Smoothies are a quick and easy way to prepare a healthy breakfast or post-workout snack that you can enjoy at home or on the go. However, making a balanced smoothie recipe is not as straightforward as it may seem.
Here are some essential tips to make your next smoothie more nutritious by balancing healthy fats, proteins, and fibre-rich carbohydrates.
In this article, I will show you how to make a nutritious balanced smoothie that will energize you, stabilize your blood sugars, keep you full, and taste delicious.
Moreover, we'll see how using certain ingredients over others or adding superfoods to your smoothie can increase your intake of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements and boost your overall well-being.
Making a balanced smoothie is just like making a healthy meal.
So, when your smoothie is prepared with the right combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins and provides a source of essential vitamins and minerals, it can really be considered a healthy snack or a meal replacement.
To Smoothie, Or Not To Smoothie?
One of the most common questions I get asked is: "Are smoothies actually good for us or if they're just full of sugar?". Another question that comes up is whether it's better to eat or drink our food. These are all great questions! Smoothies can be a great way to get in some extra fruits and veggies and to use up any leftover ingredients. However, the confusion around smoothies comes from how we make them. For instance, if you make a smoothie that's all fruit and fruit juice, then you're not balancing it with any fat or protein. This is a common mistake that I see. But don't worry, by following my 5-step formula, you can avoid making these mistakes in the future.
Whether you wish to eat or drink your food is up to you...Nutrition is never one size fits all.
Smoothies For Weight Management:
I have noticed that my clients who are trying to manage their weight tend to have better outcomes when they eat their food rather than drinking it in the form of a smoothie. This is because smoothies don't provide the same level of satiety as whole fruits or vegetables. Additionally, liquid meals are digested more quickly than solid foods, which can make you feel hungry again sooner. Chewing is an important part of the digestion process, and drinking a smoothie skips this step. People who eat their food are usually more satisfied. If we make whole fruits and vegetables the basis of our meals, we naturally reduce the portion sizes of other food groups. However, if we blend and drink all of our fruits and vegetables, we are likely to overeat other foods.
Smoothies For Weight Gain
However on the flip side, if you are struggling to eat a variety of fruit and veg, have a poor appetite or would like to gain weight, smoothies are a fantastic way of sneaking in some extra nutrients.
So, Let's Get Started - How To Make A Balanced Smoothie
To make a nutrient-dense but delicious smoothie, there’s 𝟓 🖐 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.
1️⃣ Liquid Base: I like using regular milk (full fat or skimmed) because milk contains protein on top of a whole range of other nutrients (calcium, iodine, etc).
You could also use a plant-based milk. If doing so, try to choose a fortified version. Soya milk would be a good option as it also contains protein, whereas common other plant-based milk, e.g. almond, hazelnut, oat etc, are very low in protein.
You could also use a serving of fruit juice (one serving is 150mls) - if doing so, choose a no-added-sugar version.
Don't forget a handful of ice cubes!
2️⃣ Veggies: Smoothies are a great way to sneak in some extra vegetables like leafy greens, spinach, cauliflower, etc. These are a great source of fibre but also include many antioxidants, phytonutrients, and minerals.
3️⃣ Fruit: Fruit adds flavour and texture. Choose 1-2 portions of fruit, e.g. a small banana and a handful of berries. A common mistake people make is going overboard on the fruit. Remember, we want to keep the smoothie balanced and leave room for protein and fats, too.
Frozen fruit is just as nutritious as fresh stuff and can be a very handy go-to option.
Always leave the skin on the fruit where you can so you do not get rid of the magical fibre.
4️⃣ Protein : Protein helps keep us feeling fuller for longer, and it can also help balance blood sugar, so it's a key component of any smoothie. If you have used regular cow's milk or soya milk as your liquid base, you may already have managed to get in your protein source. If not, or if you would like to add in even more protein, you could add in some Greek yoghurt, a spoon of nut butter or some protein powder.
5️⃣ Healthy Fats: Healthy fats are so important for not only our brain health but also for hormone health. Fats are also very satiating, so including them in your smoothie means you won't find yourself hungry again a short while later. In a smoothie, some healthy fats that work well include nut butter, e.g. peanut butter or almond butter, seeds like pumpkin seeds or flax and even a small amount of avocado for a thicker texture.
And Vóila you have a healthy smoothie!!
Common Smoothie Mistakes To Watch Out For:
- Using mainly fruit and fruit juices (if this is your only ingredient, it can be a concentrated source of fruit sugars)- here you have no protein or fat source, which are needed to help keep us feeling full. Therefore, don't be surprised if you find yourself feeling hungry again pretty quickly. Lots of fruit and fruit juice in one sitting can also raise your blood sugars quite quickly - the fat and protein are needed to balance this. Some people can also experience some tummy upset if they have a lot of fruit in one go due to the fructose. If you think about it...not many people would sit down and eat five portions of fruit all at once.
- Not having enough fibre - leave the skin on the fruit and use the full vegetable! If you juice something, you remove all of the valuable fibre. Fibre helps to balance blood sugars and keep us feeling full- don't skip it! The fibre also adds bulk to our stool, preventing conditions such as constipation.
Connect with Maria Lucey, RD!
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. If you try it, let me know what you think by leaving a rating and a review in the comments below. Oh, and be sure to take a photo and tag me on @marialuceyrd_dietitian so I can see!
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Other Recipes You May Also Enjoy:
- 💫The Original Baileys Cheesecake Recipe – Irish Cream No-Bake Cheesecake
- 💫Almond Butter Energy Balls Recipe
More about the author:
Hi there! My name is Maria, and I am a Registered Dietitian practising in Ireland and Bermuda. I have extensive experience in helping clients improve their health through the power of good nutrition. I hope you enjoyed this recipe. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Additionally, if there are nutrition topics or recipes you would like me to make in future posts, please let me know. I would be more than happy to help.
Stay happy and healthy 💚
Your Registered Dietitian
Maria xox
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