If you are looking for a burst of nutrients on the go, grab a smoothie. Whether you are on a diet or are simply trying to eat healthier, smoothies are a great way to do that.
Smoothies are a versatile food item. It can be made from anything you want, provided that the concoction tastes good. There is no point in having a healthy smoothie that tastes awful.
The art of smoothie-making is to know what goes well together. The key is to find the balance between nutrition and taste. The best smoothie will be delicious and enriched with proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc.
Want your tasty smoothie to be loaded with all the essential nutrients you need? Check out the following seven ways to make your smoothies healthy!
One Word: Bananas
If you look up smoothie recipes online, you will find that 95% of the recipes have bananas in them. Bananas are the ultimate smoothie buddy. You can toss them in almost any smoothie.
What makes bananas so great? Bananas give you a burst of vitamins and minerals. It is rich in antioxidants yet low in calories.
It gives the smoothie that smooth texture we love to slurp. Bananas also add sweetness without added sugar.
You can find bananas anywhere. It goes well with fruits and vegetables. This fiber-rich fruit fills your tummy and curbs your appetite.
Bananas help maintain your blood sugar levels. It also aids heart, kidney, and digestive health. What more can you possibly want from an ingredient?
Go Nuts
Nuts are one of the healthiest things you can put in your smoothie. Research tells us that we can enjoy numerous health benefits from snacking on a handful of nuts daily. Adding some nuts to your smoothie will make it more filling.
Nuts aid brain health. Made of healthy fats, they also help improve your heart health. Nuts are also a great source of antioxidants. Your smoothie will either become creamy or crunchy, depending on how well the nuts are grinded.
Are you wondering about which blender can crush your hard ingredients into the perfect smoothie? Blender Babes can help you find the best blender for your smoothie needs. Find out whether Blendtec or Vitamix has the right blender for you with this review.
Load Up On Antioxidants
We all want to look and stay young. To avoid early aging, we must fight free radicals. The way to do that is increasing the intake of antioxidants.
Add antioxidant-rich fruits to your smoothies. A common ingredient we use are berries. We add them in different mixes, and they add a lot of flavor and sweetness. Consider a mixed berry blend for a refreshing and tangy delight.
Other fruits that are rich with antioxidants include kiwi, watermelon, pomegranate, cranberries, and mangoes. You can’t go wrong with fruits when it comes to smoothies.
Make it Smooth
You want your smoothies to have a creamy, smooth texture. You don’t need milk to get that rich creaminess. There are plenty of other ingredients that you can use to get that texture.
Nuts and bananas were mentioned before, as both the ingredients create a smooth paste. Nut butters are also great additions to the blend, and there are plenty of options, such as peanut, almond, and hazelnut.
Coconut milk adds extra creaminess to your blend. It also has a sweetness and rich aroma that makes your smoothie taste delicious. You can also add coconut oil, cocoa butter, or avocado to get that luxurious, thick texture.
If you don’t want a rich concoction, use coconut water, almond milk, or soya milk.
Sneak In The Veggies
Many people hate the idea of vegetables in their smoothie. They don’t want to drink those horrendous health drinks people on diets drink. Adding vegetables in your smoothies doesn’t have to make it taste disgusting.
You can hide the flavor of vegetables under the strong taste of fruits. If you have children, this is a great way to make them eat their greens.
Some leafy greens you can add are baby spinach, kale, and lettuce. Avocados blend really well with leafy greens and bananas. Beets and carrots go well with most fruits.
You can even add cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potato, and zucchini, given that your smoothie is well-blended. Any vegetable that doesn’t have a heavy flavor or smell is game.
Food Pairing
We use food pairing to put together two different foods that enhance each other’s taste and nutrition quality. Similarly, in a smoothie, we want to combine flavors that work well together.
Find a combination of food that gives you more health benefits together. For example, honey is rich in copper. When eaten with banana or apples, it aids in iron absorption.
Nuts that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids help with vitamin absorption. You can pair nuts with vitamin-rich fruits like mangoes, strawberries, etc. A blueberry smoothie with nuts, apples, and leafy greens is great for brain health.
This food combining chart will help you understand the different types of food that work well together.
Superfood
Superfoods are food that provide supreme health benefits. These superfoods will pack a major punch in your smoothie. Many of the ingredients mentioned here are superfoods, including berries, nuts, leafy greens, etc.
One particular superfood you should definitely add to your smoothie is chia seeds. Chia seeds are tiny, energizing powerhouses. It is rich in iron, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and more.
Add a crunch into your blend with chia seeds. Other seeds you can include are flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.
If you need caffeine but want to avoid coffee, add matcha powder to your smoothie. It has way more antioxidants than most superfoods. Get energized and reduce your stress by including matcha powder to the mix.
Final Thoughts
To make your blend healthier, add ingredients that are bursting with nutrients. Various combinations of food work better together. Where you are looking for something citrusy or creamy, adding an antioxidant rich food is a must.
Remember to add nuts and vegetables to the blend. Don’t go for store-bought, calorie-loaded smoothies. You can make creamy, healthy ones right at home.
