Smoothies are a delicious and nutritious blended drink made from fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and other healthy ingredients. They are a great way to pack a lot of nutrients into one convenient beverage. When making a smoothie, the possibilities for ingredients are endless, but there are some key components that make up a balanced, tasty blend.
Fruits
Fruits add natural sweetness, flavor, creaminess, and nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to smoothies. Popular fruits to use include:
- Bananas – Bananas create a creamy, thick texture and provide potassium.
- Berries – Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries add flavor, antioxidants, and fiber.
- Mangoes – Mangoes add tropical sweetness and vitamins A, B6, and C.
- Pineapple – Pineapple gives a tropical flair and supplies vitamin C and bromelain enzymes.
- Apples – Apples provide a bit of sweetness, fiber, and vitamin C.
- Cherries – Cherries add sweetness and antioxidant power.
- Peaches – Peaches provide beta-carotene, vitamin C, and a soft texture.
- Kiwis – Kiwis offer a tangy flavor and vitamin C.
Vegetables
Adding vegetables to smoothies helps increase the nutrient content even further. Some good veggies to blend include:
- Spinach – Spinach adds nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, and iron with minimal flavor.
- Kale – Kale provides vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, and antioxidants.
- Carrots – Carrots offer vitamin A for eyesight, vitamin K, and beta-carotene.
- Beets – Beets offer natural sweetness, fiber, and antioxidants.
- Avocado – Avocado contributes creaminess, healthy fats, and fiber.
Dairy and dairy alternatives
Dairy products and dairy alternatives help make smoothies creamy and nutritious. Options include:
- Milk – Milk adds protein, calcium, vitamins D and B12, and creaminess. Any type can be used such as regular cow’s milk, almond milk, soy milk, etc.
- Yogurt – Yogurt provides protein and probiotics for gut health.
- Cottage cheese – Cottage cheese contributes protein.
- Silken tofu – Silken tofu is a vegan way to add creaminess.
- Ice cream – A small scoop of ice cream makes smoothies feel like a treat.
Seeds and nuts
Seeds and nuts add healthy fats, plant-based protein, texture, and nutrients:
- Chia seeds – Chia seeds provide omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and a gelatinous texture when blended.
- Flaxseeds – Flaxseeds offer additional omega-3s and fiber.
- Hemp seeds – Hemp seeds contain protein, omega-3s, omega-6s, and all essential amino acids.
- Almonds – Almonds provide vitamin E, magnesium, and calcium.
- Peanut butter – Peanut butter adds protein, healthy fats, and creaminess.
- Cashews – Cashews offer zinc, iron, magnesium, and creaminess.
Sweeteners
If a smoothie needs a touch more sweetness, you can add:
- Honey – Honey provides natural sweetness and antioxidants.
- Maple syrup – Maple syrup offers minerals like zinc and manganese.
- Medjool dates – Soft, pitted dates blend up creamy and sweet.
- Stevia – Stevia is a zero-calorie natural sweetener.
- Banana – Extra banana makes smoothies sweeter.
- Frozen mango – Frozen mango adds tropical sweetness.
Flavorings
To change up the flavor profile of smoothies, you can incorporate:
- Cinnamon – Cinnamon provides warmth and antioxidants.
- Cocoa powder – Cocoa adds chocolaty richness and polyphenols.
- Vanilla – Vanilla provides flavor complexity.
- Mint – Fresh mint contributes cooling freshness.
- Ginger – Ginger gives a spike of sweet heat.
- Lemon/Lime juice – Citrus juices brighten up smoothies with fresh acidity.
- Matcha – Matcha green tea powder provides antioxidants like EGCG.
Liquid
The liquid base helps blend all the ingredients together for the signature smoothie texture. Liquid options include:
- Water
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Coconut water
- Cold coffee
- Green tea
- 100% fruit juice
Ice
Ice helps achieve the thick, chilled consistency of smoothies. You can use:
- Ice cubes
- Crushed ice
- Frozen fruit – Using frozen fruit eliminates the need for extra ice.
Putting it All Together
When making a smoothie, aim for a ratio of approximately:
- 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit
- 1 cup vegetables
- 1 cup dairy, dairy alternative or water
- 1 tablespoon seeds, nuts or nut butter
- 1 teaspoon sweetener (optional)
- Spices to taste
- Ice as needed
Some examples of popular, balanced smoothies combinations include:
| Smoothie Name | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| The Green Machine | Spinach, kale, banana, pineapple, Greek yogurt, milk, chia seeds |
| Berry Nutty | Mixed berries, spinach, almond milk, almond butter, oats, flaxseed |
| Tropical Sunrise | Mango, pineapple, orange juice, Greek yogurt, honey |
| PB & J | Banana, strawberries, peanut butter, milk, vanilla yogurt |
Conclusion
Smoothies are endlessly adaptable to your personal tastes and nutrition goals. Focus on picking fresh fruits and veggies, a creamy base, healthy fats and protein, and spices to create a well-balanced smoothie every time. With so many nutrients and delicious ingredients to work with, you can mix and match to make a different nutritious smoothie every day of the week.
