Including plenty of fruit in your daily diet is important for your health. According to MyPyramid.gov, fruit reduces your risk of stroke, diabetes and heart disease, protects against cancer and promotes a healthy weight due to the low calorie content. Making smoothies is a good way to include extra servings of fruit into your day. Making your own smoothie allows you to control what goes into it; many smoothies at juice bars are very high in fat and calories.
Berry And Banana
Berries and bananas combine well and the mixture of the two adds a variety of essential nutrients to your smoothie. According to Dole, bananas are an excellent source of potassium, which is important for healthy blood pressure as well as fiber and vitamin C, which inhibit cancer cells from growing, aids in healthy digestion and helps your body fight illnesses. Berries are also a good source of fiber and vitamins A and C. Combining them with bananas gives you enough fiber to feel full and satisfied until you eat again and helps your reach your daily recommended totals for several vitamins and minerals.
Melon Ginger
Melon has a high water content, which makes it an ideal fruit to make a smoothie out of because it reduces the amount of juice you need to reach a good consistency. Ginger adds a flavor twist that you may not have considered. Eating Well's recipe calls for ginger juice as well as kiwi and banana to add flavor. Dole reports that cantaloupe is high in vitamin C for healthy immunity and watermelon is high in lycopene, a substance that offers protective benefits from many types of cancer, including prostrate, ovarian and pancreatic.
Orange
MayoClinic.com recommends a smoothie made with orange juice concentrate, fat free vanilla frozen yogurt and fat-free milk. This combination boosts your potassium and calcium intake, but is low in fat and calories. Potassium plays an important role in healthy cells and calcium is vital to healthy bones and teeth. In addition, oranges are a good source of vitamin C, which is necessary for fighting illnesses, especially the common cold. Fiber and folate are also present in oranges and their juice, reports Dole. Fiber keeps your digestive system working efficiently and folate is a nutrient that prevents birth defects and is a very important one for women of child bearing age.
Green Smoothies
Green smoothies make use of leafy green vegetables, such as spinach or kale. The bitter flavor they produce is often balanced with apples or kiwis. These vegetables are important because they contain antioxidants that help your body fight the free radical damage that contributes to cancer. They are also a good source of many vitamins and minerals that support your health. Kale is high in vitamin K, which is important for healthy blood clotting and spinach is a good source of iron, which is a nutrient that supports healthy blood, reports Dole. Leafy greens also protect your eyes, reproduction and immunity.
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