From fitness gurus to bodybuilders and health-conscious soccer moms, it seems like everyone is drinking smoothies these days. And it’s easy to see why. When the right ingredients are used, smoothies are a quick and convenient way to get more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants into your diet.
What benefits do smoothies offer?
1. Packed with Nutrients
Fruit and vegetable smoothies are packed with vital nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy. It’s difficult to get in all of your daily servings of fruits and vegetables between three meals. Smoothies make it easier to reach your daily allowance while providing you with essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. You also get a healthy dose of fiber, potassium and folate.
And adding milk or yogurt to your smoothie will help you meet your daily calcium requirements.
To maximize the nutrients in your smoothie, choose fruits and vegetables of different colors.
2. Quick and Easy to Make
Let’s face it – you lead a busy life. You don’t have time to prepare complicated snacks and meals. Smoothies are an easy way to get the healthy nutrients you need, and they take less than five minutes to make. They’re travel-friendly, too, so you can take your smoothie with you on the go.
3. Better Digestion & Detox
Poor digestion is a major problem for a lot of people today. Nobody likes to deal with indigestion, gas or constipation. Smoothies are easy to digest and loaded with fiber, so you’ll feel more energetic after drinking one. Your digestive system will thank you for giving it a break.
Smoothies are also a great way to detox. Every day we are bombarded by toxins and pollutants that wreak havoc on our bodies. Antioxidants and nutrients in smoothies will help your body detox naturally. And because they’re easy to digest, your body can focus on eliminating toxins – not digestion.
For added detox benefits, add kale and dandelion greens to your smoothie.
4. Boosted Brain Power, Energy and Immune System
The right combination of ingredients can help boost your brainpower, give you a nice burst of energy, and improve your immune system. Berries in particular are great for brainpower, as are nuts (like almonds) and greens.
5. Endless Ingredient Combinations
One of the great things about making smoothies is that you’re only limited by your imagination when it comes to ingredient combinations.
From pineapples to grapes, bananas, apples, almonds, and basil, parsley and everything in between, you can put just about any whole food into your smoothie.
For an added nutrient kick, you can add protein powder or superfood powders, like spirulina or psyllium.
With a variety of different ingredient combinations, you’re far more likely to continue drinking smoothies because you never get bored or tired of the flavor.
6. Put an End to Cravings
We all get cravings for unhealthy foods and sweets from time to time, but smoothies can keep those cravings at bay. Replacing sweets with fruit will satisfy your sweet tooth while providing you with the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals your body needs.
Smoothies can be a healthy part of your daily diet, but it’s important to use high-quality, fresh ingredients every time. The fresher the fruit and vegetables are, the more nutrient-dense your smoothies will be.