When most people hear diet, they immediately think about a bunch of healthy foods including smoothies. But what exactly are smoothies, why are they healthy and what is one of the healthiest smoothies? You will read all about it in today’s blog! Firstly, we need to know what we are talking about, so...
What are smoothies exactly?
Smoothies are thick drinks which are made in a blender, are made out of fruits and/or vegetables and usually have a base made of egg yolks, dairy products such as yoghurt, milk or ice cream or even protein powder such as MZ Whey!
But healthy smoothies are not as simple as throwing a banana and some milk in the blender, it takes the right combination of healthy foods. That is also where smoothies differ from juices. Juices, surprisingly, are just the juice of fruits and are therefore high in fruit sugars and miss most of the fibers with which smoothies are packed! Also, smoothies should contain a healthy amount of fat to assimilate with the vitamins.
Health benefits of smoothies
Healthy smoothies have a variety of health benefits and can be made as healthy, or unhealthy, as you want depending on the ingredients of the smoothie, but in general most smoothies have the following health ingredients:
Fiber:
Fibers are good for controlling a healthy bowel, it lowers your cholesterol and helps control blood sugar levels.
Fat:
Fat is often associated with getting fat. This is only true, up to a certain point. The are many different types of fat and is a huge subject to cover another time. For now, it is important to know that healthy fats help absorb vitamins, improve insulin sensitivity and control blood sugar.
Vitamins and Minerals
There are many different types of vitamins and minerals and they are necessary for a healthy body and mind. From skin and haircare to your bones and organs. Vitamins and minerals are essential! So, make sure you have plenty in your daily diet.
As mentioned before, there are also unhealthy smoothies, for example smoothies made with ice cream. Other unhealthy smoothies are smoothies which are not made out of 100% fruits and vegetables. Often store-bought smoothies have a whole list of additives including sugar to maintain colour, flavour and to preserve it. It is important to always check the labels when buying a pre-made smoothie. If sugar is one of the first ingredients on the list, you may want to look for an alternative drink.
Now you know the differences between healthy and unhealthy smoothies!
But what is the healthiest smoothie and how do you make it?
No worries, I am here to help you out!
They call this smoothie the Babe Ruth Smoothie, a.k.a. Strawberry, Pineapple, Banana Smoothie.
As you might have guessed it contains strawberry, pineapple and banana. But those are not the only ingredients. Here is a list with all the ingredients to make this amazing smoothie!
- 1 cup of strawberries
- ½ cup of pineapple
- 1 banana
- 2 cups of 100% orange juice
- ½ cup of Greek Yoghurt
Furthermore, you have the option to add a cup of spinach and/or a tablespoon of Chia seeds to give it an even bigger health boost!
Once you have all the ingredients, put them in the blender and blend it until it’s a nice thick drink! If it is too thick you could add some water to dilute it a little bit.
This smoothie has roughly 550 Kcal, 91 grams of carbs, 12 grams of fat and 19 grams of protein.
Healthiest smoothie - summary
Well there you have it! An amazingly healthy smoothie within minutes. Give it a try and let me know what you think of this smoothie. If you know a better smoothie, let us know!
Written by Sven Nicholson | Online Personal Trainer @ www.healthychanges-pt.com
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