How to make the perfect smoothie
Smoothies are blended fruit and ice
drinks and make a great breakfast for those on the go as well as a
super post workout energy boost.
In addition to fruit, most smoothie
drinks will have milk, ice cream or yoghurt as well as a sweetener of
some description such as honey, agave syrup, banana, stevia or
xylitol.
Over the years smoothies have been
promoted as healthy drinks and this can be the case, but
realistically a drink that's packed full of fruit (and in turn,
sugars) mixed with ice cream and honey isn't going to be that
healthy. Still, it's like everything in life, enjoyed in moderation
it really isn't going to do you any harm.
If you're looking to make a smoothie
drink part of your healthy daily diet then you should ideally look at
replacing some of the fruits with green vegetables such as spinach or
kale. You should use skimmed milk or an almond or coconut milk in
place of the ice cream and use a natural sweetener such as the above
mentioned agave or xylitol.
As a meal replacement you should also
ensure that your smoothie is made up with a protein and this can be
with a protein powder or whey. There are a huge number on the market
including flavoured ones, which can help to enhance the overall
taste. Peanut butter is a good source of protein too and tastes
delicious with banana and honey.
If you're having your smoothie as your
breakfast, you could add a handful of no-added-sugar muesli or
granola to help keep you feeling fuller for longer. Look out in the
supermarkets for Low GL cereals, these will help control blood sugar
levels and help to keep hunger cravings at bay.
Fruit used in smoothies can be fresh or
frozen which is a real bonus. Infact, frozen fruits are a great way
of getting a nice ice cold drink, are often more cost effective than
their fresh counterparts and have the benefit of being able to be
kept for longer without perishing.
When you're ready to have a go at
blending your own concoction all you need to do is add your chosen
fruits to your blender along with a handful of ice and your milk or
milk substitute. If you're adding a protein powder, pop a scoop of
that in too and blitz until you have a smooth consistency.
Pour into a glass and decorate if you
desire. If you want to transport your drink to work or to the gym,
decant it into a bottle but try and refrigerate it or consume it as
soon as you can.
Great fruits for smoothies:
Frozen or fresh berries such as
strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Mangoes,
pomegranates, bananas, apples, pears, kiwis, coconut, oranges,
watermelon, pineapple and avocados are all great options too.
Milk substitutes:
Whilst milk is a popular choice, you
can try experimenting with soya milk, yoghurt (natural or Greek is
best where you can), nut milks such as almond or coconut, tea, fruit
juice (careful about quantities), ice cream, frozen yoghurt and even
flavoured waters as an alternative.
This article was contributed by Range
Cookers.
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