How To Build The Perfect Smoothie For You!
Smoothies have tons of benefits: they're nutritious, energizing, delicious...and they're super easy to make. There are endless ingredients that you can add to a smoothie to make it right for you, and any combination you pick will have it's own healthy benefits for your body!
To start, the main categories in a smoothie are:
- Leafy greens
- Fruit
- Liquid
- Add-Ins
Now, the specific ingredients in each category is ultimately up to you and what you prefer. You can always experiment with how much or how little of certain ingredients you want, but the most common ratio is:
- 1 cup of leafy greens
- 1 cup of liquid
- 1 1/2 cup of fruit
- 1 teaspoon or 1 tablespoon of superfood add-ins
1. Greens
First up, pick your leafy green. If eating a salad a day isn't realistic for you, this is the perfect opportunity for you to add some greens into your diet! Plus, you won't be able to taste the greens in the smoothie because of the sweetness from the fruits.
Here are some common greens used in smoothies, just choose whichever you prefer and throw about a cup into your blender:
- kale
- swiss chard
- lettuce
- spinach
- beet greens
- collard greens
2. Fruit
There are dozens of types of fruit and you can pretty much put anything you want in your smoothie without going wrong! Some popular combos are apple, orange and banana or pineapple and mango, but you can really choose whichever fruits you like. If you prefer your smoothie on the creamier side, add avocado which will thicken up your smoothie (don't worry, it won't actually taste like an avocado).
Try any of these common fruits in your smoothie:
- banana
- apple
- orange
- strawberries
- peach
- kiwi
- pear
- mango
- avocado
- pineapple
- pitted dates
- cherries
- blueberries
- raspberries
- grapefruit
3. Liquid
All smoothies need some sort of liquid base so it doesn't end up an acaî bowl (which are also delicious if you're more in the mood to eat it with a spoon).
Again, you can use just about any milk or juice you like!
- oat milk
- almond milk
- coconut milk
- coconut water
- rice milk
- cashew milk
- soy milk
- dairy milk
- water
4. Superfood Add-In
When it comes to superfoods, you can add anything that you want to supplement your diet with. For instance, if you're looking for more protein, add some chia seeds! We like to add about 1 teaspoon or 1 tablespoon of a superfood to sneak those benefits into our diet.
Here are some common superfoods that you may want to add in:
- chia seeds – a natural protein boost
- ground flax seeds – more proteins and a dose of omega-3s
- bee pollen – antioxidant, to strengthen your immune system
- nut butter – for extra nutrition and a dose of healthy fats
- acai berry powder– full of antioxidants
- coconut oil– for more healthy fats and to increase your metabolism
- hemp seeds – for omega-3s, omega-6s, and proteins
- cinnamon – for added flavor and relieve inflammation
- maca powder – to increase your energy levels
- turmeric powder – for an extra dose of antioxidants and to boost your metabolism
And lastly, just blend all your chosen ingredients together for 1-2 minutes and you're done! If it looks a little watery, just add a few ice cubes and it'll thicken up. Let us know in the comments your favorite ways to make a smoothie!
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