Healthy Smoothies To Uplift You
With an increase in quick home delivery meal options, the variety of foods available at
our fingertips has increased manifold. While it is good to satisfy the foodie in you, it
does not have the goodness of homemade food, and might lead to serious health
problems when consumed over a period of time. Are you looking for a good
alternative for a quick homemade meal that is not only healthy, but also yummy and
quick to make? Then look no further.
Smoothies have been around for a long time, but only recently have they started
gaining popularity as an amazingly healthy breakfast option or a light evening filler.
Made using fresh fruits, milk or a nutritious liquid base and yoghurt with an optional
mix of protein powder, they are a wonderful choice for fitness lovers and health
freaks.
Smoothies have an added advantage of needing minimum ingredients. You’ll need the
following ingredients to make a healthy smoothie:
1. Fruit and/or vegetables of choice, preferably frozen
2. Some healthy liquid base (milk or almond milk, coconut water or water)
3. A protein source like Greek yoghurt or protein powder or flax seeds
As long as you’ve stocked your fridge with frozen fruits and have a few handy
ingredients, making a smoothie is easy and super nutritious.
What are the Health Benefits of Smoothies?
1. Daily intake of fruits and vegetables. With a hectic schedule, it becomes
difficult to eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables. By mixing them in
smoothies, it is a healthy and yummy excuse to eat well.
2. Nutrition. We often ignore eating healthy green, leafy vegetables like spinach
that are full of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin A. Through consuming green
smoothies, one can start their day afresh!
3. Better Digestive Health. With a higher intake of fruits and veggies, our
body’s digestive system becomes more equipped and healthy with more
consumption of fibrous food!
Although smoothies are super healthy and nutritious, there is no need to burn a hole
in your pocket to make them. Even having a smoothie for breakfast every day is an
affordable choice, if you do it right.
Here are some ways to keep your smoothie easy and affordable to make :
1. Use fewer ingredients: There is no need to add all fruits and nuts into
your smoothies at once. This can not only be a bit expensive, but also
heavy to digest. Make sure you don’t use two ingredients when one
works.
2. Go to the farmer’s market: Often, you find much fresher and cheaper
fruits at the farmer’s market. This is a great idea if you want to get your
entire week’s shopping done in one day. You can keep the fruits fresh by
storing them in the freezer and using them directly in the smoothie.
3. Use seasonal fruits and vegetables. Buy fruits and vegetables that are
easily available in the market and more affordable. Seasonal fruits are
generally healthier to eat too!
4. Use brown bananas. Ripened bananas are generally sold for a lower
price and are excellent for smoothies! Make sure you buy loads and store
them in the freezer.
Don’ts :
While smoothies are extremely easy to make and don’t need much instructions, there
are a few healthy practices one must follow for best results.
Avoid putting sugar in your smoothies, as most fruits have high sugar content and will
make your smoothie unhealthy. There are alternatives to sugar that can be used to
sweeten a smoothie such as honey, maple syrup, dates etc.
Similarly, also avoid using ready-made fruit juices as they tend to have sugar or are
over-processed and lacking in fibre. While some people prefer to add ice in
smoothies, this can make them watery and ruin the consistency.
How to Make a Smoothie :
1. Use ½ cup of fruits such as bananas, muskmelon, avocados, mangoes, pears or
strawberries as the solid base ingredients (frozen or otherwise). Use ½ cup of
almond or coconut milk, some tablespoons of Greek yoghurt or protein
powder with additional natural sweeteners if necessary. Add them all into a
blender.
2. If you are making a green smoothie, use some spinach, banana and green apple.
3. Mix the ingredients in the blender on high power until you achieve a smooth
consistency. Add milk or its alternatives as desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy a
refreshing drink or store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Note :
1. Use frozen fruit to get a good consistency, this way the smoothie will be fresh
and cool without the watery texture of ice.
2. Add fruits like bananas and avocados to get a creamier texture and almond milk
or normal milk for nutritious balance.
3. Make sure you wash fresh fruits properly or use organic fruits because of
pesticides. Washing fresh foods in a vinegar mixture can help to get rid of
pesticides very well.
Let us know in the comments section whether you like smoothies or not and
how you prepare them at home.
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