A delicious smoothie is a great way to ease into a healthy eating lifestyle. But, to get the full nutritional value, you need to make sure you are doing it the right way. Use these tips for making healthy smoothies as a guide to ensure that you are getting the right nutrients to make it a full meal.
Get a Quality Smoothie Blender
First things first, you need to get yourself a high-quality blender to make a delicious smoothie full of nutrients. There is a wide selection of blenders out there from brands like Vitamix, Ninja, and Nutribullet that can help you build a proper smoothie in a short amount of time. As opposed to store-bought smoothies, blending a smoothie on your own at home allows you to know exactly what you are getting, so you’ll definitely want to invest in a quality blender.
Include Plenty of Greens
Another tip for making healthy smoothies is to add organic greens. No healthy smoothie is complete without vegetables. You want to make sure you are including leafy greens. Spinach, kale, and mixed greens are the best kinds of vegetables to put in your smoothie, or you can add cucumbers or celery. If you get the proportions right, you won’t even realize they are in there.
Limit Fruits
Organic fruits are also a great addition to any smoothie, but you want to be cautious about how much you add. Any fruit can taste great in a smoothie and can serve as a good source of carbs, but they also have a lot of sugar. Limit how much fruit you put in it. If you have diabetic, it’s best to stick with low glycemic index fruit.
Add Healthy Fats
Additionally, when it comes to making your smoothie, you may want to add healthy fats. This will make the smoothie more filling and balanced – with all the macronutrients that your body needs. However, you also want to be careful with how much you add because they are high in calories.
Nut butters, avocados, and coconut oil are great options. You can also add various seeds, such as chia, sesame seeds, hemp hearts, and flaxseeds, which give you nutrients like your omega-3s. You can add about a tablespoon or a quarter of an avocado is typically enough.
Add Protein
You should also add protein to your smoothie to keep your health on track. It helps in chemical reactions, immunity, oxygenation, movement, and bone development. Protein helps to increase muscle mass and facilitate fat loss as well. One of the ways to keep your protein highly nutritious is by using a high-quality organic protein powder.
Include Superfood Powders
Superfoods refer to a wide range of food sources that all share a common trait: they’re nutritionally dense. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and antioxidants that help your body fight free radicals. These ingredients possess anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties as well.
Some of these organic superfood powders are green blends that contain chlorella, spirulina, and wheatgrass, others are red blends containing beets, acai, and blueberries, while others have mushrooms, turmeric, green tea, ashwagandha, cocoa, and adaptogenics. All these wonderful ingredients are considered superfoods because they are extremely powerful and provide tremendous benefits for the body.
Watch the Sugar
A final tip for making healthy smoothies is to watch the sugar. When it comes to making your smoothie, you will want to steer clear of most sugars like sugar, honey, or syrup. Fresh or frozen fruits are typically sweet enough to make your smoothie taste good.
Adding sugary sweeteners to an otherwise healthy smoothie can defeat the whole purpose. But if you are using vegetables or greens instead of fruits, you could use healthy sweeteners such as organic monk fruit sweetener or organic stevia.
As you can see, smoothies can make powerful nutritious meals and are very convenient. They can be a way to make healthy changes to your diet. If you follow the above tips for making healthy smoothies, you’ll be keeping your body healthy and strong while achieving your fitness goals.
To a Fitter Healthier You,
The Fitness Wellness Mentor
