BEST Healthy Smoothie Recipes - I Heart Naptime (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest thing to put in a smoothie? ›

A healthy smoothie should include some protein and fiber to help keep you full and provide antioxidants, vitamins and minerals—typically from fruits and vegetables.

This can be milk, or a dairy-free alternative such as soya or almond milk, natural or flavoured yogurt, fruit juice, or for a tropical flavoured smoothie, low-fat coconut milk or coconut water. It's important to add the liquid to your blender before adding the fruit, as this will prevent the blade from getting damaged.

So focus on those nutrient-dense ingredients that not only help fuel your body but also offer other benefits to support weight loss: Berries, bananas, unsweetened nut butters, avocados, and greens like spinach and kale.

Be it maple syrup, honey, agave, coconut sugar, or any other form of added sugar, too much sweetener is where many smoothies go astray. Other added sugars may come in the form of plant-based milks (sometimes even in original varieties) and flavored yogurts.

For those who want to consume smoothies with bananas, or other high PPO activity fruits and vegetables such as beet greens, the suggestion is to not combine them with flavanol-rich fruits such as berries, grapes and cocoa.

For a smoothie that delivers fiber, healthy fats, and flavor while keeping the calories and added sugars to a minimum, try our avocado-berry smoothie. The chia seeds and three types of berries (blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries) provide fiber, while the avocado provides a dose of healthy fats.

To keep calories in check and to create a more filling smoothie, Smith recommends packing one's smoothie with vegetables and including a protein source such as protein powder, nut butter or Greek yogurt. "Smoothies can absolutely aid with weight loss when a satiating, calorie-controlled recipe is prepared," she says.

Flaxseed, Chia, or Nut Butter

Adding some healthy fat will not only help your body absorb fat soluble vitamins, it also contributes to feelings of fullness. Ground flaxseed, chia, and peanut butter or almond butter are all great choices.

No ice: If you don't have ice, you can use frozen fruit, oats, chia seeds, yogurt, or nuts and nut butter to thicken your smoothie. No frozen fruit: Add a scoop of raw oats or chia seeds into the blender instead. No yogurt: You can swap yogurt with nut butter to thicken a smoothie.

Do you put ice in smoothies? ›

Typically you would add ice to a smoothie, but if your fruit is pre-frozen, it is unnecessary to use ice. Adding fruit juice is a good option, but remember to be aware of the sugar content of any fruit juice you are adding to your smoothie. 3.

If you're looking to cut calories and sugar from your diet, water is the perfect choice for liquid for smoothies. Not only is it calorie-free and sugar-free, but it's also money-free! Water is the ideal choice if you're trying to lose weight, as drinking water helps you burn calories and stay hydrated.

Apples take the prize for the number one fruit for weight loss for many reasons. A large apple has 5 grams of fiber, which is a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber. Both types are needed for health, but soluble fiber helps regulate your appetite by delaying gastric emptying, which keeps you fuller for longer.

For example, you can use ripe fruits that are naturally sweet, such as bananas, mangoes, or berries, to sweeten your smoothie. Additionally, options like stevia, a calorie-free natural sweetener extracted from the stevia plant, offer a zero-calorie way to add sweetness to your smoothie.

While they provide several health benefits, drinking too many smoothies can negatively affect your health. They can add a lot of unforeseen calories, especially when a smoothie is simply a beverage with a meal.

Adding vegetables is a great way to get in more vitamins and minerals. They're loaded with fibre and a variety of nutrients for all sorts of health benefits. Vegetables like kale, spinach, beets, and carrots are commonly used in smoothies. For extra hydration, cucumbers or celery work wonders.