Smoothie Facts: Have You Tried This Delicious Beverage Yet?

Smoothies are thick, creamy drinks that are tasty and mostly healthy too.

In recent times, smoothies have become very popular, thanks to their status as a healthy food. These versatile beverages can be made with ingredients of your choice and for different dietary preferences.

If you haven't tried a smoothie, it is a simple beverage made by blending ingredients of your choice into a smooth, slightly thick shake-like drink. The thumb rule is that you should be able to both sip with a straw and consumes smoothies from a spoon.

These days, smoothies are available readymade in stores and most food places. It is very easy to make your smoothies at home too. Home-made smoothies are cheaper and healthier.

Right now, the smoothie industry is a multi-billion dollar market. A lot of people prefer smoothies over traditional meals as they are easy to drink, fuss-free, low in calories, and supposedly healthier. When the right ingredients are used, smoothies can be very healthy options to get fit, lose weight, feel younger, and stay away from diseases.

Ingredients Used To Make Smoothies

No set rule says what can and cannot be added to smoothies. Here is a list of different ingredients that are popularly added to making this drink.

Fruits are the number one choice for making smoothies. Fruit smoothies are juicy, sweet, and perfect to drink at any time of the day.

If you want to include extra vegetables in your food but don't like eating them, then adding them to smoothies is a perfect choice. Many people add all veggies that can be consumed raw into their drinks.

A lot of people who want to make healthy smoothies prefer adding green leafy vegetables to their drinks. Green smoothies are power-packed with antioxidants and other nutrients, making them a great choice for staying fit.

Milk is a common ingredient added to liquify smoothies. Milk keeps the person full and adds to the flavor too. Some people love adding other dairy products like yogurt or cottage cheese to their drinks to give them a tangy and creamier texture.

You can also make an equally creamy beverage by skipping dairy and adding vegan alternatives like almond milk. Other ingredients you can add are chia seeds, flax seeds, all kinds of dry nuts and seeds, dry fruits, and sweeteners of your choice.

Smoothies can be made tastier by adding sugar and ice cubes.

The Nutritional Value Of Smoothie

We cannot generalize the nutritional value of a smoothie as it depends on the ingredients you add. Here is a list of nutrients you get based on the common ingredients you add to the blender.

Adding dairy products like milk or yogurt will give you enough calcium to keep your bones strong. Dairy products also have decent amounts of proteins. Different colored fruits and vegetables have different plant-based antioxidants in them.

Fruits and vegetables also have soluble fibers in them, which are good to keep the gut healthy and prevent problems like constipation. Adding green leafy vegetables gives you all kinds of vitamins and minerals.

Varieties Of Smoothies

Around the world, people have their versions of smoothie drinks and you can make your favorite version from the below list. One of the most popular smoothies is the green ones. You can use kale, spinach, celery, parsley, or microgreens to make your smoothie.

Protein smoothies are also fondly-chosen variants these days. These are normal smoothies with a couple of scoops of protein powders. They are great pre and post-workout drinks.

In most parts of the Middle East, a fresh smoothie called sherbet is served on special occasions. These are made of blended frozen fruits and honey.

Some people confuse a milkshake and a smoothie. Do remember that a milkshake is not a variant of a smoothie. The former is mostly made of dairy and sugar and is usually calorie-rich. Smoothies, however, are meal replacements and are healthier than milkshakes.

Health Benefits Of A Smoothie

Just as you cannot generalize the nutritional value of smoothies, you cannot generalize the health benefits too. These depend on the ingredients added. However, here are some of the health benefits listed, assuming you choose healthier ingredients.

By drinking smoothies once a day and adding generous amounts of fruits and vegetables in it, your fruit or veggie intake for the day will be met. You don't have to worry too much about other meals.

Since greens, fruits, and vegetables are anti-inflammatory, these can help bring down the risk of developing different types of cancers.

If weight loss is your intention, a big glass of healthy smoothie can help achieve rapid weight loss.

A lot of people don't consume adequate fiber in their food. Lack of fiber can increase blood cholesterol levels and cause gut problems. Most smoothies are fiber-rich and can keep your stomach healthy and cholesterol in check.

A lot of parents believe in the goodness of milk. If your children don't drink plain milk, adding them to smoothies will take care of the problem. Milk helps keep bones healthy and helps children grow.

A potential problem with drinking smoothies that are store-bought is the amount of sugar in them. Some brands may add unhealthy amounts of sugar to make the drink tastier and more addictive. Excess sugar intake can lead to health problems in the future.

Packaged smoothies in supermarkets may also contain preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors. Some of these drinks may be advertised as healthy drinks but the reality will be different. Make sure you choose the right brands.

According to experts, adding fruit juice to smoothies, especially store-bought juice is not a great idea, health-wise. Such packaged juice variants have very little actual juice and too many empty calories and sugar. They ruin the purpose of drinking smoothies.

As mentioned earlier, it is always better to make your smoothie at home so you can control sugar levels and other additives.

Smoothies, without a doubt, can be healthy food choices for breakfast or mid-hunger pangs. They can be made nutritionally dense and can keep you full for a longer time. Choose the right ingredients and that is what matters the most.

FAQs

What are five benefits of smoothies?

Five benefits of smoothies are:

They are full of antioxidants.

They are fiber-rich.

They can help you consume adequate fruits and vegetables for the day.

They can be low in calories but still be filling.

They can help in weight loss.

Who invented smoothies?

According to their history, after the invention of electric blenders in the '30s, food stores on the west coast of the USA started selling drinks that resembled smoothies. This trend slowly spread throughout the country. It was only in the '80s that the name stuck.

Are smoothies good for you?

Smoothies made using healthy ingredients are good for you. Make sure to avoid smoothies high and sugar and other additives.

Do smoothies make you gain weight?

Adding too much dairy and sugar to smoothies and drinking them often may lead to weight gain, especially if the rest of your food habits are unhealthy.

What should you not mix in a smoothie? 

Smoothies are supposed to be fresh, do not add artificial sweeteners to your smoothie. It is also advised you don't add ingredients that cannot be consumed raw to your drinks.

Do smoothies need yogurt?

Smoothies taste better with yogurt. However, you can make smoothies without it too.