In this post, I will be telling you more about how to make the best nutritional smoothie to boost overall health. Whether you are looking to incorporate smoothies into your diet for weight loss or following a healthier lifestyle, there are certain things to avoid if you want to make a nutritious smoothie that ticks all the boxes.
When a smoothie is blended correctly, it can provide you with the right nutrients and boost your overall health. But beware, even if you use the healthiest smoothie ingredients, when used together they can end up having the opposite effect. Everything you eat or drink contains calories and the idea is not to exceed the daily recommended calories to boost weight loss.
What to Avoid When making Smoothies
Sipping on a Smoothie With Breakfast
If your smoothie contains Greek yogurt, protein powder, nut butters, and so forth, it may already have enough calories to replace a meal instead of accompanying it.
Adding Too Much Fruit
Even though fruit is a healthy choice to add to a smoothie, it’s important to use it in moderation. The general rule of thumb is to use one cup of fruit in a smoothie.
Adding Too Much Sweeteners
Whether you’re adding coconut sugar, maple syrup, agave, or honey, it’s important to keep tabs on the amount of sugar you’re adding. Too much sweeteners is where people often go wrong. Keep in mind flavored yogurts or plant-based milks also contain sugar. Since fruit is sweet, it’s best to only add a touch of added sugar or none if possible.
Adding Too Many Enhancers
Chia seeds, protein powders, and nut butters are excellent additions to a smoothie, but must be used in moderation as well. Just one tablespoon of almond or peanut butter contains about 100 calories, whereas flax, hemp, or chia seeds quickly reaches the 100-calorie mark in just a couple of teaspoons. If you don’t keep an eye on what you’re adding, the calories can quickly add up.
How To Make The Best Nutritional Smoothie
Even though calorie requirements vary depending on weight, hormones, age, activity levels, and more, most of us need less than 200 calories and a breakfast with 300 to 450 calories would meet most people’s needs.
This is how you can make the best nutritious smoothie without adding too much calories.
Fruit
Add one cup of frozen or fresh fruit. Some excellent fruit bases include bananas, strawberries, peaches, blueberries, pineapple, cherries, and mangoes.
Vegetables
Kale or spinach are excellent veggies to add more antioxidants to your smoothie, if you don’t mind the green color.
Protein
You can add half to one cup of Greek yogurt that contains about 24g of protein. You could also use silken tofu, cottage cheese, or legumes like chickpeas. Protein powder is also an option however check the label for artificial or added sweeteners.
Also look for the protein source, particularly if you have dietary restrictions (like avoiding soy or dairy). Popular selections are pea protein or whey protein, but you can also use peanut protein, soy protein, almond protein, hemp protein, egg with white protein, brown rice protein, and more. If you’re using a protein powder, the simpler the ingredient list, the healthier they are.
Liquid
You can add non-dairy milk, regular milk, coffee, juice, coconut water, or tea. If you need to add extra protein, go for pea protein milk or milk which contain eight to ten grams a cup. If you have enough protein, you can opt for almond milk or coconut water. A bit of juice is an excellent way of adding sweetness, but moderation is key.
Flavor Boosters
For adding flavor, you can use a few sprinkles of cinnamon, cocoa powder, unsweetened matcha powder, ginger, or turmeric. They add more depth to your smoothie and contain other health benefits.
Plant-based fat
Seeds like ground flax, chia, and hemp, nut butters, and avocados are excellent additions to smoothies to provide omega-3 fatty acids or monounsaturated fats which are good for the heart. Just remember, they are high in calories, therefore only add a tablespoon of nut butter or seeds or a quarter avocado.
Ice
Adding a handful of ice cubes to the blender can add volume and make your smoothie last longer. The more time you take to drink your smoothie, the more satisfying and enjoyable it is.
Grains
Some like to add oats or other fiber-rich grains due to the health benefits and volume they bring to the table.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. This is how to make the best nutritional smoothie for boosting overall health, and to avoid exceeding the recommended calorie intake.
Are you currently including smoothies into your diet. Be sure to share your recipes with me.
Sending you lots of nutrition vibes, love, and healthy inspiration.
Anthea