Businesses around smoothies keep popping up left, right, and center. It would seem that by this we are starting to really enjoy the yummy, healthy benefits of this convenient food… or is it a drink? Both?
In the US alone, the juice and smoothie market is at a whopping $3 billion! And that is only in the US. In our research to see growth, we noticed the UK is going wild too! We came across a place in the UK which sells smoothies, with bubble tea bubbles in them… That sounds divine.
We will take 100 of those! Yum!
But, the market for smoothies is growing, and these tasty drinks can deliver us endless nutrition and are super easy to consume even for the busiest bee.
However, you needn’t rely on the market to make you one, you can make one yourself, you can use whatever ingredients you like to make a healthy smoothie full of flavors you know you love!
So, what’s good about smoothies?
What Do Smoothies Do For Your Body? (5 Health Benefits)
Smoothies are delicious, creamy, thick beverages that can be made up from anything that takes your fancy and put into a blender.
Now we say anything… This means fruit, veg, juices and so on. We wouldn’t go chucking the ingredients of your breakfast into a blender and whipping it up hoping it will taste nice… It won’t.
The ingredients you put into the blender will puree until the mixture is smooth. But, one of the best parts of a smoothie is how it can be pretty much whatever you want it to be.
While it is not desirable to put your toast, bacon, and egg into a blender, there are plenty of ingredients you can turn into a smoothie, such as:
- Nuts.
- Juice.
- Yogurt.
- Seeds.
- Fruit.
- Spices.
- Vegetables.
- Milk.
- Water.
- Protein Powder.
Let’s now look at the health benefits that come with enjoying smoothies!
#1. Making sure that you eat enough veg and fruit is vital to being healthy. Having one to three cups of a smoothie per day can actually help to lower your blood pressure, minimize the risk of cancers, reduce the risk of strokes and cardiovascular issues, and minimize diabetes risk!
#2. We need plenty of fiber, as it helps our digestive system and can reduce the possibility of developing diabetes, colon cancer, and heart disease. There are some high-fiber foods that we can add to our smoothies such as:
Apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, leafy greens, ground flaxseeds, almond butter, chia seeds, etc.
These can help increase your fiber intake!
#3. Smoothies can be a good meal replacement if you are on a weight loss program. Making them with healthy ingredients helps you get the nutrition your body needs. Also if you are too busy to be cooking your meals all the time, but fast foods are a no-go, smoothies prepared ahead of time can be ideal!
#4. Smoothies can provide us with nutritional balance with minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats, and carbs. You need to use fruits and veg as the primary ingredient in your smoothies and then enhance their protein with nut butter, nuts, seeds, and so on.
#5. A great part of having a smoothie for breakfast is that they give you protein and energy. If you consume more protein it can make you feel more full and will reduce any cravings you have in the day. Proteins give more energy than carbs do as well.
Having more protein also prevents muscle loss when you lose weight, and having a high-protein smoothie aids in weight loss a huge amount.
Things To Remember About Smoothies
Smoothies are not naturally that healthy all the time though. How healthy they depend on the choices you make about what goes in them. If you use whole milk instead of low-fat milk, then calories and sugars get added to your smoothie.
Here are some things you want to keep in mind when you are making a smoothie!
- Smoothies for weight loss should be low in carbs, and sugars, and contain low-fat ingredients.
- Measure your ingredients carefully, so that you are able to reasonably calculate how much nutritional content you need.
- Smoothies for breakfast should be high in protein and in fiber.
- Smoothies for snacking should be low in calories and in sugars.
- Flavored yogurts will have a higher sugar content than plain ones.
- Healthy smoothies should contain 1% milk, soy milk or almond milk unsweetened, you can also use water and antioxidant-rich green teas.
- Balance out the sugar content of fruits with leafy greens like kale and spinach. Ensure you get fiber and vitamins, try limiting fruit to just one cup.
Ideally, you want to limit your sugar intake to 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 for men.
The Downside To Smoothies
Green smoothies are probably one of the most popular, but they are not always the best, you can have too many greens. Cruciferous greens and veg can have a very high amount of compounds known as thiocyanates. These can disrupt iodine absorption.
This is a primary downside to smoothies. You need variation in your smoothies.
You also need to be mindful, as having too many smoothies can have other risks too:
- Not all smoothies are healthy.
- You may consume too much sugar.
- Adding smoothies to a diet without cutting back on sugars and calories adds the risk of weight gain.
- If you rely on smoothies too much for nutrition, you may actually be consuming less nutrition than you need.
Healthy Smoothie Recipes
Now that we have covered some of the benefits of smoothies, let’s introduce you to some of our best superfood smoothie recipes.
You will need Nutribullet or any blender, to make these smoothies:
– Gut Healthy Protein Blueberry Smoothie
– Healthy Keto Green Smoothie
– Blueberry Tahini Smoothie
– Healthy Apple & Pear Smoothie
– Peach Protein Smoothie
Gut Healthy Protein Blueberry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups/190g of frozen blueberries
- 2 scoops of Collagen Peptides Powder - Unflavoured We highly recommend using this one
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 cup /220ml of semi skimmed milk or dairy-free milk if needed
- 2 mejdool dates pitted
Instructions
- Dice the pitted dates, then add all the ingredients to a blender and blitz until completely smooth.
- Serve and enjoy.
Video
Notes
If you do buy the recommend collagen, they have a small scoop inside, that's what you will use for your smoothie.
Nutrition
Nutritional Balance – What We Love About Smoothies!
Making a healthy smoothie is not all that difficult, it may just seem so when you start out.
They are easy to make, help with weight loss, give you the nutrition you need, and can aid in the prevention of many chronic health conditions.
You can look to recipes like ours for inspiration, or you could just develop your own ideas, making up concoctions and experimenting.
Our favorite part about smoothies is how tasty they are, healthy and yummy. That sounds like a win to me!
FAQs:
Is It Healthy To Drink Smoothies every day?
Daily smoothies can be really nourishing and are a great way to get all of your fruits and vegetables in while you nourish your body. However, you need to ensure that you put the right things into your smoothie. Focus on nutrient-rich, whole foods, and try to avoid sugars if you can!
What Should You Not Put In A Smoothie?
If you want to keep your smoothies as healthy as possible, avoid adding canned fruit, ice cream, sherbert, or frozen yogurt into your smoothie. It might taste good in theory, but these things are high in sugars, and as you know, you really can have too much of a good thing!
Benefits Of Smoothies In The Morning
Smoothies for breakfast help to provide you with a source of protein and energy that gets you going in the morning. Adding protein also reduces food cravings and makes you fuller for longer.
Benefits Of Smoothies For Skin
Smoothies contain the nutrition your skin needs, and they can help you stay hydrated, influencing your skin’s appearance and elasticity. You get fluids and nutrition all in one!
Summary:
Smoothies can provide you with essential vitamins and nutrients. The modern person lacks fiber and many nutrients, so adding a smoothie to your diet can only benefit you!
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