As you may know, smoothies are considered a good supplement to a healthy and balanced diet. They are convenient, and they are also delicious. You may drink them for any of those reasons and, in a time of heat, exchanging a meal or two with this fruity drink isn’t a bad idea at all. Smoothies let you maintain the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. What can you get but a good stuff by using your favorite fruits and vegetables, and a high powered blender?
But please don’t run and spend your money on a high quality blender without first giving a thought or two on both the pros and cons of joining this smoothie trend.
On the Pros side: Smoothies are a great way to get fruits and vegetables in the diet for the people who can’t get the habit of eating them. Furthermore, being so easy to make, they provide a great way to expand your nutritional repertoire.
On the Cons side: Having a smoothie doesn’t satisfy your hunger for as long as whole foods do. And nutritional pros are less so if we talk about pre-made smoothies: they usually have high sugar content and low fiber content, which, if over consumed, can lead to health problems.
However, you can boost the smoothie’s satiety and nutrient value if you put the following tips into practice. You’ll prevent unnecessary calories and make it better for your health.
1. Choose whole fruit: You’ll reduce the artificial sugar content and increase fiber if you make smoothies by using whole fruits rather than fruit juice. By the way, frozen fruits (IQF-frozen is best) are a good option to experiment with if you don’t have fresh fruits at hand.
2. Blend in healthy fats: You’ll increase intake of plant-based omega-3 in your body if you blend chia seeds, ground flax, hemp seeds, and similar ones in your smoothie. Other good things to add are peanut butter, almond or avocado.
3. Get creative with flavors: Why getting stuck at one fruit or vegetable? Let yourself be creative with flavors and get fun by using different ingredients in your smoothies.
For people trying to lose weight and eat healthfully, smoothies are usually presented as a wise food option. And they are. Just try to make sure they’re done the right way and let them be part of your routine consumption habits. Then you’ll get all the benefits that healthy smoothies have in store for you.
Leave a Reply