How to Make Healthier Smoothies

Smoothies can be a great addition to your diet. But only if you drink them the right way. Depending on what ingredients you use smoothies can be a meal on their own. You can make healthier smoothies by adding nutritional ingredients.

Think about it. If you add Greek yogurt, fruit, and chia seeds to your smoothie it sounds like breakfast. But if you’re drinking a smoothie and eating breakfast you’re adding more calories than you need.

I used to think of smoothies as sugary and sweet, like the kind you get from Jamba juice. They are more like dessert than healthy! But I have learned that you can add a lot of variety to your smoothies to make them healthier.

Smoothies are a great way to gain the nutrition you need. Try different types of ingredients to make sure your smoothies are nutritious.

Add these 3 ingredients to your smoothies

• Chia Seeds
• Avocado
• Flax Seeds

Benefits of Adding Chia Seeds to Smoothies

We need plenty of fiber in our diets but many of us don’t get enough of it. Fiber helps the body to get rid of wastes and can help you keep you feeling fuller for longer.  

Chia seeds have over 25% of the iron that you need in a day. And over 15% of the daily calcium requirement. 

They Add Texture to Your DrinkChia seeds will add a subtle crunchy grit to your drinks. If the seeds soak for a while, they become soft and make the drink more filling.

Seeds contain high levels of proteins. These proteins help your body make the repairs that it needs from daily life. Be sure to eat seeds with plant fat. Like avocado or coconut oil so that your body has an easier time absorbing the nutrients. 

Why You Should Add Avocado in Smoothies

Avocados have omega 3 fatty acids and other useful nutrients. They contain more potassium than bananas. Avocados contain over 20 essential nutrients and are high in fiber. They also contain a ton of healthy fats. That will help your body to absorb nutrients better.

Avocados are a superfood because it contains over 15 different vitamins and minerals. Also, they have a high concentration of fats and oils that help your soft tissues stay flexible.

Benefits of Flax Seed

Flaxseed is another superfood that has many benefits for your health. And it’s a simple addition to your smoothies. Choose ground flaxseed as it’s easier to digest, compared to whole flaxseed.

Flaxseed has omega-3 fatty acids which are heart-healthy fats. They also contain lignans that have antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed also has both soluble and insoluble types of fiber.

Add More Vegetable to Smoothies

Try adding more veggies to your smoothie. If you are not getting enough veggies in your diet this is a great solution to add more. You may know to add kale or spinach to get more greens. But try adding the lesser know veggies that are excellent for smoothies.

• Romaine Lettuce
• Celery
• Beets 
• Cucumber
• Carrots

Steam the beets and carrots first. Before you add them to your smoothie. That way they are easier to blend.

Other Ingredients To Try

Instead of using fruit juice, which could be high in sugar use coconut water, almond milk instead. Coconut water and almond milk are low in calories and sugar. If you want more flavor in your smoothie try adding sugar-free vanilla almond milk.

Instead of using yogurt in smoothies try adding nut butter. A great choice is almond butter. It will make your smoothie creamier and add healthy fat to it. But be careful not to add too much. If you add too much you’ll be adding unnecessary calories.

Tips for Making Smoothies Healthier for Weight Loss

A large part of weight loss depends on getting the right types of nutrients and in the proper amounts. For example, adding nut butter to your smoothie is a great option. But adding too much will make your smoothies higher in calories.

Also, avoid using fruit juice when making smoothies. You are adding sugar and calories. Fruit is the best way to naturally sweeten a smoothie. You don’t need to add sugar. Fruit should make your smoothie sweet enough.

Healthier Smoothie Recipes

Green Smoothie

What You Need:

• ½ fresh avocado
• 1 kiwi
• 2 cups kale
• ¾ teaspoon lime juice
• ½ cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Avocado and Mango Smoothie

What You Need

• ¼ cup of fresh avocado
• ½ tbsp minced ginger
• ¼ cup frozen mango cubes
• ½ tbsp  lemon juice
• 1 cup of coconut water
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Spinach Flax Protein Smoothie

What You Need :

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 ½ cups of organic baby spinach
• ¼ cup frozen mango cubes
• ¼ cup frozen pineapple
• ½ of an avocado
• 1 tablespoon flax meal
  

The Last thing to know about Making Healthier Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to make sure you get enough variety of nutrition in your diet every day. But make sure to keep them nutritious by adding healthy fats, proteins, and vegetables. Don’t rely on sugary ingredients because you are not providing any health benefits.

I hope you enjoyed this post on how to make healthier smoothies. What do you like to put in your smoothies? Let me know in the comments:)

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