Everything you need to know about Smoothies

Where smoothies play an important part in your healthy lifestyle, there are some key things you need to know, so as to make sure that smoothies are going to help you lose or maintain your weight, instead of gaining any.

Try this Very Berry Smoothie Recipe:-

1. Ingredients
   • 2 cups of frozen spinach
   • 1 cup of strawberries (or 100g)
   • 1 cup of blueberries
   • Half a cup of almonds (50g)
   • 1 banana
   • 2 cups of water (or 240ml)
   • 1 tsp cinnamon
   • 1 tsp vanilla extract
   • A handful of ice

1. Smoothies are a natural energy booster.
2. Natural weight loss can be a great side effect of slurping these instead of a typical breakfast.
3. Stay healthy all year long! Smoothies boost your immune system and peak your energy levels.
4. They are jam-packed with disease-fighting antioxidants which keep your body functioning properly.
5. They are hands down the best fast food! It takes 5 mins or less to make a smoothie (and clean up!) and they’re super easy to take on the go.

Try out this quick and easy Avocado Creamy Smoothie:

Ingredients:
80g pomegranate seeds (half a pomegranate), 80g-100g blueberries, 1 avocado, strawberries, 2 pears, 1 banana, 500ml or 1 pint of almond milk, 1 table spoon of chia seeds, ice, 1 tea spoon of cinnamon and vanilla extract.

Smoothies can, in fact, serve as a meal replacement, as they are loaded with fibre which should help you feel full. The principal difference between smoothies and juices is the fibre.

Try this kiwi and kale smoothie recipe out as a meal replacement:-

Ingredients

Two Kiwis

Kale (bowlful)
One pineapple
One mango
One banana
One avocado
2 cups / 500 ml coconut water
One teaspoon of cinnamon
One teaspoon of vanilla extract

Greeeen smoothies are called so because you add a green veg to them - the most popular green veg to add to smoothies are kale or spinach.  The formula is simple: leafy green veg + fruit + a liquid base = green smoothie!  The science behind them is that leafy greens contain high quality amino acids, vitamins, important minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Phytonutrients are chemicals hidden in plants that support your immune system, improve longevity and health and aid in the fight against cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Try out this delish green pomegranate smoothie recipe:-

Ingredients

• 2 pomegranates
• 2 cups or handfuls of spinach
• 1 banana
• 1 orange
• 1 mango
• 2 cups or 240ml unsweetened almond milk (or coconut water or normal tap water)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

And also try this Black Grape Green Smoothie Recipe Idea:-

Ingredients
1 punnet of black grapes, 1 punnet of strawberries, 1 carrot, 1 banana, half a fresh pineapple and a handful of fresh spinach leaves.

And try this out for size; my nectarine and kale smoothie as it has beta-carotene in it:-

Ingredients

• 2 cups or 2 handfuls of kale
• 500ml coconut water
• 1 apple
• 1 orange
• 2 nectarines
• 1 mango
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• A handful of ice (optional)

For smoothies:

• It’s great to use whole fruits, because the fibre will slow down the sugar entering your bloodstream and it is metabolized differently than when we drink fruit juices. Smoothies shouldn't cause weight gain even if they are loaded with fruit.

• Avoid dairy products like milk,yoghurt, eggs and protein powders because animal products are acidic in the body and can detract from the health-promoting properties of the smoothie.

• Use frozen fruit, nuts, seeds, and even cooked grains to get a creamy and satisfying texture.

• For additional protein, use nuts, seeds and a plant-based protein powder.  

• Here is a high protein smoothie recipe; I have named it 'The Oddest Smoothie Recipe in the World' as it contains almonds, goji berries and turmeric amongst other ingredients:-

Ingredients

• 2 tbsps of cashew nuts
• 2 tbsps of chopped almonds
• 2 tbsps of dessicated coconut
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 6 pears
• 1 apple
• 2 kiwis
• 1 orange
• 2 tbsps of goji berries
• 1 banana

In the following smoothie recipe, I decided I would focus on potassium as an essential mineral for improving general health, including relief from stroke, blood pressure, heart and kidney disorders, anxiety and stress. It also enhances muscle strength, metabolism, water balance, electrolytic functions and the nervous system.

Ingredients

• 2 cups or 2 handfuls of kale
• 1 banana
• 150g blueberries
• 1 mango
• 1 orange
• half a lemon
• teaspoon of vanilla extract
• teaspoon of cinnamon
• 500ml (2 cups) coconut water

I have harped on so much about the health benefits of goji berries (a very fashionable superfood)!  I add them to almost any recipe that I think they would compliment.  I even invented my own goji berry smoothie recipe.  It has an unusual taste that you have to already like to be able to enjoy it:-

Ingredients

• 100g goji berries
• 1 cup or a handful of frozen spinach
• 250ml of water (or one cup)
• 1 mango
• 1 orange
• 1 apple
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 
  

Leave a comment if you've learnt something new and will be changing your smoothie regime.

Happy blending!

Oh ok, then, just one last quick smoothie recipe for good measure - called my 'melon, blueberry, carrot and kiwi smoothie':-

Ingredients

• Half a honeydew melon
• 1 punnet of blueberries
• 2 carrots
• 3 kiwiws
• 1 lemon
• 1 orange
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• A handful of ice
• 1 pint or half a litre of water

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