FALL IN LOVE WITH SMOOTHIES
NOTICE The information presented is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor a substitute for medical treatment, nor as an alternative to medical advice. This publication is presented for information purposes, to increase the public knowledge of developments in the field of strength and conditioning. The program outlined herein should not be adopted without a consultation with your health professional. Use of the information provided is at the sole choice and risk of the reader. You must get your physician’s approval before beginning this or any other exercise program. Use of the information provided is at the sole choice and risk of the reader. You must get your physician’s approval before beginning this or any other exercise program.
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SMOOTHIE BENEFITS We keep hearing about the benefits of smoothie drinking, but what are they really? Why are smoothies, those liquid meals, so healthy and why should we incorporate them in our daily lives? 1. For starters, if you are not keen on eating fruits or veggies, drinking a smoothie might help you trick your body into eating those “five a day” while actually enjoying the taste! 2. Additionally, if you keep forgetting to drink at least eight glasses of water per day (yes, so many numbers to keep in mind!); you could at least keep your body hydrated by drinking a homemade smoothie. During summer, do not forget to add some ice cubes before blending for some extra water intake. 3. Smoothies are so easy to make! If you do not have much time in the morning, you just throw whatever fruit or vegetable you have at home, mix it with something liquid and blend it! And voilà, your breakfast is ready! Moreover, if you are really tight on time, you can make packs of cut fruit or vegetables and freeze them. Like that, you will always have time for a healthy start of the day.
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4. Smoothies are also cheap! Forget about the ones you buy in a supermarket, you can make yours for a few cents! You can also stop buying (expensive) multivitamins and food supplements, as drinking a glass of smoothie every day will provide you with all the vitamins you need. 5. If you are trying to lose some weight, smoothies, especially the green ones, are a perfect choice! They are low in calories, but fill you up very well. As they contain a lot of water and fiber, they will make you feel as if you just ate the whole meal. Moreover, they will also help you fight cravings and hunger while consuming something healthy. 6. Smoothies boost your metabolism. As they are already blended, they are easy to digest and therefore, your body does not to work that hard to process it. If you are suffering from constipation, drinking a smoothie might be a good idea to get your digestion going!
CAN SMOOTHIE BE UNHEALTHY Incorporating smoothies into your diet not only gives your body all the vitamins, minerals and fiber it needs, but it also helps your digestion, as the foods are blended and therefore easier for your body to process. Additionally, blending a smoothie means that you use the whole fruit or vegetable and can therefore keep all the important nutrients it offers you. Unfortunately, this does not mean that all smoothies deserve to be tagged as “healthy”. Do not believe the marketing hype and keep in mind that just because something is called “a smoothie”, it does not necessarily mean that it is good for you and your body. But what exactly makes a smoothie unhealthy? Why should you be cautious and read the ingredients before buying a smoothie, or even better, stick with homemade smoothies, made under your supervision. For starts, most of the smoothies you can buy in a supermarket are loaded with sugar, fat, calories and other unhealthy ingredients that you just do not want to put in your body! But this does not mean that you cannot make unhealthy mistakes while making a smoothie at home. What are some unhealthy ingredient choices you could make when blending?
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Firstly, do not add any sugar laden fruit juices into your smoothie. They are usually just flavored sugar water and will not do you any good. Why add a store-bought fruit juice to your fruits anyway? Which brings us to our second big no-no – sugar. And the question stays the same: Why add additional sugar to your fruits, loaded with natural sugars, anyway? You should also think before adding store bought milk, which usually comes from mistreated cows, filled with hormones or antibiotics. Rather stick with non-dairy milks, such as oat, almond, coconut, hazelnut... The possibilities are endless. Additionally, at least if you are opting for a healthy smoothie choice, never add other dairy products, such as ice cream, whip cream or fruit yoghurts. Needless to say, they are filled with sugar and additives you do not need. You should also reconsider adding chocolate syrups or non-organic peanut butter to your smoothies. Again, a sugar overdose you will not benefit from. If you drink a smoothie after your workout, you should also keep in mind that you do not want any cheap protein powders in your body, as they are usually full of artificial aromas and other additives. Stick to natural protein powders, such as hemp, peas or soy. Another suggestion that you should also consider is, at which time of the day you should drink your smoothie. The most recommended choice would be in the morning, as drinking a smoothie in the evening could cause gas and/or bloating. Additionally, as fruits are still packed with sugars, they might not be the best thing to eat before going to bed. But even if you decide to drink a smoothie for dinner, this could still not be considered as an unhealthy choice.
SMOOTHIE MAKING BASIC GUIDE Smoothie making is no rocket science and there are so many benefits you get from drinking it, such as improved digestion, hydration, eating more fruits and vegetables, easier weight loss, more energy and many others. However, there are some basic things you need to know before you start blending. First, you should decide what recipe will suit your purpose – are you trying to lose weight or just want to add more greens into your diet? If you do not know which recipe to use, search the Internet where you will find a plethora of different ones that will suit your every need. Secondly, keep in mind that the first thing you add into your blender is the liquid you want to use. Do not forget that you should stick to your recipe and should not add more water than recommended (usually not more than 2 cups per person); otherwise your smoothie will be too watery. Keep in mind that smoothie is not a milkshake and therefore not a sugary dessert but, when done right, actually a meal replacement. The base of a milkshake is dairy, usually ice cream or milk with added flavor. They can be topped with whipped cream and candy. We definitely do not want that in smoothies, so make sure you use a healthy liquid base, which certainly does not include sugary drinks and other liquids filled with sugar. You should rather use filtered water, almond/ coconut/hazelnut/oat milk, organic fruit juiced or kefir.
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You can then add your base, which will make the smoothie creamy. The most basic base is a banana, followed by avocado, peach, apple, chia seed gel or nut butters. Yoghurt, frozen fruit or pears will also do the trick. Now it is time to add the fruits or vegetables your smoothie recipe requires. You can also get creative and add whatever you think goes together and then learn from your mistakes. Opt for fresh fruits or the frozen ones – you can also prepare packs of cut fruits beforehand and freeze them; that way you will also save time. At the end, you can also add some additional foods to your smoothie, such as dates or maple syrup to make it sweeter (even though most smoothie recipes already include enough sweet fruit), a pinch of quality salt that will increase the minerals (such as pink Himalayan salt), spices, quality protein powder, superfoods, such as chia, flax or hemp seeds, goji berries‌ The possibilities are endless! After adding all your ingredients, it is time to start blending! Follow the instructions of your blender and do not worry, after a few times, smoothie making will become second nature for you and you will get it right every time.
THE MOST COMMON SMOOTHIE MISTAKES Everyone says making smoothies is so easy, so what could actually go wrong? However, they are still some things that could go wrong. If your smoothie is too watery, simply add more fruit (the best option would be bananas or frozen fruit), nut butter or oats. If it lacks creaminess, you can add some nut butter, oatmeal, avocado or banana. On the other hand, if your smoothie is too thick, add some non-dairy milk, such as oatmeal, coconut, hazelnut or almond. Remember that this might change its flavor, so always add the liquids in small amounts. In case you accidentally made your green smoothie taste almost too healthy, you should add more milk, such as for example hazelnut, a frozen banana or some maple syrup. Even if your smoothie is too tasteless, you can still save it – add a splash of natural fruit juice for acid taste, Greek yoghurt for tangy taste, or dates or maple syrup for sweetness. You can also add spices or grated ginger to add more flavor. If the smoothie is not blended enough, you might not be adding the ingredients to your blender in the correct order. You should add your liquids first, which will get the blade turning smoothly. Start blending on slow speed and then gradually increasing the speed.
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WHY SMOOTHIE IS PERFECT FOR YOUR BREAKFAST We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But there are still more than 31 million Americans who skip it every single day. Why? Most of them say they are just too busy to make something to eat. But eating (or drinking) your breakfast can be super simple and it can only take you 5 minutes. How? Simple. With smoothies. Let us take a look why a smoothie can be your perfect breakfast choice. Firstly, if you combine the ingredients in the right way, a smoothie can be a powerful nutritional bomb. Make sure you add enough protein and good fat and it will provide you with satiety and enough energy for the next few hours. Great protein and healthy fat sources to include in your recipe are: ∙ coconut oil or milk, ∙ natural yoghurt, cottage cheese, ∙ avocado, ∙ natural nut butters (not store-bought!), ∙ natural protein powders (hemp, peas). Also, make sure you measure all the ingredients. Many people forget about this and throw everything they can find in the blender. Remember, it does not matter that you drink a smoothie – calories are still calories, so make sure they come from the right source. Do not add sugar, pop drinks and processed foods to your mixture – you will ruin your smoothie and fill your body with extra calories it does not need.
If you do not feel full after your smoothie or you are just worried you will get hungry really fast, try this little trick: add some rolled oats to your blender. The result will be a thicker smoothie because starch from oatmeal absorbs some of the liquid and forms a »body«. Satiety guaranteed! Secondly, a morning smoothie is a great way to add liquid to your body. Do you often wake up very tired and not rested at all? Sometimes the reason for this is because your body is dehydrated. Over the night, your body can lose for as much as one liter of sweat and you have to replace it somehow. So make sure you add quality liquid to your smoothie. You can use: ∙ cold water, ∙ freshly squeezed fruit juices, ∙ coconut, almond or soy milk, ∙ nonfat Greek yoghurt or ∙ kefir. Make sure you do not add store-bought juices as they are usually filled with extra sugar and additives you do not need. Moreover, your breakfast smoothie can be a great way to add greens to your daily diet. Adding greens, such as spinach, kale, parsley or cucumbers will add nutritional value to your smoothie and make sure you get your daily dose of minerals and vitamins. Just one warning – if you are new to the smoothie world, make sure you gradually add greens to the smoothie. Kale, for example, can be bitter and adding it too much too quick will ruin your flavor. So make sure you take one step at a time. If you still believe you do not have enough time to make your morning smoothie, give it a try. You will see that it is super easy. All you need is a good blender, the right and quality ingredients and a few minutes of your morning time.
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DELICIOUS, EASY-TO-MAKE SMOOTHIES 1. Meal Replacement Smoothies The most important thing to remember when blending a meal replacement smoothie is to include proteins and healthy fats. This combination will guarantee satiety and give you enough energy until your next meal.
Yummy Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 1 ripe banana ∙ 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter ∙ ¼ cup rolled oats ∙ 10 oz. skim or soy milk ∙ 1 teaspoon honey (topping) Directions: Mix everything in a blender for at least a minute until smooth. Top with honey for a sweet garnish. Serve immediately!
Afternoon Kale Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 2 cups coconut milk, unsweetened ∙ 2 cups frozen berries ∙ 1 cup fresh kale leaves ∙ 1 ripe banana ∙ 4 tablespoons chia seeds + 2 tablespoons coconut oil Directions: First remove kale leaves from their center stalk. Put the leaves and coconut milk into your blender and blend until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend once again until smooth. Serve immediately.
Pear Banana Kale Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 1 cup fresh spinach leaves ∙ 1 cup chopped kale leaves ∙ ½ pear ∙ 1 fresh banana ∙ 1 ½ cups cold soy milk ∙ ½ cup rolled oats ∙ 1 tablespoon honey Directions: First remove kale leaves from their center stalk. Put them into your blender with spinach leaves and soy milk. Blend for a few minutes until smooth. Add pear, banana, honey and rolled oats. Blend once again until smooth.
Berry Bomb Ingredients: ∙ 1 ½ cup frozen blueberries ∙ ½ cup frozen raspberries ∙ ½ cup frozen strawberries ∙ 1 tablespoon honey ∙ 2 tablespoon natural almond butter ∙ 1 tablespoon chia seeds ∙ 1 cup natural almond milk Directions: Put everything into your blender and mix for few minutes until smooth. Sprinkle with some rolled oats and serve.
Healthy Snack Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ ¾ cup Greek yoghurt ∙ 1 cup fresh baby spinach ∙ ¼ cup water ∙ ½ avocado (pitted) ∙ 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice ∙ 1 teaspoon honey ∙ 1 tablespoon hemp protein Directions: Put everything into your blender and mix for a few minutes until smooth. If it is too thick, add some more water.
DELICIOUS, EASY-TO-MAKE SMOOTHIES 2. Protein smoothies Even if you are not a bodybuilder, your body needs protein and you will benefit from these delicious protein smoothies! Your body requires protein for healthy skin and hair and for muscle growth after an intense training.
Whey Protein Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt ∙ 1 cup cold natural almond milk ∙ ½ cup ice ∙ 1 whole banana ∙ 2 tablespoons protein powder (whey, hemp, peas) Directions: Mix everything in a blender for at least one minute until smooth. Enjoy immediately.
Morning Protein Bomb Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced ∙ 1 pear, pitted ∙ ½ avocado, pitted ∙ 1 cup frozen blueberries ∙ 1 tablespoon rolled oats ∙ ½ teaspoon flax seeds ∙ 3 ounces Greek yoghurt (nonfat) ∙ 2 cups cold water Directions: Mix everything in a blender for at least one minute until smooth. Enjoy immediately.
Tofu Protein Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ ½ cup soft tofu ∙ ¼ avocado, pitted ∙ 1 cup cold soy or almond milk (vanilla) ∙ 1 fresh banana ∙ 1 tablespoon peanut butter Directions: Mix everything in a blender for at least one minute until smooth. Enjoy immediately.
Banana Apple Protein Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 6 raw almonds, chopped ∙ 1 apple, chopped and pitted ∙ 1 fresh banana ∙ ½ cup Greek yoghurt (nonfat) ∙ ¼ cup cold milk (nonfat) ∙ ¼ cup cold water ∙ 1 teaspoon honey Directions: If your blender is not powerful enough, make sure to chop almonds and apple into small pieces before you start blending. Then put all the ingredients into the blender and mix everything until smooth. Enjoy immediately.
Protein Fit Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 3 ounces nonfat Greek yoghurt ∙ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ∙ ¼ cup frozen raspberries ∙ ¼ cup frozen blackberries ∙ 2 tablespoons almond butter ∙ ¼ cup frozen pineapple ∙ ½ cup fresh kale ∙ ½ cup water Directions: First remove kale leaves from their center stalk. Put them into your blender and add water. Blend for a few minutes until smooth. Add all the other ingredients. Blend once again until smooth.
DELICIOUS, EASY-TO-MAKE SMOOTHIES 3. Green Smoothie Recipes If you are not a fan of vegetables or if you know you do not consume enough veggies during the day, the best way to solve this problem is to get familiar with green smoothies. They are easy to make and will only take a few minutes of your time.
Cherry Green Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 1 cup fresh of frozen cherries (pitted) ∙ 1 cup natural almond milk (unsweetened) ∙ 1 tbsp. natural almond butter ∙ 1 tsp. flax seeds ∙ 1 tbsp. rolled oats ∙ 4 fresh kale leaves ∙ 1 tsp. vanilla extract Directions: First remove kale leaves from their center stalk. Put them into your blender and add almond milk. Blend for a few minutes until smooth. Add all the other ingredients. Blend once again for at least a minute until smooth.
Green Parsley Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped) ∙ 2 fresh or frozen mangos (pitted and sliced) ∙ ½ fresh cucumber ∙ 1 cup unsweetened coconut water ∙ 1 tbsp. lime juice (freshly squeezed) ∙ 1 tbsp. coconut flakes Directions: Put all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Sprinkle with some extra coconut flakes.
Green Ginger Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 1 handful fresh spinach (chopped) ∙ 1 inch fresh ginger (chopped) ∙ 1 ¼ cup fresh or frozen peaches ∙ ½ cup fresh or frozen cherries (pitted) ∙ ½ cup cold water ∙ 1 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed) Directions: Put all the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.
Morning Green Breakfast Ingredients: ∙ 1 cup fresh spinach ∙ ½ cup chopped kale (stems removed) ∙ ½ cup fresh cucumber (diced) ∙ fistful fresh parsley (chopped) ∙ ½ avocado (pitted) ∙ 1 pear (cored) ∙ 1 tbsp. fresh orange juice ∙ 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice Directions: Put all the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.
DELICIOUS, EASY-TO-MAKE SMOOTHIES 4. Non-dairy Smoothies Some people do not like milk or other dairy products, and the others simply cannot stand them (the reason being different allergies or lactose intolerance). More and more scientists point out that frequent consumption of milk and dairy products is not very healthy. The following smoothie recipes do not include milk and dairy products, however, they are still very yummy!
Delicious Pear Morning Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 1 ripe banana ∙ ½ pear (pitted) ∙ ½ cup spinach ∙ ½ cup cold water ∙ ½ cup almond milk (unsweetened) ∙ 1 tbsp. chia seeds ∙ 1 tbsp. flaxseed (ground) ∙ ½ tbsp. hemp seeds Directions: Put all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
Refresh-Me Morning Mango Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ ½ cup almond milk ∙ ½ tbsp. natural almond butter ∙ ½ cup cold water ∙ 1 ripe banana ∙ ½ cup mango (fresh or frozen, diced) ∙ ½ lime, freshly squeezed ∙ 1 tbsp. hemp seeds ∙ ½ tsp. chilli powder Directions: First squeeze ½ lime to make fresh lime juice. Put it into the blender and then add all the other ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Antioxidant Blueberry Green Tea Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 1 ½ cup green tea (chilled) ∙ 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) ∙ 1 ripe banana ∙ 1 tbsp. hemp protein powder ∙ ½ tbsp. hemp seeds ∙ 1 tbsp. chia seeds Directions: Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Energizing Coffee Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ ¼ cup coffee (cooled) ∙ ¼ cup ice cubes or cold water ∙ 1 cup natural coconut or almond milk (unsweetened) ∙ 1 ripe banana ∙ ¼ cup cashews (soaked for at least six hours) ∙ 1 tbsp. cacao nibs ∙ 1 tsp. cacao powder (as a topping) Directions: Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Top with cacao powder and enjoy.
Best Berry Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ ½ cup natural fresh cranberry juice ∙ ½ cup coconut or rice milk (unsweetened) ∙ 1 ripe banana ∙ ¼ cup strawberries (fresh or frozen) ∙ ¼ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) ∙ ¼ cup cranberries (fresh, dried or frozen) ∙ ¼ cup raspberries (fresh or frozen) ∙ 2 tbsp. natural almond butter ∙ ½ tbsp. honey (as a sweetener, if needed) Directions: Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Add some honey if the smoothie is not sweet enough.
DELICIOUS, EASY-TO-MAKE SMOOTHIES 5. Detox Smoothies Our body suffers from stressful situations and toxins from the environment on a daily basis, which is why regular detoxification of the body is the best way to get rid of excess toxins and restore our energy, radiance and well-being.
Avocado Antioxidant Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 1 avocado (pitted) ∙ ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries ∙ ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries ∙ ½ cup water ∙ ¼ cup fresh orange juice Directions: Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Berry Mix Antioxidant Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) ∙ ½ cup strawberries (fresh or frozen) ∙ ½ cup Greek yoghurt ∙ ¼ cup cold water ∙ 1 tbsp. natural almond butter Directions: Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Orange Sun Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ 1 ripe banana ∙ ½ inch fresh ginger ∙ ½ cup mango (fresh or frozen, sliced) ∙ ½ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed) ∙ ¼ cup water ∙ ½ tsp. chilli powder ∙ few ice cubes (optional) Directions: First peel and mince ginger. Put it into the blender and then add all the other ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Kale Detox Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ ½ avocado (pitted) ∙ ¼ fresh cucumber (sliced) ∙ 1 cup fresh or frozen kale ∙ 1 ripe banana ∙ ½ cup cold water ∙ ½ lemon ∙ ½ inch fresh ginger ∙ 1 tbsp. hemp protein powder ∙ 1 tsp. cacao powder (as a topping) Directions: First remove kale leaves from their center stalk. Squeeze lemon to make fresh lemon juice. Peel and mince ginger and put it into the blender. Add all the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Top with cacao powder..
Amazing Mango Mint Smoothie Ingredients: ∙ ½ cup almond milk (unsweetened) ∙ ¼ cup coconut milk (unsweetened) ∙ ½ cup non-fat Greek yoghurt ∙ 2 tbsp. natural almond butter ∙ 2 mangoes (fresh or frozen, pitted) ∙ ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) ∙ 2 tbsp. fresh mint leaves Directions: Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.