Create a Smoothie // Delicious and Nutritious 

Last Updated on June 22, 2023 by Create Better Health

Smoothies are popular among all ages. You can create a delicious and nutritious smoothie from simple foods in a jiff too!  

What is a Smoothie? 

Smoothies are creamy beverages typically full of blended fruits, vegetables, yogurt, milk, or juices. Some people add nuts or seeds too!  

When creating a smoothie you choose 2-3 cups of chopped fruits and vegetables and ½ to 1 ½ cups of liquid. Anything else you add is just a bonus! Once you’ve selected your fruits, veggies and liquid, toss it all into a blender or food processor! If you’d like your smoothie to be colder add a few ice cubes. Blend until smooth.  

A pro-tip is to use frozen fruit or vegetables if you prefer colder smoothies, you can eliminate the ice that way!  

Ingredient Ideas 

• Fruits: fresh, frozen, or canned such as strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, banana, pineapple, peach, pear, plum, cherry, melon, apple, kiwi, mango, papaya, orange, lemon, lime. 
• Vegetables: fresh spinach, chard, kale, green pepper, avocado, carrot, cooked, frozen, or canned pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, peas. 
• Nuts/Seeds: peanut butter, almond butter, chia seeds, flax meal 
• Herbs and Spices: cinnamon cocoa powder, basil, ginger, parsley 
• Liquids: Water, Milk, Fruit Juice  

Health Benefits 

One of the best things about smoothies is that you can sneak almost any fruit or vegetable in while still creating a smoothie you’ll enjoy. You can easily get two or three servings of fruits or vegetables in a single smoothie.  

Fruits and vegetables have many essential nutrients that many people don’t get enough of such as potassium, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, and folate. Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruit as part of an overall healthy diet can reduce the risk for heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.  

The nutritional value of a smoothie can vary drastically. Avoid adding sweeteners filled with sugar to your smoothies. Added sugar reduces the nutritional value and may increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and liver disease.  

You can reduce the amount of added sugar in your smoothie by using whole fruits and vegetables rather than sugar-sweetened juices, fruit-flavored sauces, or flavored yogurts.  

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