Smoothies are a delicious and healthy way to start your day or enjoy as a snack between meals. What could be more delectable than a delightful treat that doesn’t wreck your diet? The many tasty ingredients you can add to your smoothies will boost heart healthy fiber and energy boosting polyphenols – some may surprise you! Follow our guidelines for tasty, healthy, energy-boosting smoothies you can enjoy any time of the day.
Start with a base – We love adding frozen banana to our smoothies as a base. It adds creaminess to the smoothie, along with a healthy dose of potassium. Next, add a splash of orange juice, vanilla soy milk, or water. If you’d like, you can also add plain Greek yogurt for more creaminess, fiber, and protein. (Just be sure to check the label – some flavored Greek yogurt can be high in sugar.)
Very Berry – Add a handful of your favorite frozen berries. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries are all high in polyphenols and make a delicious addition to your smoothies. Frozen peaches, mangoes, and oranges are also great to add – these citrus fruits will give your brightly colored smoothie a burst of polyphenols and immune boosting vitamin C. Check out our list of high polyphenol foods for other delicious fruits you can add.
Go Green – Have you heard of green smoothies, but always been afraid to try them? Don’t be! Spinach is a great addition to smoothies, and has such a mild taste, that you won’t taste it when it’s mixed with the sweetness of fruit. Add a handful of spinach to a smoothie with frozen banana, pineapple, and strawberries. Raw spinach is the closest thing to a multi-vitamin that you can eat, and provides plenty of polyphenols too!
Extra, Extra! Have fun with your smoothies, and gradually try adding new things. You’ll be surprised at how much you enjoy them! Try adding wheat germ for fiber and folic acid, or oats to help fill you up. Almonds and walnuts are a delicious addition too, and taste great with frozen banana, soy milk, natural peanut butter, and oats! Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and it will taste almost like an oatmeal cookie. Yum!
Switch up your smoothies and try adding different ingredients to keep your smoothies interesting! By adding healthy ingredients (like the ones mentioned above), you can avoid high sugar & processed smoothies (that are often offered at different smoothie shops) give your body a healthy dose of vitamins, polyphenolds, fiber, and energy-boosting goodness!
What are your favorite smoothies ingredients? Share them with our Facebook community and send us a tweet on Twitter!
Words of Wisdom
“The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.”
-Ben Stein
