July 2024
TOP HEALTH BENEFITS OF SMOOTHIES
With a myriad of colorful and healthful ingredients, these frosty beverages are a great way to improve your health, sip by sip.
Reduce Inflammation. One of the best ways to reduce chronic inflammation is to increase your intake of vegetables and fruits. One smoothie can pack in multiple servings of vegetables and a maximum of 2 servings of fruit.
Improve immunity. Smoothies are a good way to include leafy greens in your diet. These greens are much higher in vitamin C than other vegetables and vitamin C is known to support immune function, fight infections, and help maintain healthy cellular function.
Build Strong Bones. Vitamins D3 and K2 are key for building bones. Fortified dairy products, dairy substitutes and cold-water fish can help you get some extra vitamin D, and adding natto to your smoothie will increase your intake if Vitamin K2. Leafy greens contain vitamin K1, which can also help your bones. If you are on a prescription blood thinner, check with your doctor before increasing your intake of dark leafy greens.
Aid digestion. Although health experts recommend 25-38 grams of fiber per day, the average American is only taking in about 10-16 grams per day. Poor fiber intake is linked not only to poor digestion but also to chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Because smoothies are loaded with vegetables, they also tend to be loaded with fiber and can help meet these recommendations.
Increase satiety. If you find yourself snacking because you never feel full, the fiber in vegetable-based smoothies can leave you sated until the next meal and curb your urge to snack on empty calorie foods.
Improve brain function. The nutrients in several foods often used in smoothies, particularly berries, leafy greens, and walnuts, are said to improve memory, concentration, and overall brain health. Eating these brain-healthy foods on a regular basis also help reduce the risk of many types of cognitive decline and dementia.
Maintain hydration. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day can seem daunting, but with smoothies you’re already part of the way there. You can get some of your water intake from food, and this includes smoothies because fruits and vegetables are rich in water.
Smoothie Dos and Don’ts
With the right blend of ingredients, a smoothie can be a nutritional powerhouse full of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and protein. But a few misguided add-ins can leave you with a high-calorie, sugar-laden dessert that is anything but the healthy drink you had envisioned.
- Don’t throw everything into the blender. It’s easy to treat a smoothie as a free-for-all, tossing in handfuls and drizzles of various ingredients, but this carefree method is an easy way to add calories, sugar, and fat to your drink with surprisingly unhealthy results. Measuring ingredients will help keep the nutrition stats in check while also ensuring a good solid-to-liquid ratio.
- Don’t reach straight for the kale. We’re all about adding greens to smoothies, but don’t dive into kale right away. It’s a bitter green, and if you start there, you may be tempted to add in too much sugar to compensate. Start with spinach instead. It’s easy to mask the flavor of spinach, making it the perfect choice for green-smoothie starters. Once you’ve acquired a taste for greens, then begin branching out to more assertive kale or parsley.
- Don’t drink a second serving. If you’re using a smoothie as a meal replacement, it’s natural to think you’ll need a larger portion, but even if you’re only adding more fruit, the calories and sugar can quickly creep up. Do add fiber-rich ingredients. To keep you feeling full long after your smoothie, try adding ingredients with staying power, such as avocado or oats. Both are good sources of fiber.
- Don’t resort to sweet. If you’re looking to add more flavor to your smoothie, don’t immediately turn to sweeteners. Branch out. Herbs, spices, and extracts can make a world of difference. Fresh grated ginger adds a warming touch, while Siracha brings a little heat.
- Don’t pour in protein powder. Protein powders are often filled with highly processed ingredients that are not necessarily healthy, so read the label to be sure you know what you’re buying. Try nut butters, flax seeds, or tofu. Use natural sources of protein to help sustain your energy throughout the day. A tablespoon of natural peanut butter or a tablespoon of ground flax seeds are healthy ways to add protein to a smoothie. Silken tofu is another great option and easily blends with other ingredients. If you want to use a protein powder, opt for pea and rice protein or something other high protein vegetable combination.
- Don’t double the batch. If you want more servings, don’t double up on the ingredients. You may overfill the blender and have trouble getting a smooth consistency. Instead, work in batches. Ingredients need adequate space to blend, ensuring smooth results in the blender. If you want less, don’t downsize the recipe; you may not have enough ingredients in the blender for it to properly process. Instead, follow the recipe and freeze the leftovers.
Cooking Light Magazine