Building a Healthy Smoothie
I’d be willing to bet a lot of us grew up eating tons of smoothies, thinking they’re healthy and then… coming to the realization that they absolutely are not.
Unless you make them my way, of course!
Traditional smoothies are loaded with sugars (such as from frozen yogurt). In fact, it’s likely that your local cafe is loading their smoothies with added sugars, so the key here is to make your own smoothie for breakfast or snack.
I’m giving you step-by-step instructions on how to build the perfect smoothie and my favorite ingredients. You’ll thank me later — building your own smoothie is cost-effective, delicious, and satisfying, not to mention it will keep you feeling full for hours.
Step 1: Choose a liquid base. Start with 1 cup of liquid and slowly pour in extra liquid if you’re having trouble getting your smoothie to blend.
Water
Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
Unsweetened Coconut Milk
Step 2: Pick a protein to thicken and sweeten your smoothie. I prefer a stevia-free powder and I normally stick to the serving size. Protein is an important nutrient to help build and repair your muscle, tissue, hair, and nails.
Step 3: Add in veggies — especially leafy greens! This is the best way to sneak in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. I prefer using frozen veggies and stock up on them because veggies are flash frozen at their peak ripeness, so you don’t need to buy fresh produce weekly.
Arugula
Spinach
Kale
Cauliflower Rice
Step 4: Add in fruit. I suggest using frozen fruit to get that creamy, cool texture. Fruit is the best natural sweetener because it has tons of nutrients.
Blueberries
Raspberries
Strawberries
Blackberries
Cherries
Mango
Peaches
Banana
Pineapple
Step 5: Option to add in healthy fats to make your smoothies more filling and balanced. Fats help slow down the digestion of carbohydrates to help keep your blood sugar levels more stable, which keeps you fuller longer.
Almond Butter
Peanut Butter
Avocado (fresh or frozen)
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
Step 6: This part is optional, but I always recommend adding in seeds and superfoods to incorporate more fiber and healthy fats. This will also make your smoothies more filling. Seeds and superfoods have a wide range of health benefits and promote a healthy gut.
Chia Seeds
Ground Flaxseed
Shelled Hemp Seeds
Dragon Fruit Powder
Spirulina
Cacao Powder
Step 7: Option to add extra flavor.
Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
Unsweetened Cacao Nibs
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Turmeric
Mint
Basil
Ginger
Sea Salt
If you’re not sure where to get started, check out a few of of my go-to smoothie recipes: Avocado Banana Mango Smoothie, Berry Fruity-licious Smoothie, and the Tropical Smoothie.
