There’s something magical about throwing a bunch of healthy ingredients into a blender and producing a delicious concoction. Making amazing smoothies is a very easy process with a little planning. Now, get ready for the complete guide to making healthy great-tasting smoothies! In this post, we will cover nutrition, consistency, taste, and combinations.
How to get the perfect consistency from your amazing smoothie
Thickness
The consistency of your smoothie is actually the easiest thing to get right and adjust to if needed. Whenever your smoothie is too thin, simply add ice. However, if you like thicker smoothies, then consider using frozen fruits rather than ice. This maintains the icy texture of your drink without sacrificing flavor by dilution. We will dive deeper into the flavor further down. If your smoothie is too thick, then you have two options. You can blend for a little bit longer or add more liquid. Note that if your frozen fruit always makes your smoothie too thick, you can mix frozen and non-frozen fruit together.
Creaminess
A great way to add creaminess to your smoothie is with nut butters or yogurt. There are a ton of healthy options! My personal favorites are almond butter or plain Greek yogurt, but you can experiment as you like. Start with one serving, and add or subtract to your preference. Additionally, if you aren’t afraid to treat yourself every once in a while, you can try something sweeter like ice-cream. If you are on the skinny side and trying to put on a few pounds, this is an especially delicious way to do that!
How to ensure you have a truly healthy smoothie
Mistakes to avoid
Basically, all of your ingredients are healthy so you only have to worry about a few traps.
- Too much sugar! Be very careful of choosing a sugary drink as your liquid of choice. Almost all juices are 30 grams of sugar per cup, and if they have added sugars then you could be in for a surprise. I typically use almond milk (any type of milk will do) for my smoothies. Juice is still a great option, just stay away from added sugars.
- Too much… smoothie? It’s easy to make a larger smoothie than you can handle. Smoothie size preference varies, but try starting out with 2 handfuls of fruits with one cup of your liquid of choice. Then add your extras 1 serving each,
- None of, or not enough of protein. Oftentimes healthy smoothies will replace your meal- especially breakfast. Breaking your fast without protein is a big mistake! To keep this simple, I always add a serving of protein powder so make sure I get at least 20 grams of protein in my smoothies. If you’d like to know the protein powder I use, take a look at my article here. It is flavorless, super high quality, and the cheapest protein powder I have been able to find myself. It also has a very light consistency that will not intrude upon your smoothie, which is just perfect! Here is a link to the perfect protein powder for your smoothies!
- Not considering greens. I’ll be honest, I almost never add vegetables or greens to my smoothies. I get enough from the rest of my diet. That said, spinach is your best friend if you don’t want to worry about tasting it in your smoothie. Give it a try!
- Using ice instead of frozen fruits. Ice dilutes flavor, and fruits go back in less than a week if not frozen. Kill two birds with one stone and dedicate some space in your freezer to your favorite fruits! This is practically meal prepping your smoothies because you will have frozen fruit you’ve already rinsed and cut (if cutting is needed). Just take some out and throw right in your smoothie!
Ingredients every nutritious smoothie should have
Fruits (Choose any 2-3)
The list of fruits to choose from is almost endless. The easiest ones to use in your healthy smoothies are bananas and berries. Beyond this, choosing fruits with skins can add acidity, which is perfect for highlighting the flavor of the smoothie. In fact, most smoothie recipes will use these skinned fruits such as apple and oranges as juices for their liquid of choice.
Protein (25 grams of protein)
You should always add protein powder to your smoothies. The goal is to reach about 25 grams of protein total. Extras like nut butters or yogurt can have up to 10 grams of protein in a serving, so you don’t need a full serving of protein powder, but just be cognizant to make sure you’re giving your body the nutrients it needs. Here is a link directly to the protein powder I recommend.
Liquid (1 cup)
Liquids can sometimes be difficult to choose and will be based on the fruits you have chosen and even the extras. I like almond milk and favor it to stay extra healthy, but you won’t get beautiful colors and sweet flavors from it. Instead, my smoothies are carried by my extras such as nuttiness, cinnamon, cocoa powder, or matcha. If you aren’t using milk and have a bit of a sweet tooth, I recommend you start with orange juice (or your favorite citrus juice to start) and work your way around. You can also consider using less than a cup of juice and a splash of water to lower the sugar content.
A little something extra
To keep your healthy smoothies dynamic and exciting, it’s good to have that small extra kick. I mentioned it earlier, but I love to add match powder, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Just choose one and see how it goes! About half a teaspoon to a full teaspoon should do the trick.
Healthy Extras?
Instead of nut butters and yogurt, sometimes I use ground flax seed or other seeds. This can be a great source of healthy fat, protein, and fiber. Also consider any leafy green such as spinach or kale for more micronutrients! Here is a more comprehensive list you can browse.
Afterthoughts
That’s it! Just pour in a cup of liquid, a couple handfuls of fruit, a creamy additive, and a little kick. Boom! You are now a smoothie expert and ready to create your own recipes. Do not be discouraged if things do not go right straight away- it happens to the best of us. After a week or two, you’ll be nailing the consistency every time and getting a feel for what your taste buds love.
