Golden Rules of Smoothie Making
Golden Rules of Smoothie Making
1. Easy on the fruit!
This sounds odd, given that you are making a smoothie! Fruit is healthy and rich in antioxidants (which support your immune system) but it also contains natural sugars and it’s easy to overdo it. Try and stick to 1.5 cups of fruit per person, max.
2. Pair higher sugar fruit with low-sugar fruit
If you were to make a banana, pineapple and mango smoothie you would have a big hit of natural sugars – those are some of the sweetest fruits right there! If you choose one of these, then mix it with peach or berries instead which are lower sugar. Note that ripeness also determines sweetness (the riper the fruit, the more sugar there is) so be careful not to use over-ripe fruit like brown bananas.
3. Add some extra fibre
A great way to steady sugar release (which means better long-lasting energy) is to add extra fibre to your smoothie. You could add ground flax seed, chia seeds, a tablespoon of oats, a big handful of greens like spinach or even some cucumber. Get creative!
4. Add some protein
Another brilliant ingredient for prolonging energy. If you opt for a protein powder, check the portion size as you only need about 10g (as a reference point, one egg has 6g.) If you pick whey protein, always go for grass-fed whey. If you pick a plant-based protein, make sure you avoid soy and preferably choose sprouted plant-based proteins which are better absorbed. However you don’t have to use a powder, try adding a teaspoon of almond butter and/or hemp seeds instead.
5. Choose a good mixer
Using fruit juice as a mixer will make the sugar content skyrocket! (The problem with lots of sugar is that although it tastes nice, it can make you feel tired and irritable afterwards.) If you use a milk, go for organic cows milk or a plant-based option (like almond milk) and always choose unsweetened. If you don’t like milk, then try just using water.
6. Not sweet enough?
It’s important to enjoy what you make and it can take a while for your taste buds to adjust to using less fruit or juice. If you need to, gradually reduce these things so that the difference isn’t so noticeable straight away. If you do use a protein powder, many options are sweetened with stevia, which will help to keep your smoothie tasting sweet, without increasing the actual sugar. If you make the green or berry smoothie, you may want to add a dash of honey, but see what it’s like without first!
7. Consider adding collagen
We are big fans of collagen as it’s so helpful for skin, hair, nails, bone density, joint health and gut health. You’ll need a hydrolysate that dissolves well. Our favourite is the unflavoured Great Lakes collagen peptides from Miles, which is really good quality and dissolves well. Note that after a while, collagen can thicken your smoothie so if you don’t want it to turn solid (like jello!) then drink it soon after making it.
Try these recipes
(but get creative and try your own combinations!)
Green Goodness
1 cup frozen banana
½ cup frozen peach
1 handful spinach (or more!)
1 tsp almond butter or 1 scoop protein powder
Milk of your choice
Dash of honey if need be
Blue Bananas
¾ cup frozen banana
¾ cup frozen peach
1 small scoop vanilla protein (we love Garden of Life organic sport)
1 tsp hemp seeds
1 stick Blue Majik spirulina
Milk of your choice
Blueberry Bonanza
1 cup frozen banana
½ cup frozen blueberries
1 tsp almond butter
1 tsp hemp seeds
Milk of your choice
Dash of honey if need be
TIPS
These are great as breakfast or a snack for the whole family. However, we would serve with a little extra protein – e.g. a small handful of nuts or scrambled eggs!
This is a Nutrifit approved recipe by our in house Nutritionist, Catherine Burns (BA Hons, Dip ION, mBNTA). For more information on nutrition services such as nutritional consultations with Catherine or our Nutrifit Program please visit our wellness website: Waterfront Wellness.