Smoothie Nutrition

Smoothies are the best thing since sliced bread. They accommodate for nearly every situation whether you’re in a hurry and want something quick but healthy, or perhaps you have fussy eaters who need to eat better.  Maybe you want a mouth-watering way to boost your daily fruit and veggie intake or you want to sufficiently nourish your body after you exercise.  Smoothies make great snacks, healthy desserts and filling meals and it is easy to customise your smoothie to match the changing needs of you and your family.

A smoothie is simply different types of foods blended together to form a smooth consistency that can be consumed as a drink or made into a smoothie bowl you can eat with a spoon. As a bowl you can top with a variety of wholefoods such as crushed nuts or flaked coconut for added flavour and texture. Smoothies are made using whatever you like and can be sweet or savoury.

Smoothies have gained popularity in the west since the invention of the blender in the 1930’s. However, the smoothie has been around for a long time in some cultures.  In the Mediterranean, fruit puree drinks have been consumed for hundreds of years and the lassi made with fruit and yoghurt is a traditional smoothie consumed in India. There are texts from the 12^th century with recipes for Sharbat, which is a type of West and South Asian smoothie usually made from flower petals, basil seeds, rosewater, pineapple, mango, hibiscus, orange or lemon.

Today, you can find thousands of recipes in books or on the internet and there are limitless combinations to be discovered by simply having some fun experimenting with your taste buds. Green Matcha Tea Powder, a relatively new superfood on the scene, is becoming popular in smoothie recipes due to its powerful antioxidant properties and combines well with banana, mango and coconut milk.

During winter, you may want to boost your immunity with a ginger, turmeric, orange, lemon juice and kale smoothie.  This is a great anti-inflammatory combination packed with vitamin C and vitamin A, essential for reducing your risk of cold’s and flu’s and keeping your health on track.

A smoothie can be fantastic in the morning, especially for those with busy lives.  A filling breakfast smoothie might include rolled oats and chia seeds with coconut milk and berries; add spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg for extra warmth and depth of flavour.  I recommend soaking the oats overnight first in the milk before blending although you don’t have to do this.  For extra energy and to greatly increase the nutrient content with this one you can add sunflower seeds and pepitas to give you extra protein, zinc, iron and magnesium.

One of the great advantages with smoothies is that you can sneak a lot of vegetables into the kids diet and they won’t notice. Strawberry smoothies made with frozen yoghurt, banana, orange juice and kale are usually a winner or another option could be banana, spinach, chia seeds and almond milk.

Smoothies can be a delicious opportunity to pack a lot of fresh wholefoods into your diet and can go a long way in transforming the health and well-being of you and your family in a fun and creative way.

Enjoy your week in the kitchen!

Jesabe Warner

Naturopath, Affordable Wholefoods