We keep hearing about the benefits of smoothie drinking, but what are they really? Why are smoothies, those liquid meals, so healthy and why should we incorporate them into our daily lives?
1. For starters, if you are not keen on eating fruits or veggies, drinking a smoothie might help you trick your body into eating those “five – eight a day” while actually enjoying the taste!
2. If you keep forgetting or find it hard to drink at least eight glasses of water per day (yes, so many numbers to keep in mind!); you could at least keep your body hydrated by drinking a homemade smoothie. During summer, do not forget to add some ice cubes before blending for some extra water intake.
3. Smoothies are much healthier than juices. While drinking juice, you get vitamins and minerals, but almost zero fiber unless you buy juice with pulp. Smoothies are made out of the whole fruit or vegetable, so nothing gets wasted.
4. Smoothies are so easy to make! If you do not have much time in the morning, you just throw whatever fruit or vegetable you have at home, mix it with something liquid and blend it! Voilà, your breakfast is ready! Moreover, if you are really tight on time, you can make packs of cut fruit or vegetables and freeze them. Now you will always have time for a healthy start to the day and a great breakfast to go!
5. Smoothies are also cheap! Forget about the ones you buy in a supermarket, you can make yours for a few cents! You can also add your favorite protein powder or nutrition supplement.
6. If you are trying to lose some weight, smoothies, especially the green ones, are a perfect choice! They are low in calories, but fill you up very well. They contain a lot of water and fiber so they will make you feel as if you just ate a whole meal. Moreover, they will also help you fight cravings and hunger while consuming something healthy. If you want to find out more about my nutrition weight loss supplement that I add to my smoothie just CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO.
7. Smoothies boost your metabolism. As they are already blended, they are easy to digest and therefore, your body does not have to work so hard to process it. If you are suffering from constipation, drinking a smoothie might be a good idea to get your digestion going!
Smoothie Making Basic Guide
Smoothie making is not rocket science and there are so many benefits you get from drinking them, such as improved digestion, hydration, consuming more fruits and vegetables, easier weight loss, more energy and many others. However, there are some basic things you need to know before you start blending.
- You should decide what recipe will suit your purpose – are you trying to lose weight or you just want to add more greens into your diet? If you do not know which recipe to use, be sure to grab the recipe booklet I am putting together for us. I will announce its completion.
- Keep in mind that the first thing you add into your blender is the liquid you want to use. Do not forget that you should stick to your recipe and should not add more water than recommended (usually not more than 2 cups per person); otherwise your smoothie will be too watery.
- Remember, a smoothie is not a milkshake and therefore not a sugary dessert. When done right smoothies can be a meal replacement. The base of a milkshake is dairy, usually ice cream or milk with added flavor. They can be topped with whipped cream and candy. We definitely do not want that in smoothies, so make sure you use a healthy liquid base, which certainly does not include sugary drinks and other liquids filled with sugar. You should use filtered water, almond/coconut/hazelnut/oat milk, organic fruit that is juiced or kefir.
- You can then add your base, which will make the smoothie creamy. The most basic base is a banana, followed by avocado, peach, apple, chia seed gel or nut butters. Yogurt, frozen fruit or pears will also do the trick.
- Now it is time to add the additional fruits or vegetables your smoothie recipe requires. You can also get creative and add whatever you think goes together and then learn from your mistakes. Choose fresh fruits or the frozen ones – you can also prepare packs of cut fruits beforehand and freeze them; that way you can also save time.
- At the end, you can also add some additional foods to your smoothie, such as dates or maple syrup to make it sweeter (even though most smoothie recipes already include enough sweet fruit), a pinch of quality salt that will increase the minerals (such as pink Himalayan salt), spices, quality protein powder, superfoods, such as chia, flax or hemp seeds, goji berries… The possibilities are endless!
- After adding all of your ingredients, it is time to start blending! Follow the instructions of your blender and do not worry, after a few times, smoothie making will become second nature for you and you will get it right every time.
Most Common Smoothie Mistakes
Everyone says making smoothies is so easy; so what could possibly go wrong?
If your smoothie is too watery, simply add more fruit (the best option would be bananas or frozen fruit), nut butter or oats.
If it lacks creaminess, you can add some nut butter, oatmeal, avocado or banana. On the other hand, if your smoothie is too thick, add some non-dairy milk, such as oatmeal, coconut, hazelnut or almond. Remember that this might change its flavor, so always add the liquids in small amounts.
In case you accidentally made your green smoothie taste almost too healthy, you should add more milk such as hazelnut, a frozen banana or a wee bit of pure maple syrup.
Even if your smoothie is way too tasteless, you can still save it – add a splash of natural fruit juice for acid taste, Greek yogurt for tangy taste, dates or maple syrup for sweetness. You can also add spices or grated ginger to add more flavor.
If the smoothie is not blended enough, you might not be adding the ingredients to your blender in the correct order. You should add your liquids first, which will get the blade turning smoothly. Start blending on slow speed and then gradually increasing the speed.
Be sure to grab my recipe book
