There is often some controversy around smoothies and whether they are healthy or a useful weight loss aid. My main thought is that we shouldn’t get them confused with juicing. Juicing is a different process, which has been slammed for creating drinks with ‘a lesser nutrient value’, a kind of ‘all the sugar, none of the goodness’ argument which might or might not be strictly true. But, that isn’t the focus of this post anyway. I want to focus on smoothies and offer some recipes, ideas and tips when making your own.
Smoothies can be a fantastic way of fuelling your body for your daily activities and aid recovery from gruelling workouts. They can also provide all the nutrients you need to maintain good health in a quick, convenient and tasty hit. You can whizz up all your favourite foods and consume as a delicious quickie breakfast or throw them in your bag ready for when the hunger pangs hit later in the day. They’re a popular choice for the warmer weather as appetite becomes naturally suppressed and we develop a hankering for fresh, light, cold foods. So, when consuming a big meal in the heat of summer seems impossible, opt for a chilled smoothie instead – it’s a perfect choice to stay energised, pack in those nutrients and maintain good health.
Shop-bought smoothies can sometimes have an unfavourable macronutrient balance e.g. lots of sugar but minimal protein or healthy fats, so I would recommend you make your own. Plus, it means you can personalise them and add all the things you enjoy. I wanted to share some of my favourite smoothie recipes and also look more closely at the health benefits of some of the ingredients included.
1) Energiser Smoothie - it’s like the most convenient breakfast ever!
150ml oat milk
240ml cooled black coffee
2 tbsps porridge oats
1 tbsp flaxseed
1 tsp honey
2) Re-fuel Smoothie - great for after exercise recovery!
200ml whole milk
2 tbsps Greek or natural yoghurt
Half a scoop (10g) whey protein (flavour of choice)
1 banana (fresh or frozen)
150g frozen berries
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp natural honey
3) Dark Chocolate Avocado - an indulgent evening treat!
300ml hazelnut or cashew milk
1 small frozen banana
3 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
Half a scoop (10g) chocolate whey
2 tsp coconut oil
Half an avocado
1 tsp vanilla extract
4) Almond Butter Nutter - a personal favourite!
150ml almond milk
1 large banana
3 tbsps cocoa powder
2 tbsps Greek or natural yoghurt
1 tbsp natural honey or agave syrup
1 tbsp almond butter
5) Strawberry Cheesecake - for when those sweet cravings hit!
300ml semi-skimmed milk
150g strawberries
80g quark or cottage cheese
2 tbsps porridge oats
Half a tsp of vanilla extract
For a more indulgent smoothie, you can even crumble up half a biscuit to decorate the top!
6) Immune System Booster - boost your nutrient intake with this one!
250ml coconut milk
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp maca powder
1 small ripe banana
50g blueberries
1 large stoned date
Handful of kale or spinach
7) Low-fat Tropical Tang - fancy a low-fat shake with maximum flavour? This is the one for you!
150ml coconut milk
2 tbsps low-fat Greek or natural yoghurt
50g mango or mango puree
50g pineapple
1 passion fruit or kiwi
1 tbsp honey (or less to sweeten)
Half a tsp vanilla extract
Coconut water until desired consistency.
Good to Know:
Enjoy!
Serene
Smoothies can be a fantastic way of fuelling your body for your daily activities and aid recovery from gruelling workouts. They can also provide all the nutrients you need to maintain good health in a quick, convenient and tasty hit. You can whizz up all your favourite foods and consume as a delicious quickie breakfast or throw them in your bag ready for when the hunger pangs hit later in the day. They’re a popular choice for the warmer weather as appetite becomes naturally suppressed and we develop a hankering for fresh, light, cold foods. So, when consuming a big meal in the heat of summer seems impossible, opt for a chilled smoothie instead – it’s a perfect choice to stay energised, pack in those nutrients and maintain good health.
Shop-bought smoothies can sometimes have an unfavourable macronutrient balance e.g. lots of sugar but minimal protein or healthy fats, so I would recommend you make your own. Plus, it means you can personalise them and add all the things you enjoy. I wanted to share some of my favourite smoothie recipes and also look more closely at the health benefits of some of the ingredients included.
1) Energiser Smoothie - it’s like the most convenient breakfast ever!
150ml oat milk
240ml cooled black coffee
2 tbsps porridge oats
1 tbsp flaxseed
1 tsp honey
2) Re-fuel Smoothie - great for after exercise recovery!
200ml whole milk
2 tbsps Greek or natural yoghurt
Half a scoop (10g) whey protein (flavour of choice)
1 banana (fresh or frozen)
150g frozen berries
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp natural honey
3) Dark Chocolate Avocado - an indulgent evening treat!
300ml hazelnut or cashew milk
1 small frozen banana
3 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
Half a scoop (10g) chocolate whey
2 tsp coconut oil
Half an avocado
1 tsp vanilla extract
4) Almond Butter Nutter - a personal favourite!
150ml almond milk
1 large banana
3 tbsps cocoa powder
2 tbsps Greek or natural yoghurt
1 tbsp natural honey or agave syrup
1 tbsp almond butter
5) Strawberry Cheesecake - for when those sweet cravings hit!
300ml semi-skimmed milk
150g strawberries
80g quark or cottage cheese
2 tbsps porridge oats
Half a tsp of vanilla extract
For a more indulgent smoothie, you can even crumble up half a biscuit to decorate the top!
6) Immune System Booster - boost your nutrient intake with this one!
250ml coconut milk
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp maca powder
1 small ripe banana
50g blueberries
1 large stoned date
Handful of kale or spinach
7) Low-fat Tropical Tang - fancy a low-fat shake with maximum flavour? This is the one for you!
150ml coconut milk
2 tbsps low-fat Greek or natural yoghurt
50g mango or mango puree
50g pineapple
1 passion fruit or kiwi
1 tbsp honey (or less to sweeten)
Half a tsp vanilla extract
Coconut water until desired consistency.
Good to Know:
- You can ice and reduce/increase liquid as desired - make them to your preferred consistency.
- You can substitute some of the foods mentioned above of course - if you’re vegan, look at always using a nut, soy, oat or rice milk, a soy, hemp, pea or rice protein powder, a dairy-free yoghurt and agave syrup instead of honey.
- Whey protein doesn’t have to be included but can be a great addition to sweeten, and boost your protein intake which may also increase satiety.
- Milks can be used interchangeably depending on your preferences and/or potential intolerances. Similarly, oats can be gluten free or quinoa flakes used instead.
- Always add whole fruits where possible to allow for maximum fibre and nutrients.
- Alter the sweetness to your own taste - it could mean more or less honey/agave or none at all!
- Never be afraid to add more greens - spinach, spirulina and kale are all good options so get that goodness in.
- Be aware of (but don’t over-think) food pairings - i.e. the best combination of foods to get maximum nutrient value, for example, vitamins A, D, E & K require fats for better absorption and vitamin D aids calcium absorption. This type of knowledge could help you make even better choices.
Enjoy!
Serene