Everyone knows that fruit and vegetables are good for us. The problem is that they’re not as nice or as convenient as a cookie or a bar of chocolate. Or so we tend to think. Smoothies are a great way to have a delicious treat made from quality, nutritious ingredients. Even better, you can whip one up in a few seconds. Not only is it good for you, but it’s a great way t o encourage kids to get into healthy living.
Smoothies are great at any time of day. A smoothie is a top breakfast to start the day, a refreshing midday snack or an evening pick-me-up. The choice of ingredients is huge, and you can customize your smoothies for your needs. A smoothie with fruits that are high in antioxidants is great for your skin. Others are great energy drinks. Some are just pure pleasure for the palate, with healthy living a bonus extra.
It’s easy to get hooked on smoothies, because they score all round: on taste, nutrition and ease of preparation. The most effort is going to be peeling the fruit. If you’re going to make a lot of them, there’s one good tip to remember. Don’t go overboard on the acidic fruits, which can damage tooth enamel. Mix it up. With all the different and fabulously tempting recipes available that won’t be hard to do.
Lots of us still miss out on breakfast, even though we know it’s the most important meal of the day. Often that’s because we don’t have time in the morning, but you can freeze smoothies and then thaw them out overnight so they’re ready in the morning. Try a multi-fruit smoothie; you can even throw in some muesli for extra energy. Blitz a couple of fresh peaches with some frozen raspberries, a banana and some yogurt for a fresh, vitamin-packed morning treat.
For another healthy living boost, have a blueberry smoothie instead of a blueberry muffin. Blitz together 2 cups of frozen blueberries with a banana. Then add an extender of your choice. It could be natural yogurt, milk or for a fruitier taste, try fresh apple juice. If you like it a bit sweeter, a little bit of honey will do the trick. Blueberries are an antioxidant-rich fruit, so this smoothie is good for your skin, general nutrition and cognitive function.
A lot of smoothies contain bananas, but if you don’t like bananas you can substitute avocado, a cholesterol booster that’s also good for low blood pressure. For a smoothie with a difference try blitzing a large pear and a cup of grapes together with half an avocado. It’s an exotic taste that’s not as sweet as some smoothies can be.
A smoothie is quite simply healthy living in a glass and you can literally whip it up in seconds. If you haven’t had a go, now is the time to start. Get creative and boost your health and energy levels today.