The Basics to Making a Healthy Smoothie

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“A smoothie (occasionally spelled smoothee or smoothy) is a thick, cold beverage made from pureed raw fruit (and sometimes vegetables) blended with ice cream or frozen yogurt along with other ingredients such as water, crushed ice, fruit juice, sweeteners (e.g. honey, sugar, stevia, syrup), dairy products (e.g. milk, yogurt, or cottage cheese, whey powder), plant milk, nuts, nut butter, seeds, tea, chocolate, herbal supplements, or nutritional supplements. A smoothie containing dairy products is similar to a vegetable milkshake, though the latter typically contains less fruit and often contains ice cream or frozen yogurt.” - Wikipedia

You might ask, “Isn’t Smoothie another name for Juice? That is a capital NO. There is a key difference between smoothies and juices, and that difference has a big impact on digestion.

Juice is an extract of a fruit’s or vegetable’s liquid, filtering out their pulp (dietary fiber), while Smoothies are processed fruits and vegetables with their fiber not filtered out.



The presence of dietary fiber in our food is so important because of the role dietary fiber plays in digestion. There are two types of dietary fiber in foods: Soluble and Insoluble Fiber. Soluble fiber found in foods such as oats and pears helps lower blood cholesterol and slow down digestion, keeping you feeling fuller for longer. While Insoluble fiber found in such foods like carrots and cucumbers helps to attract water to the intestines and moving everything through your digestive system.







Are Smoothies Healthy?

Many smoothie recipes look healthy but are very high in sugar and in calories. How healthy a smoothie is, depends on the ingredients used and the proportions in which they are used. Using ingredients such as fruit juice, ice cream, too many sweet fruits, can make a smoothie unhealthy. A healthy smoothie is the cornerstone of many weight loss plans. But it is important to follow certain guidelines to make sure your smoothie is both healthy and diet-friendly.







Steps in Making a Healthy Smoothie

To make sure that your drink isn’t too high in fat and calories:



Measure Your Ingredients




It is a very important step in ensuring that you don’t load your smoothie with excess calories. Don’t underestimate the impact of liquid calories, follow this rule of thumb to make 1 serving of smoothie:
1/2 to 1 cup of liquid
1/2 cup leafy green(s)
1/2 cup to 2 cups of fruit(s)
1 to 4 ice cubes
2 to 4 Tbsp protein powder (optional)
Spices, to taste (optional)



Freeze Your Fruits
Freezing your fruit ahead will instantly chill your smoothies (no need to add ice) and give it a creamy texture. This will help you cut down on using fat-filled ingredients to make up for creamy-ness.



Choose Your Liquid Base Cautiously
Choose a liquid base that has no added sugar like water, natural coconut milk, or coconut water instead of fruit juice (which are usually packed with added sugar).  This is very important if you are on a weight-loss or special diet. Always put in the liquid base you chose to use in your blender first. This helps the blade of the blender move and not get stuck with the fruits you will put in next.



Add 1 or 2 Leafy Green vegetables
Vegetables such as Spinach and Kale are high in antioxidants, full of minerals, and a natural source of dietary fiber. Add 1 or 2 green leafy vegetables to add more flavor to your smoothie.



Add Protein and Healthy Fat
Remember that you should get about 50 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fats, and the remaining 20 percent from protein at every meal. So If your smoothie is a meal replacement, make sure your smoothie contains each essential macronutrient: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. But remember that in adding fat, opt for a banana or half an avocado instead of ice cream or a large amount of peanut butter.

Experiment with many Ingredients
Variety is always better, as different fruits and vegetables provide different nutrients. You should experiment with many different mixes of fruits and vegetables to ensure that you are regularly getting various nutrients into your diet.



To keep calories in control, you can start with a basic recipe and make adjustments as needed. A basic green smoothie recipe will include a sweet fruit, a green vegetable and uses water as the base so it is low in calories and naturally fat-free. Perfect for dieters. Experiment with different fruit and green veggie combinations to find a few that you like.