Superfood Smoothies

A smoothie is a blend of single whole foods that take minutes to make.  They are an excellent way to start off the day.

Smoothies can be nutrient packed and still taste great.  They can result in increased energy, strength, stamina, anti-aging, heart healthy, stress, detoxing and brain health.  The combinations of ingredients are limited only to your imagination.  

A perfect serving size is approximately 12-16 ounces. If you have left over smoothies you can store it from 4 to 8 hours in a glass container (like a mason jar) with a lid.  If you are storing your smoothie for more than eight hours, I recommend putting it in the freezer. 

You can use smoothies either as a meal replacement or healthy snack. The fact is, if you’re trying to lose weight or gain weight, the smoothie is an excellent source of success. 

Smoothies can help to retrain our bodies to eat correctly without a lot of meal planning. They are a great choice for those on the go. We can’t eat perfect all the time, so we need fast, healthy, nutritious, low calorie options.

Having healthy fats and protein in a smoothie is a wonderful way to control blood sugar, and help with cravings, hunger and help with mood disorders. It’s never a good idea to skip breakfast. A protein smoothie for breakfast helps burn body fat while keeping your blood sugar levels balanced, which can increase your energy level. 

The average adult should get about 45 to 56 grams of protein a day.  If you exercise regularly, you may need a little more protein than people who aren't as active.  If you exercise, you want to add a protein boost within 40 minutes after completion of your workout to help with muscle repair and growth.  Research out of Johns Hopkins University has shown that people who eat a diet of about 25% lean protein have lower blood pressure, lower bad cholesterol, and better triglyceride scores.  Protein also inhibits muscle loss that comes with age. 

Here’s a general exercise smoothie guideline:

Runners - use a protein powder with higher carbohydrates.

For weight training - use higher amounts of protein with less carbohydrates and zero fat.

For weight loss - use a protein powder with 50% protein content or higher

Here’s a simple tip: weight loss occurs when your metabolism gets moving and you put out more calories than you take in. So, if you were to replace your 750-calorie bagel and orange juice meal with a 155-calorie protein shake you would naturally see the scale go in the right direction pretty quickly.

There is a basic flow to making a smoothie in a blender.  No one wants a clumpy smoothie. You begin your smoothie with a base in the bottom of the blender; add bulk, then powder and lastly liquid. 

Base - Hard chunky ingredients

Ice, nuts, seeds and frozen items

Bulk – Soft chunky ingredients

Leafy greens, nut butters, fresh fruit and veggies

Powders

Spirulina, flax, chia, cacao and protein powders

Liquids

Milk, milk alternatives, fruit juice and water

Sweeteners

Agave, yacon syrup, stevia and honey

Flavoring

Vanilla, spices, lemons, limes and herbs

If you want to thicken your smoothies you can add banana, yogurt or some frozen flavored ice as a last ingredient added in. (to make flavored ice, you just pour coconut water or almond milk into ice cube trays and freeze)

If you’re feeling a little bored of drinking the same shake, I recommend “Super food Smoothies” by Julie Morris. This book gives 100 quick, easy, delicious smoothie recipes.  It explains nutritional benefits for all the ingredients you could use. 

To start, try one of my favorite recipes:

Piña Colada

Ingredients

20 grams protein powder

3 oz low-fat coconut milk

3 oz pineapple juice

1/2 frozen banana

1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks or ice

Directions:  Blend all ingredients together & serve