Stick To The Recommended Portion Size
A smoothie or 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice helps you on your way to five a day, but sticking to the NHS recommended portion size of 150ml per day is important. This is because you can easily consume far more fruit in a smoothie than you would of whole fruit. When you pack in three or four portions, you end up having a big dose of sugar alongside the healthy components, which can cause more harm than good, says dietitian Sophie Medlin.
When you eat whole fruit, the sugar is trapped inside the plant cell walls and your body has to break the walls down to access it. This causes the sugar to be released more slowly. When you eat blended fruit, the sugar has already been released from the cell walls and so becomes free sugars. The World Health Organisation says we should limit our intake of these, as they can affect teeth and weight. Read more about types of sugar on BBC Food.
Due to the small size of the recommended portion, the NHS says no matter how much fruit or veg you add to your drink or how many smoothies you drink in a day, it will only count as one of your daily five portions of fruit and veg.
Are Green Smoothies Good For You
The easy answer is for sure, yes, green smoothies are good for you but it also depends on what you put into that smoothie. The green is coming from spinach, you can also use kale too.
These greens are full of great nutrients such as Vit A & C. If you are like me or my kids and dont always get your vegetables in your foods, so this is a tasty way to get those veggies into your diet.
They also provide a variety of other additional vitamins too.
Its best to keep your diet balanced too, so you dont need to necessarily drink them every day, find out more on that here.
This Healthy Mango Smoothie is another great smoothie option!
Nutri Ninja Carrot Smoothie
How about a healthy carrot smoothie? Bugs Bunny would have loved this delicious Ninja smoothie.
Ingredients:
- Juice of 1 orange
Place all your ingredients in your Nutri Ninja and blitz until smooth.
This is a very tasty recipe and richly fortified with nutrients. Carrots remain a great source of vitamin A which is necessary for good eyesight. They also contain antioxidants which might be helpful in diabetes control. It is also a source of vitamin C which can boost your immune system. Maple syrup in this Nutri Ninja recipe is a good , magnesium, manganese, calcium, and riboflavin which aids in metabolic processes. In addition, it contributes to the delicious sweet taste of this smoothie.
Whether youre looking for a quick and convenient breakfast option or a healthy, flavorful substitute for dessert, these Ninja Blender recipes can help.
The Ninja Blender is a high-powered, professional blender thats pretty much the top of the line when it comes to smoothie-making small appliances.
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Because these are Ninja Blender recipes, your best bet, of course, is to make them in a Ninja Blender.
However, you could make most of them in any standard blender or smoothie maker.
If your blender isnt the same size as a Ninja Blender, though, you may have to adjust the recipe to make it fit your specific appliance.
Any child of the 80s or 90s can tell you that orange creamsicles are the bomb.
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Here Are My Favorite Blenders For Everything
Best Blender Plus Food Processor Ninja BN801 is my favorite blender plus food processor. Ive owned it for over a year and have to say its the best appliance I own. Its great for smoothies, baby food, chopping veggies, or nuts. You name it. It uses much less counter space than other blenders plus food processors Ive seen and works like a charm.
Best Countertop Blender Ninja BL660 is my favorite countertop blender. It has nice power and does not cost much. If you want to make green smoothies or nut butter often, it is recommended that you get this blender instead of using blenders that are cheap and of low quality.
Best Immersion BlenderMueller Austria Ultra-Stick 500 Watts 9-Speed Immersion Blender is my favorite immersion blender. Its a bit different than any other immersion blender. It has at least 9-speed settings and it comes with both a whisk attachment and chopper container.
Best Personal BlenderNutribullet RX N17-1001 blender is my favorite personal blender. It is absolutely a must for people who take care of their health and well-being. You can make tasty smoothies, soups, mix protein drinks with it easily. It has many different functions than regular blenders have.
Best Blender BottlePromixx Miixr Pro is my favorite blender bottle. I take this bottle wherever I go. It has helped me so much in my workouts and that is why I cannot leave it out of the list.
Contents
Suja Vibrant Probiotic Smoothie
“It’s organic and with only 40 calories , it is sweet and delicious and won’t break the calorie bank. This smoothie also contains 2 billion CFUs of probiotics per serving for a healthy gut. And with only eight grams of sugar per serving, it’s far lower in sugar than most other smoothies,” say Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT and Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT, The Nutrition Twins, co-founders of Nutrition Twins.
Read Also: Cancer Fighting Smoothies Recipes
What Makes Some Smoothie Options Unhealthy
Even Moon admits it is no easy feat to pick the best store-bought smoothies: “Honestly, most of what you find on grocery shelves includes a lot of filler juices, and it’s challenging to find smart options.”
Sugar, in particular, can be a big concern when selecting a bottled smoothie.
“While smoothies can usually be a great way to get in nutritious micronutrients like vitamins and minerals, the main distinguisher here is sugar content,” states Rachel Fine, MS, RD, CSSD, registered dietitian, and owner of To The Pointe Nutrition.
“Many bottled smoothies contain a heaping dose of sugar . While we definitely want to reduce the overall consumption of added sugar throughout our day, a large dose of sugar can lead to blood glucose spikes soon after consumption.”
Refreshing Tropical Detox Ninja Smoothie
Lemon is high in vitamin C and powerful antioxidants, in particular, d-Limonene, a compound that can stimulate the liver to produce more helpful enzymes that aid in detoxification. That may be just what you need as youre losing weight to detox your body as you start to eat a healthier diet. This smoothie can b e great for cleansing your body and making you feel great. For more cleansing smoothies, check out our 10 liver detox smoothie recipes.
What Youll Need
Read more: 25 Delicious Green Smoothie Recipes to Boost Your Energy
How to Prepare
Add all ingredients to your Ninja Blender. Blend until smooth, about two to three minutes. Serve immediately. This recipe will serve one.
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Blood Orange Strawberry Smoothie
The sweet-tart taste of the blood orange juice is a fantastic base for a variety of drinks. One of the best ways to enjoy that taste is in the blood orange strawberry smoothie.
This recipe is a great choice for a spring brunch and you’ll love how the two fruits play off each other. The blend is rounded off with smooth yogurt, sweet honey, and a few ice cubes, so it’s as easy as any other smoothie.
The 7 Best Bottled Smoothie Brands You Can Buy
Of course, you can’t beat the ease of picking up a bottled smoothie, since it can save you precious time in the kitchen whipping a smoothie up . “Convenience is a major plus when it comes to these smoothies. With many of us battling on-the-go schedules, it can be hard to get in a truly balanced meal or snack. These convenient smoothies make for reliable options on the busiest of days,” adds Fine.
Below, nutritionists share their favorite healthy bottled smoothie picks and some of the worst offenders in Smoothieville. Read on and gulp up.
Recommended Reading: Vegan Smoothie Smoothie King
Mason Jar Smoothie Hack
Smoothies for breakfast have become a staple in our household in the recent months. Its healthy, filling, quick to prepare the night before, and storing them in a mason jar makes them easy to transport and drink from during the commute to work.
When I started making smoothies, I followed recipes to the T and used a blender. Even though I would follow the exact recipe, I found that I needed to add a little more of this or a little more of that in order to get the consistency and flavor I was aiming for. When it came time to portion the contents from the blender into the mason jars, it was rare to have exact portions for each jar without any leftovers. Leftovers are always great, but extra smoothie batter was not, in our case. We get full after one jar of smoothie and storing leftover smoothie for a prolonged period of time can make for an unappetizing, over-liquefied and pulpy fruit drink. I inevitably dump the leftovers, which I hate to do because its so wasteful, but forcing myself to drink it will just result in a smoothie aversion.
A few months ago I stumbled upon this hack on The Kitchn that uses a mason jar in place of the pitcher and it has changed my smoothie-making life! This hack will work as long as your blender blades securely fit on the mouth of your mason jar. When I found this hack, I immediately collected all the different-sized mason jars I have on hand to make sure they would all fit. They did! No more extra smoothie!
Heres my by sight formula.
Nutra Ninja Coconut Berry Smoothie Recipe
Our Nutra Ninja Coconut Berry Smoothie Recipe is going to make your morning heavenly! We know how hectic mornings are our coconut berry smoothie is great nutrition plus nutra ninja smoothie recipes just rock! Todays ninja smoothie recipe is awesome because its made with coconut milk, mixed berries, frozen banana, greek yogurt, and touch of coconut flakes for an extra rich flavor. We love ninja blender recipestheyre simple to make and SO easy to clean up!
Also Check: Strawberry Banana Smoothie Mcdonalds Nutrition
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Strawberry Banana Smoothie Popsicles
What do I do if I dont drink the smoothie right away? I make popsicles of course!
Pour your smoothie in popsicle molds for a great frozen treat.
Just pour your smoothie mixture in a popsicle mold and you have a healthy snack whenever you need one!
We like to keep the popsicles on hand at all time, including our Strawberry Yogurt popsicles too. Its much less tempting to eat junk food when you have a smoothie popsicle in the freezer whenever you get that late night craving.
Check out the printable recipe below and all of our recipes and let me know what you think!
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May Support Increased Fiber Consumption
Fiber is an important nutrient that aids digestion by preventing constipation and supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract .
Early research suggests that a healthy, thriving community of gut bacteria can help reduce inflammation, promote healthy immune function, and support mental health .
Adequate fiber intake is also linked to a reduced risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes .
Yet, many people are not meeting their daily fiber needs especially those who follow Western diets.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends a daily intake of at least 38 grams of fiber for men and 25 grams for women. Research indicates that most Americans, on average, eat only 16 grams of fiber each day .
With the right ingredients, smoothies can be an excellent way to boost your fiber intake.
Some of the most fiber-rich foods are also common smoothie ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains , nuts, seeds, and legumes .
summary
Smoothies are a convenient way to boost your intake of fruits, vegetables, and several other fiber-rich foods.
The difference between a healthy and unhealthy smoothie largely depends on the quality and quantity of its ingredients.
Smoothies biggest pitfall is their propensity to contain large quantities of added sugar.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting your intake of added sugar to no more than 9 teaspoons per day for men and 6 teaspoons per day for women .
Also Check: Smoothie King Immune Builder
Healthy Iced Coffee Frappuccino
Use the Ninja blender and mix a quick frappuccino. You can make this icy, creamy and delicious frappuccino first thing in the morning for a mid-week pick me up before work. Youll be surprised just how easy it is to replicate your favorite iced frappe from your usual coffee shop, just lower in calories and without the unhealthy sugars, additives, and unknown chemicals.
Our Purpose Is Flavor For All Opportunity For All This Means That We Believe Every Single Bottle Of Torani Carries Two Promises:
Torani History
- In 1925, Rinaldo and Ezilda Torre create hand-crafted syrups from recipes brought from Lucca, Italy
- In 1982, our Vanilla helps create some magic and is used in the first flavored latte
- In 1994, we go global and expand to cafes and bars around the world
Each bottle promises amazing flavor for your beverages
From a classic vanilla latte to a bold cocktail, our flavors can be used however you choose. Liven up a coffee, add pizzazz to a soda, or put more oomph in your iced tea. Thereâs no wrong way to go about it. We have flavors for every moment, so you can flavor your way, no matter where life takes you.
Each bottle also promises our commitment to people
Weâre dedicated to helping all the people, partners, and communities we touch thrive. We believe everything starts with people and that businesses can, and should, create more opportunities for people.
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How To Pick A Healthy Smoothie At The Store
When perusing the grocery store, take the guidance of Maggie Moon, MS, RD, Los Angeles-based registered dietitian and best-selling author of The MIND Diet to choose the best bottled smoothies. She recommends prioritizing:
- whole ingredients
- balance of healthy carbohydrates, protein, and fat
- presence of micronutrients, like potassium or iron
What to avoid:
- filler juices
- added sugars
Your Blood Sugar May Spike
Without a doubt, the main drawback of drinking smoothies on the regular is that they’re often loaded with sugar. Ayesta says this is especially true of bottled store-bought smoothies since they often contain added syrups to enhance the flavor.
Fortunately, if you make your smoothie at home, you can minimize the amount of sugar by reaching for ingredients like whole fruit and unflavored yogurt. Ayesta recommends using water or unsweetened non-dairy milk to reduce the sugar content and overall calories in your smoothie.
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Noka Organic Sweet Potato/goji Superfood Smoothie
“These 4.2-ounce Noka pouches have wholesome ingredients like actual sweet potato, dates, flaxseed, goji and cinnamon, to name a few. You get an excellent source of iron , a good source of potassium , a respectable two grams of fiber and five grams of plant protein, all for 110 calories, 11 grams of total sugars and zero added sugars,” says Moon. “These don’t need refrigeration, so they’re great to keep on hand for when I’m rushing from work straight to a dance class and need a small snack that won’t weigh me down or ruin dinner.”
You Might Still Feel Hungry After
Speaking of the sweet stuff, did you know that it causes spikes and drops in your blood sugar that can actually make you feel hungry? Not only that but since you’re liquifying the fruits and vegetables, you’re missing out on some of the fiber, which is what makes food satiating.
“Smoothies are bypassing an important part of the digestive process which is mastication or chewing,” says Ayesta. “Foods are therefore absorbed more rapidlyso you may be hungrier a lot faster depending on what ingredients you are using.”
Ayesta advises incorporating a protein and/or fiber source if you drink a smoothie every day so your stomach won’t be rumbling an hour after you finish it. Since fiber fills you up, too, he suggests chia seeds or ground flaxseeds, which can add some texture to your smoothie while also making it more filling.
“Always remember that a smoothie is not meant to replace every single meal in your day, but rather be used as a complement to your diet,” says Ayesta. “If you are going to use it as a meal replacer, ensure that it packs all the components of a healthy meal .”
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Odwalla 100% Juice Smoothie
Another popular bottled smoothie choice comes from Odwalla, which has everything from the fan-favorite Strawberry Banana to vitamin-packed Mo Beta. The Original Superfood is vegan and claims to have no added sugar, which seems like a smart choice until you take a peek at the labels 51 grams of sugar.
The smoothies fine print states that the drink is not a reduced calorie food, which is an obvious statement coming from a drink with 240 calories. A grande Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks has about the same amount of calories with 18 less grams of sugar, so why not just drink that?
The juice base of Odwalla smoothies is not a real fruit juice, but a juice concentrate, which might negate the no added sugar claim. Youre also getting less than one gram of fiber, which is a nutrient most of us are severely missing out on.