Learn how to make your own healthy smoothies.
What is a smoothie?
A smoothie is a milkshake-like drink with a thick consistency made from mixed natural ingredients, usually frozen fruit or fresh fruit with ice. Natural flavors are added to taste.
Smoothies are easy to make but require some preparation. To make smoothies, you will need a blender or food processor. If you have both a blender and a food processor, try using both to see which one works best.
Almost any soft fruit and vegetable can be used to make delicious smoothies. There are two ways to make a smoothie: use frozen fruit or fresh fruit with ice or frozen yogurt (or any other frozen ingredient).
Frozen fruit tends to make smoothies thicker and colder. They are perfect for hot sunny days. But on cold rainy days, you can give preference to another method. Whatever fruit you choose to use to make your smoothie, peel and remove the seeds.
Before freezing fruits, cut the fruits into small pieces and arrange them on a plate, then put them in the freezer for an hour. This is necessary to prevent the fruit from sticking together. When they are frozen, you can pour them into a container. Try not to use fruits that have been in the freezer for more than a week.
You can put the fruits in the freezer only for 20-30 minutes. They just cool a bit and freeze, making smoothies easier.
You can also use dried fruits like raisins, dates or dried apricots. Soak them in good quality drinking water overnight to soften them up. Dried fruits add flavor to smoothies and are a good source of micronutrients and fiber.
Ice cream may taste great, but it also contains unhealthy fats and sugar. Always try to use whole, natural ingredients whenever possible. Liquid-based smoothies
There are many variations of ingredients that can be used in the liquid base of your smoothies. Here are just a few of them. You are only limited by your imagination. Experiment!
Water. If you are only using frozen fruit for smoothies, use filtered drinking water as a liquid base to dilute the sweetness.
Milk. If you prefer to use milk, try switching to low fat options. Goat’s milk may cost more than cow’s milk, but it’s a healthy option. Use it fresh, avoid boiling. Goat milk is highly digestible and does not adversely affect people who are lactose intolerant.
Soy milk. This is another healthy drink rich in polyunsaturated fats.
Yogurt. Most people who are lactose intolerant can drink yogurt, which is a good smoothie ingredient. Choose plain yogurt with no additional ingredients for optimal health benefits. You can also use frozen yogurt to mix with other room temperature ingredients. Make your own yogurt.
Ice cream. Flavored ice cream can overpower fruit flavors, so choose wisely, but always opt for low-fat or low-fat options where possible. Many people prefer vanilla ice cream.
Milk from nuts or seeds. You can purchase it at your local health food store or learn how to make your own nut milk.
Fruit or vegetable juice. Juice is best prepared separately. For example, apple juice, if it is not the main ingredient in a smoothie. Many people like to use fresh coconut juice as it helps dilute the sweetness of the other ingredients.
Green tea. It is a wonderful ingredient with antioxidant properties. You can purchase green tea leaf powder from your local supermarket. Immerse the powder in boiled water for about 4 to 5 minutes, strain and let cool before using in smoothies.
Flavours
There are many natural flavors you can add to your smoothie to give it that extra kick.
When the main ingredients are vegetables, you can sweeten them a bit to make the smoothie more delicious. Use natural sweeteners such as dates, raisins, fruit juice concentrate, honey, maple syrup, molasses, etc.
Fresh ginger juice (use only 1 teaspoon per serving) gives your smoothie extra spice and powerful antioxidants.
As additional flavors, you can add ground cinnamon, cocoa powder, grated coconut, coffee powder, half a lemon or lime, mint syrup, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, etc. to smoothies. Be creative! Other ingredients
Smoothies do not have to be made only from fruits, vegetables and juices. You can also add other healthy ingredients. They can be used to make hearty smoothies that are rich in fiber, complex carbohydrates, monounsaturated fats, and fat-soluble vitamins. And most importantly, the smoothies are delicious!
Some of the ingredients you can try adding to make your smoothie filling are:
Cooked brown rice or brown rice. You can purchase brown or brown rice from your local health food store. You need to cook it and let it cool before using.
Oats. Oats contain soluble fiber and lower cholesterol levels. Oat flakes can be poured with hot boiled water and allowed to cool before use.
Peanut butter. The high level of monounsaturated fat found in peanut butter provides protection against heart disease. When shopping for peanut butter, make sure the ingredients don’t include hydrogenated vegetable oils, which are high in trans fatty acids. Add peanut butter to smoothies for kids, they’ll love it!
Tofu. Tofu is a good source of protein. It’s tasteless, but will add a creamy texture to your smoothies.
Sesame seeds. The nutrients contained in sesame seeds are better absorbed after grinding. However, they can also be eaten whole. Add sesame seeds to your smoothies for amazing antioxidant properties.
Any kind of nuts. Finely chop any nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, etc.), add them to smoothies, they are very healthy and add a special flavor to any dish. supplements
You can crush tablets (vitamin supplements) with a mortar and pestle and add the powder to a smoothie or juice. This makes the supplements easily absorbed by the body. If you want to do this, don’t grind the additives in a blender, but pour them into your glass just before drinking. Mix and drink.
Here is a list of additives you can mix with other smoothie ingredients.
- Bee pollen
- Brewer’s yeast
- calcium powder
- Chlorophyll – liquid or powder
- Lecithin – powder or granules
- Protein powder
- Spirulina – powder
- Vitamin C
- Wheat bran
Smoothie consumption
Eat or drink the smoothie within 10 minutes of making it so you can take full advantage of the nutrients in the dish before they oxidize and turn the smoothie brown.
Storing a smoothie after it has gone through a blender is not recommended, as once fruits and vegetables are ground in a blender, their nutrients and live enzymes quickly decompose.