Smoothie; the healthy choice your body deserves

Published On - July 14, 2021

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Smoothie

Looking for a healthier drink to take asides water, a drink you could easily prepare at home and take to work to keep you hydrated.

Well, there is a healthy drink called SMOOTHIE.

smoothie-the-healthy-choice-your-body-deserves

What is a smoothie?

Smoothie is a thick creamy blended beverage with a shake-like consistency blended from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds as well as added liquids such as juices, yogurt, dairy, or non-dairy milk. This drink is quite popular and is marketed as a healthy food.

There are 3 main parts of a smoothie; the base (usually some type of liquid), a mixture of fruits/vegetables, and ice.

N/B: If the fruit or vegetables used are frozen the cool temperature of the smoothie can be achieved without using ice.

The ratio of liquid to solid determines the thickness of the smoothie, so to make your smoothie thick increase the amount of added fruits and vegetables or reduce the amount of added liquid. Some people do add powders to the smoothie as flavorings which also help to increase its thickness, an example of this powder is vitamin supplements or flavored protein powder. The flavor profile of a smoothie depends mainly on the ingredients.

These are the popular ingredients found in popular smoothies:

  • Nuts and seeds: chia seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seed butter, walnut butter, peanut butter, almond butter, etc.
  • Herbs and spices: turmeric, parsley, basil, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, etc.
  • Vegetables: avocado, cucumber, beetroot, spinach, kale, carrots, microgreens, arugula, etc.
  • Fruits: watermelon, pineapple, banana, mango, peach, etc.
  • Sweeteners: ice cream, fruit juice, concentrates, honey, raw sugar, syrup, stevia, etc.
  • Liquids: water, milk, coconut water, vegetable juice, iced tea, green tea, etc.
  • Herbal supplement: Matcha powder, bee pollen, protein powder, etc.
  • Spices, extracts, and powders: Almond extract, vanilla extract, nutmeg, powdered peanut butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, etc.

Types of smoothies

  • Fruit smoothies: As the name implies it is a smoothie made from fruit specifically for their sweet flavor, it consists of one or more types of fruits blended with ice cream, fruit juice, water, etc.
  • Green smoothies: These types of smoothies are usually green in color due to the use of leafy dark green vegetables and fruits blended with water or juice. They also include fruits for sweetness.
  • Weight loss smoothies: This type of smoothie doesn’t contain any added sugar with the aim of minimizing the overall glycemic load of the smoothie. It always contains healthy fat such as almond butter to help satiate one’s appetite.
  • Protein smoothie: This type of smoothie contains a fruit or vegetable and a liquid with a major source of protein added to it such as protein powder, Greek yogurt, soft or silken tofu, whey, or pea protein powder, etc.
  • Dessert smoothies: These are smoothies that contain added fat and sugar in the form of ice cream or syrups.

Here are some recipes for some smoothies you could try at home

SWEET BANANA SMOOTHIE

  • 1 banana
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ice cubes
  • Half cup of vanilla yogurt or Greek yogurt

Procedure: Blend the fruit together. Check at intervals to see if it is properly blended.

Sugar, artificial sweetener could be added to make it sweeter to taste.

GREEN GRAPE SMOOTHIE

  • 1 cup seedless green grape
  • A cup of chopped kale
  • 1 cup cleaned spinach leaves
  • 1 Bartlett pear (stem, seeds removed)

Procedure: Wash and chop the kale, remove the stem, seeds from the Bartlett pear, put all the ingredients in the blender and puree until smooth

GO GREEN SMOOTHIE

  • Half cup of seedless grapes
  • Half frozen banana
  • A quarter cup of fresh or frozen mango chunks
  • Half cup of fresh spinach
  • Half apple
  • 1 cup of ice
  • A quarter cup of plain yogurt

Procedure: Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

 

PEACH-VANILLA YOGURT SMOOTHIE

  • 1 fresh peach
  • 1 cup of plain soy milk
  • Half cup of frozen vanilla yogurt

Procedure: make sure the peach gotten is fresh, blend all the ingredients together until it’s smooth, adjusting for thickness.

DETOX SMOOTHIE

  • 1 cucumber
  • 2 medium apples
  • 4 fresh mint leaves
  • Half ginger root

Procedure: blend all the ingredients together.

This type of smoothie is best taken first thing in the morning, and the last thing at night. It helps to remove toxins in the body, removes excess fat, and helps to lose weight.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SMOOTHIES

  • They help in weight loss
  • It helps you to stay satisfied preventing you from always taking junks
  • They help in digestion especially the green smoothie as they contain vegetables like kale, celery, spinach, etc.
  • They contain antioxidants that help in preventing heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.
  • It helps boost your immunity.
  • With the right ingredients, smoothies could help you have a good night’s rest.
  • They help to detoxes the body.
  • They help to fight free radicals.

Smoothies contain fruits and vegetables which are excellent sources of minerals. Examples include magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus, all of which helps to build stronger bones. Also, the nutrients present in the fruits and vegetables can prevent the risk of getting cancer.

What are you waiting for?

Go get yourself varieties of fruit and vegetable, make a very delicious smoothie. Trust us you won’t regret it.