Make Delicious and Healthy Smoothies

Smoothies are a quick and easy way to get more fruits and veggies into your diet. But, not all smoothies are healthy. Many have a lot of sugar. Even natural sugars from fruit can add up. If you want to enjoy smoothies without overdoing the sugar, here’s how to make them healthier.

The Six Laws of Smoothies

To make a great smoothie, follow these six rules:

1. Start with a flavor base: This is the main ingredient, like fruits or vegetables.
2. Build more flavor: Add fruit juice or nut butter for sweetness, acidity, or richness.
3. Keep it cold: Use frozen fruit or ice.
4. Use a natural emulsifier: Banana or avocado can make your smoothie thick and creamy.
5. Boost your smoothie: Add nuts, seeds, or protein powder for extra nutrition.
6. Thin it out: If the smoothie is too thick, add water to make it the right consistency.

Low-Sugar Fruit Smoothies

Here’s how to make a simple and healthy fruit smoothie:

• Choose the right fruits. Berries like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are lower in sugar and higher in fiber than fruits like bananas, mangoes, or pineapples.
• Use frozen berries. They are cheaper, keep your smoothie cold, and often taste better than fresh berries. Fresh berries can sometimes make your smoothie thick and jelly-like because of pectin in the berry skins. This interacts with the calcium in milk or yogurt. Frozen berries don’t do this because the pectin is trapped in ice crystals.
• Use less banana. Bananas have a lot of sugar. Instead of using a whole banana per serving, use half a banana.
• Add yogurt. Replace some of the banana with plain yogurt. Yogurt has less sugar, adds a creamy texture, and gives you more protein.
• Thin with water. Add water instead of fruit juice. Fruit juice has extra sugar that you don’t need.

Simple Fruit Smoothie Recipe:

• 2 cups frozen blueberries
• 1 banana
• 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups water

Blend on low for 10 seconds, then increase to high until smooth.

Super Greens Smoothie

Want a smoothie packed with vegetables? Here’s how to make a green smoothie with a great texture:

• Add the greens first. Start with spinach, arugula, or baby kale. Then, add parsley. This helps the blender chop them up quickly.
• Add ice. Ice keeps the smoothie cold and adds to the texture.
• Cut veggies into small pieces. Smaller pieces blend more easily.
• Use avocado. Avocado makes the smoothie creamy, like a banana would in a fruit smoothie. It also adds healthy fats, which help your body use the vitamins in the vegetables.
• Add a boost. You can add flax seeds or protein powder. Spirulina, a type of algae, is another great option. It’s full of nutrients.
• Sweeten with apple juice. Unsweetened apple juice adds sweetness without too much sugar.

Super Greens Smoothie Recipe:

• 1 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup parsley
• Ice
• 4 ounces cucumber, cut into pieces
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 teaspoons spirulina (optional)
• 1 cup unsweetened apple juice

Blend on low for 10 seconds, then increase to high until smooth.

Smoothie Blending Tips

You don’t need a fancy blender to make a good smoothie. The key is to blend it quickly. This way, the blender blades don’t heat up the smoothie too much.

To get the best blend:

• Start on low speed. This creates a vortex, or whirlpool, that pulls the ingredients into the blades.
• Increase the speed to high.
• Blend until smooth.

More Healthy Smoothie Ideas

Here are a few more smoothie recipes to try:

• Orange Creamsicle Smoothie: Mix ice, orange, carrot, banana, yogurt, vanilla, and water.
• Tahinicchino Smoothie: Blend ice, banana, tahini, instant espresso powder, honey, vanilla, salt, milk, and water.

Make Your Own Smoothie Recipes

With a few simple guidelines, you can create your own healthy and tasty smoothies. Get creative and enjoy!

Ready to try some delicious, healthy smoothies?