What is a Smoothie? Are Smoothies Healthy?

What is a Smoothie?

What is a Smoothie? Or should I say What is a Smoothie Drink? Are Smoothies Healthy? You must be curious to know about these questions. Here is the answer – Smoothie is a beverage having a liquid base with additional ingredients like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and protein powders. People usually drink smoothies as their breakfasts and snacks. These are versatile and easy to prepare. One can prepare these smoothies according to their taste and preferences. There is no hard and fast rule that a smoothie must contain these ingredients. Based on its ingredients, a smoothie can be healthy or not. Also, they are rich in nutritional value. Smoothies are a good way to intake all the necessary ingredients that you might have missed in your routine. For example – collagen, prebiotics or probiotics etc.

Types of smoothies:-

There are varieties of smoothies available based on their ingredients and the purpose they perform. Each of these has different tastes and goals.
1. Fruit Smoothie – A beverage formed with a blend of healthy fruits that are full of nutrients and a really good source of antioxidants. They do have a sweet taste but high in sugar.
2. Green Smoothie – Green smoothies are bitter until and unless they don’t contain any fruit or sweetener to enhance the taste. These smoothies are much healthier as they are prepared by using green leafy vegetables which are nutrient-dense.
3. Protein Smoothie – These smoothies are basically, prepared with a prime motive which is to be rich in proteins by using ingredients like nuts, seeds, Greek yoghurt etc.
4. Detox Smoothie– Smoothies which are really good at detoxification, help to cleanse the body and boost the immune system.
5. Meal Replacement Smoothie – One of the healthiest smoothies having a proper balance of nutrients and fibre that is served as a meal.
6. Dessert Smoothie – Tailored to provide a similar taste to some of the famous desserts. Example – choco banana smoothie, vanilla flavoured smoothie and many more.
The list is never-ending because people mix ingredients according to their needs and then name them accordingly. For instance, a kid-friendly smoothie is a smoothie that is appealing to children in terms of taste as well as appearance. Superfood smoothie is packed with nutrients, etc.

Are smoothies good for health?

As mentioned above the healthiness of a smoothie depends on the ingredients blended in the jar of a blender. After this, still people are keen to know more about are smoothies good for health in real? According to the doctors, fruit smoothies are a big no because they have high sugar content which can cause glucose spikes. Also, when we blend fruits, they lose their fibre and leave nothing except sugar molecules which are as equally harmful as coke. Green smoothies are considered to be healthy but some people mix what not to convert them into an unhealthy drink. People usually add so many fruits and sweeteners which makes its nutritional value completely zero better to say unhealthy for health is why it is important to understand what makes a smoothie healthy. No doubt green smoothies are bitter in taste but proportionate amounts should be used. If you want to stay healthy then a little bit of sacrifice of taste is necessary otherwise it will be very hard to give up on junk foods.

How to make a healthy smoothie

Now you are aware of what makes a smoothie unhealthy then it will not be hard to make a healthy and refreshing smoothie that is in favour not only of your gut health but of your whole body. Points to Remember while making a smoothie are:-

Do not use fruit juice as a base instead go for a water-based smoothie because fruit juice is increasing the unhealthy sugar content in your smoothie, which is fructose.
Go for a healthy smoothie like a green smoothie or meal replacement smoothie.
Not to use much sweetener in smoothies as it will again increase the sugar content and make the nutritional value lower.
Balance ingredients carefully- Sometimes people include more fruits than veggies which is not a good way to make a healthy green smoothie.
The use of low-quality ingredients can also be a game changer, not in a good sense because maximum canned fruits and vegetables do have sugars and preservatives to increase their shelf life. Rather go with fresh and organic produce. If it is hard to do so, then opt those frozen fruits and vegetables that have low sugar and preservatives.
Ignoring calorie count can be unfavourable as it may help you to gain or lose weight. So, always calculate calories according to your goal.
Add healthy fats and fibre to increase the healthiness of your smoothie by adding chia seeds, flaxseeds, nuts, avocado etc.
For adding creaminess to your smoothie you can add a banana or an avocado.

Benefits of Smoothies are:-

Now let us discuss the benefits of smoothies to have more deep insight about smoothies.
1. Rich in nutrients – Smoothies are made of green leafy vegetables which are rich in nutrients like iron, magnesium, vitamins, healthy fats etc. If some seeds and nuts are added, then fibre and healthy fats are also a part of the mixture.
2. Supporting a healthy life – Adding green veggies to your diet is a step towards healthy habits and diet which will be beneficial for the long term. It is a kind of investment for your body.
3. Healthy and clear skin – Smoothies are a good source of detoxificatio which eventually improves digestion. After the removal of toxins from the body there are high chance of having clear skin, free from acne and pimples. Also, veggies have higher water content which is again a favourable factor for skin.
4. Boosts immunity and energy – Because of the richness of nutrient content in combined fruits and vegetables, the body is going to be energetic without any power crash.
5. Convenience and versatility – As mentioned earlier smoothies are the easiest to prepare meal which makes it a likable meal. Further, any ingredient could be added or subtracted according to preference.

Conclusion

Smoothies are convenient and healthy to incorporate in your diet. On the flip side, if you carelessly just blend anything in your hand it could show you unexpected results. You can tailor your smoothies by adding varieties of fruits and vegetables according to your preferences as well as goals. Maximum green vegetables are bitter in taste which makes it hard for a person to drink smoothies without any additional ingredient which can enhance its taste a little bit. So, you can add fruits to it but in a proportionate quantity. Be a little careful and you are good to go with a tasty, healthy and nutritious smoothie.