Smoothies are often considered synonymous with health food, but that isn’t always the case. Despite the healthy fruits and dairy ingredients they may have, many smoothies are packed with extra sugar or made with high-calorie, high-fat bases such as ice cream and heavy cream. A truly healthy smoothie has fresh, pure ingredients with a strong nutritional profile.
Nutrition
Generally, the foods that have the best nutritional value are those that are fresh and whole, with minimal processing and a maximum amount of vitamins and minerals. Often, such foods are also naturally low in calories and fat. Fresh fruits make a nutritious base for smoothies because they offer a wide variety of vitamins and minerals and have a strong natural flavor. The United States Department of Agriculture also recommends low-fat and nonfat dairy products as smoothie bases, such as milk, soy milk or yogurt.
Ingredients
A healthy smoothie starts with fresh, nutritious ingredients. "Cooking Light" magazine suggests beginning with a base of low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, 100 percent fruit juice or even sparkling water. A slightly more decadent alternative is nonfat or low-fat frozen yogurt, as the Mayo Clinic suggests. Each of those bases is low in calories and sugar and able to adapt well to other flavors and additions. Add fresh or frozen fruit, vegetables, cocoa powder or tofu to smoothies to define them further. If adding more calories isn’t an issue, try further healthy add-ons such as the Mayo Clinic’s recommendations of wheat germ and protein powder.
Green Smoothies
Green smoothies incorporate green vegetables as ingredients in addition to or instead of fruits. Care2.com suggests slowly increasing the amount of greens or vegetables in smoothies over time to acclimate taste buds to the new flavors, as smoothies with a high vegetable content can taste bitter. Creamy ingredients, such as mashed bananas or avocados, make a good base for green smoothies and help to balance the astringency of the greens.
Recipes
For a tropically flavored green smoothie, try combining one frozen banana with 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup spinach leaves and one cup low-fat coconut milk. For a smoothie that tastes like a creamy citrus treat, the Mayo Clinic suggests putting together one cup vanilla-flavored nonfat frozen yogurt, 3/4 cup nonfat milk and 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate. A more traditional smoothie recipe would be 3/4 cup low-fat milk, 1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup fresh strawberries and one cup frozen mixed berries.
Tips
Even with the natural sugar found in fruit smoothies, some people prefer the taste to be a bit sweeter. Still, don’t go overboard when adding sugar to smoothies. Rather than relying on conventional white table sugar, try natural alternatives such as maple syrup, honey or agave nectar. Begin with just a small amount, and drizzle in more if needed. To keep smoothies cool, add crushed ice to the blender or drop cubes on top of the finished drinks.
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