Healthy Shakes and Smoothies
There’s nothing like starting the day off with energy and vigor. What better way is there to get started than by drinking healthy smoothies or shakes? They’re quick and energizing too!
What do you need to make them? You’ll need a food processor, juicer or a blender, along with the ingredients for your smoothie, and just ten minutes of your time. They’ll keep your body energized, free from toxins and feeling revitalized. These are healthy, energizing drinks and they don’t include any alcohol.
Why should you drink healthy shakes and smoothies?
Aside from being healthy, shakes and smoothies are very nutritious; vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, and fiber enter your body with every sip. They’re easy to digest and they regulate triglyceride levels while improving the appearance of skin. They also help with digestion and boost mental activity.
Shakes and smoothies offer us proteins, which help shape our muscles and slim us down. You might not think it at first, but they’re a great addition for weight-loss diets too.
The best thing about these drinks is that they provide a different way to consume fruits and vegetables, making them an appealing option for people of all ages, even for children. The only challenge really comes from making them. Below, we’ll take a look at some simple recipes:
Green smoothies
Green smoothies provide the body with lots of vegetable-based nutrients and vitamins. You can make them with all types of vegetables. We suggest trying this delicious spinach smoothie:
- 10.5 ounces of spinach
- 1 pear
- Grapes (approximately 15)
- 6.3 ounces of non-fat yogurt
- Diced avocado (2 tablespoons)
- Lemon juice (2 tablespoons)
The grapes and pear (peeled) will give the smoothie a touch of sweetness. This spinach smoothie offers a high dose of vitamins A and C, as well as magnesium and potassium; in addition, it’s also a natural source of vitamin K.
If you’re looking to detox or lose some weight, try having a glass of this green smoothie every morning. It’s a mixture of fruits and vegetables that’ll help to counteract the negative effects of any junk food that we consume. Another enriched, healthy green smoothie to try is one that’s made from bananas, cucumbers, kale, lemon, celery, pineapple and chia seeds.
Banana smoothies
Thanks to their creamy texture and sweetness, bananas are one of the most popular ingredients for smoothies. You can mix them with green tea, cinnamon and almond milk for an energizing and fat-burning drink. You could also try a combination using chocolate, coconut, and honey.
Ingredients
- Ripe bananas (2 fruits)
- Yogurt (1 container)
- 3.5 ounces of honey
- Ice cubes
- Vanilla extract
If you add some pineapple, strawberries, and milk to this recipe, you can enjoy a banana split smoothie. Once it’s poured into your glass, try decorating it with chocolate syrup. For our lactose intolerant readers, you can substitute the yogurt or milk with extra banana, other seasonal fruits or hemp seeds.
Ginger smoothies
Ginger has renowned antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. When combined with strawberries, oranges and natural yogurt, you can create a ginger elixir.
To strengthen your immune system, make a smoothie by blending ginger, orange (juice of 4 fruits), lemon (juice of 1 fruit), ice and honey.
Another great idea to quell digestive problems uses a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger, papaya, non-fat Greek yogurt, ice, lemon juice and four mint leaves. This smoothie will provide you with fiber, probiotics and help you feel well.
Peach and almond smoothie
Almond butter, flaxseed oil, soy milk, and a little ice can all be blended together with peaches, and then sweetened with honey in our next smoothie. You’ll need fresh, chopped peaches (or 7 ounces of canned peaches) and a cup of milk, plus one tablespoon of all the other ingredients. It’s a great source of vitamin C, calcium and potassium.
A touch of vanilla
Vanilla-lovers can choose any high-protein smoothie. You’ll just need soy milk, a banana, peanut butter, and tofu. It’s a vegan recipe that’s delicious for its aroma and taste.
There is an endless number of healthy and delicious smoothie recipes. Fruits and vegetable smoothies might be particularly popular these days, but they’ve always been healthy options.
