyphenols and carotenoids, and other vital nutrients.
Incorporate greens and superfoods. Greens — like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard — are low in calories but high in fiber and essential nutrients, making them perfect for a healthy smoothie recipe. They blend well with fruits and other ingredients, adding a nutrient boost without overpowering the taste.
The best green smoothies for weight loss are low in calories and high in fiber and protein. They may include ingredients like spinach, almond milk, blueberries, and avocado. For ideal health, you'll want to balance your green smoothies with nutritious whole foods.
Astringent fruits like apples, pear, berries, cherries, strawberries, or sour fruits like tangerine, orange, grapefruit, lemon, or sweet fruits like mango, custard apple etc can't be mixed with other groups. You can also have single fruit juices during the summers.
Start your smoothie with two mugfuls of a liquid base. This can be milk, or a dairy-free alternative such as soya or almond milk, natural or flavoured yogurt, fruit juice, or for a tropical flavoured smoothie, low-fat coconut milk or coconut water.
Smoothies made with water and juice tend to come out more liquidy and less full than those made with milk. Juice is also higher in acidity and typically has more sugar than most milk. Milk is higher in calcium which is good for your bones, heart, and muscles. It also helps to give your smoothie a creamy consistency.
Superfood powders like hemp, spirulina, and collagen peptides add filling protein to smoothies. This makes them more satisfying meal replacements. Rotate different protein-rich superfoods instead of using just one daily to prevent building up intolerances.
Their healthiness is largely determined by their ingredients. The most nutritious smoothies are made with whole foods like fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and healthy fats, while those with lots of added sugars aren't as nutrient-dense and may contribute to negative health effects over time.
The next time you want to make a smoothie, try some of these high quality protein sources that can easily be found in your kitchen. Greek Yogurt. A no sugar added, plain Greek yogurt added to your smoothie is an excellent way to add about 11 grams of protein to your smoothie.
Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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