SMOOTHIE TIPS
How to Make a
Perfect Smoothie By Janet Sanders
W
ho doesn’t like a delicious smoothie? The trick to making smoothies for blood-sugar health is combining a blend of low-sugar ingredients that will provide lots of nutrients, and not cause major blood-sugar and insulin spikes. The key ingredients for a delicious and healthy smoothie are: liquid + protein + fiber + low glycemic fruits and/or vegetables + thickener (optional: sweetener of choice). Then, you can add other extras for different tastes, health benefits, and textures. There is no right or wrong way to make a smoothie, with one caveat: avoid ingredients high in sugar and/or fructose. We all like different things and have different tastes. So, below are some ideas (and 2 recipes) to get you started.
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• If you like your smoothie thinner, use more liquid. • If you like a thicker smoothie, use less liquid and/or add more thickener of choice. • If you are using ice or other frozen foods as a thickener, make sure you have a blender with enough power to crush the ice/food so that the ice/food doesn’t remain in chunks and you get a nice smooth texture. • For a sweeter taste, add a small amount of sweetener of choice. • if you want to fight cravings and are concerned about blood-sugar control, stick with low glycemic fruits such as berries, and go VERY easy on the bananas. (Use only occasionally, and when added, use a small piece that is not overly ripe.) • Always try to include some protein or fiber. • Try adding a small amount of avocado for extra creaminess, additional fiber, and healthy monounsaturated fat. • ACAI should be unsweetened and frozen (or, if frozen is unavailable use ACAI powder). My smoothie E-book is coming soon! In the meantime here are two smoothies to get you started. Feel free to swap out ingredients from the ideas in the picture below.
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