How Can I Find And Add Superfoods For Smoothies
Another way to add an extra punch to your drink is to add a superfood. A superfood is defined asa nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. These can add health benefits to your diet when added to an already nutrient-packed drink. Here are some of my favorites:
- cacao nibs. Add some chocolate flair with cacao nibs! I like to add a tablespoon or two to a cauliflower, banana, peanut butter smoothie.
- chia seeds. Be sure to blend these in well or allow them to soak in some liquid before adding to the blender. This will help to avoid any texture issues.
- flax seeds. Add some Omega 3s to your smoothie by adding some flax seeds. Use ground to make sure they get blended in well.
- goji berries. Toss a tablespoon in for some extra antioxidants as well as some plant protein.
- hemp seeds. Perfect for omegas, fiber, and protein!
Want more quick and easy breakfast options? Check out this post with over 30 Breakfast Recipes for Kids
Adding Veggies To Your Smoothie
While leafy greens are a great start to vegetables in your smoothie, are there other ways to add in veggies that wont have you doing the plug the nose and gulp routine? Yes! There are tons of great veggies that add nutrition to smoothies, without altering the taste. In this fruit and vegetable smoothie, I added cucumber and celery. Celery is loaded with fiber and antioxidants, as well as nutrients that help lower blood pressure. Cucumber, which is actually a fruit that most people refer to as a veggie, contains fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium. Both green ingredients are bright, crunchy, and pair nicely with the lemon and ginger for a happy wakeup call.
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The Best Dried Fruit Smoothie Recipe
One of the best things about dried fruit smoothies is that you can customize them however you like. If you like apricots, try starting with this strawberry and dried apricot smoothie recipe.
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup strawberries, cut in halves
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup rolled oats, uncooked
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
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Dr Ozs Green Smoothie
Dr. Oz shares this favorite green drink to start your morning right. Replace your normal morning beverage with this low-calorie drink and youre on the right track of your weight loss program. Combined with spinach and apples, you can get a fiber-rich drink to start your day.
The orange, pineapple, lime, and lemon are rich in Vitamin C to strengthen your immune system. Cucumber contains high levels of B vitamins to relieve anxiety and protect against the damaging effects of stress. Celery is a great source of vitamin K to prevent excessive bleeding while carrots contain beta-carotene for skin and eye health.
To create this green smoothie, you will need these ingredients:
- 1/4 of each- orange, lime, lemon, and pineapple
- 2 carrots, peeled
In a blender, mix all ingredients. If you find the mixture too thick for your preference, add water. Pour the finished smoothie in a mason jar or any glass of your choice and serve. Enjoy while still cold.
How To Blend The Best Smoothie
Though calorie needs vary depending on age, weight, hormones, activity levels, and more, as a rule of thumb, most of us do well with snacks that contain fewer than 200 calories a 300- to 450-calorie breakfast would cover most adults needs. Heres how to get the most nutrition without driving the calories sky high.
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Is It Possible To Juice Frozen Fruits
Yes, you can juice frozen fruits. The key is to thaw the fruit before adding it to your juicer.
Frozen fruits are great for recipes and smoothies but not so much when it comes to juicing. Frozen produce contains a lot of water that doesnt extract very well through a slow masticating machine.
When using frozen fruit in your glass, try popping them out of their packaging ahead of time if possible. This will give them extra time to expand while they defrost at room temperature. Have patience with this process depending on how cold the ingredients were when they went into storage, it could take up to 15 minutes for all the pieces to soften enough to squeeze.
Smoothie Recipes You Can Try
Now that you have an idea which fruits and vegetables you can make into smoothies, why not try some of these recipes out for yourself? In addition to all the health benefits that they provide, they are undeniably tasty and refreshing as well.
But dont stop there. Keep in mind that most any fruit or vegetable can serve as a flavorful ingredient for a smoothie, or make an excellent base for other flavors. Use these recipes as a guide for your own experimentations, and feel free to come up with your own nutritious creations!
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Not Adding Enough Leafy Greens
I use 40% leafy greens and the rest is fruit. That means I add about two small handfuls of leafy greens when I prepare a green smoothie that is about 20 ounces. When I make a meal that is about 30 ounces or more, I add three large handfuls of leafy greens.
If you only add a few spinach leaves or kale leaves to your smoothie that is about 30 ounces, it does not help a lot.
When you’re adding sweet fruit such as mango, orange, pineapple and banana, you will get more nutritional value and minerals and you will not even know about the greens that are bitter.
Does The Nutritional Value Of Fruit Change When Frozen
No, the nutritional value of frozen fruit does not change.
Some people think that freezing can cause certain nutrients to become depleted or dissipate into thin air because defrosted produce isnt as appetizing and fresh looking as fresh vegetables and fruits are. This is a myth.
The nutritional content stays exactly the same it simply becomes denser after being flash-frozen at peak ripeness for maximum flavor and nutrient retention.
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Fruit And Veggie Smoothies For Kids
I love serving my kids veggie smoothies for breakasts. Smoothies are Ryan and Owens favorite food and I love that its a healthier alternative to some of their favorite breakfasts for kids items.
But the real reason I love serving the boys my secret weapon is that I can get veggies in there. I can add nutrition to their diets without a complaint.
Every time I tell people my kids gobble up smoothies packed with vegetables, I immediately get questions
While its not rocket science, I have discovered a few tips to make the best veggie smoothies that are vital to my success.
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Veggie Smoothies Arent Sweet Enough What Can I Do
Do you prefer special drinks from commercial smoothie stores? Its a good guess that you dont find homemade versions sweet enough. No worries, well get there. Here are some tips on how to make them sweeter!
- Use the sweetest fruits you can find. Typically, this means buying the more expensive bag of frozen fruit. Alternatively, use fresh fruit that is in season to ensure peak ripeness.
- Add an extra ripe banana. Bananas add a ton of sweetness to veggie smoothies if theyre super ripe. I tend to buy an excess of bananas at all times. Then, I freeze them at that perfect overripe state for baking and blending.
- Use the fruits with the most natural sugars. Pineapple, sweet cherries and mango come to mind as the most consistently very sweet. Strawberries and blueberries in my experience are hit or miss in terms of sweetness.
- Add some natural sweeteners. If you really need some extra sweetness, try to use a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup. Remember babies under 1 can not have honey.
Want to trick your kiddos with every meal? Try this: Over 100 Hidden Veggie Recipes Your Kids Will Love!
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Cons Of Juicing And Blending
There can also be some downsides to blending or juicing, especially when you drink juices or smoothies as a meal replacement.
Cons of juicing. Juice diets or cleanses have become a popular way to lose weight quickly. But when you drink juice as a meal replacement, you deprive your body of the calories and protein that it needs. You might lose weight quickly, but you also lose water and muscle mass, which isnt sustainable long-term.
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Additionally, fiber helps regulate blood sugar levels, so drinking too much juice may cause your blood sugar to spike. Fiber is also responsible for keeping you full, so you might be left feeling hungry after drinking only juice.
Cons of blending. Blending smoothies wont cause your blood sugar to spike as much as with drinking juice, but they can raise your blood sugar levels because of all the fruit. To help keep sugar in check, use no more than two servings of fruit per smoothie.
Too much fiber can cause problems like gas and indigestion. With a smoothie, you might eat too much of it without realizing.
Ingredients That You Should Never Add To Your Smoothie
How can a smoothie be unhealthy? Well, a green smoothie will be healthy as long as you only use natural wholefoods. Though, they can quickly turn into junk food.
So, let me first set the record straight about a few unhealthy ingredients that I have spotted in some smoothie recipes which I found on the other blogs.
If you have made any of these mistakes when it comes to blending your smoothie, it is not too late to change your recipe.
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Can You Put Frozen Fruit In Your Juicer
You technically can, but you should always try to thaw the fruit before adding it to your juicer. Freezing fruits and vegetables changes their cell structure and makes them difficult for a juicer to process.
If you try adding frozen produce directly into your machine, youll end up with a thick puree that will be nearly impossible for it to break down. Food can become so dense when frozen that not even a powerful commercial-grade juicer will be able to extract the juice.
Orange Strawberry Squash Smoothie
This two-serving sipper is a delicious way to help you reach your daily fruit and veggie requirements. Like many smoothies, you could blend it into a drink or a smoothie bowl. If you want to make more of a meal out of it, add protein-rich enhancers, like protein powder or Greek yogurt.
This smoothie bowl packs 27 g of protein to power you through a long morning. Plus, wild blueberries are packed with antioxidants and fiber.
If a non-dairy smoothie is more your style, this one, with plant-based protein powder, makes a delicious and filling meal.
Cottage cheese provides the protein in this layered drink. Its made parfait-style so the smoothie and cottage cheese are kept separateperfect for days when you want to dig in with a spoon.
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They May Interfere With Certain Medications
âThe high Vitamin K content in leafy greens such as spinach and kale can reduce the effects of certain anti-clotting medications,â says Jones. âGreen leafy vegetables are a staple in smoothies and the amount may interfere with these medications. People taking blood-thinners do not need to avoid vitamin K, but should still talk to their medical team about how much they should consume.â
Dont Peel The Frozen Fruit
If you freeze fruit with the skin on, dont bother peeling it before adding it to your juicer. The skin will be easy enough for a machine like this one to break down and process while extracting all the juice inside.
The skin also contains the vast majority of the fruits nutrients, so dont forget to leave it on for maximum nutritional value.
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Can You Juice Frozen Fruit Simple Tips & Tricks
Frozen fruit can be a great way to get your daily intake of nutrients. You can use frozen fruit in recipes, smoothies, and even juice.
But can you juice frozen fruit? The answer is yes, but it can take some preparation and know-how. There are some things to keep in mind when juicing it. Frozen fruit can be tricky for your juicer, so here are some tips on how best to get the most out of your frozen produce.
There are a few options for juicing with frozen produce, and these tips will help you make the most out of your frozen produce.
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Health Benefits Of Fruit And Vegetable Smoothies
There are many reasons why everyone from parents to doctors recommends a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. According to the Harvard University School of Public Health, a daily diet that includes two to six servings of fruits and vegetables can reduce heart disease and stroke risk, lower blood pressure, and even help prevent certain types of cancer. Furthermore, a fruit and vegetable-rich diet can also reduce the risk of eye disease and prevent intestinal inflammation.
Fruits and vegetables are known to be rich sources of vitamins and minerals. Including them in your diet is also a great way to get the fiber that you need in a palatable and easy to digest form.
Then there are antioxidants. Relatively little is known about antioxidants as yet, but what little is known is quite promising.
Antioxidants are thought to combat the debilitating effects of aging and disease, which makes them essential components for cancer-risk reduction and disease prevention.
In particular, fruits such as berries and orange vegetables such as carrots and pumpkins are rich in antioxidants, making them essential parts of a healthy diet.
Perhaps the best thing about smoothies is that they provide children and adults with a way to get the fruits and vegetables that they need in order to maintain good health. Many childrenand even adultsdont always get the nutrients that they need from the food that they routinely eat.
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Add More Liquid To Your Fruit Juice Recipe
Thawed fruits are juicier than fresh produce would be after being refrigerated for a few days. Youll need to compensate for this by adding extra water or juice when your recipe calls for frozen fruit. The same goes if you decide to use thawed fruit in place of fresh fruit just add more liquid so that the consistency isnt too thick and unappealing.
What Are The Best Vegetables For Smoothies
In general, you can toss any vegetable into a smoothie and make it taste good. But, there are definitely some that will give you the best results.
- Greens. Leafy greens are a smoothies best friend. They blend up so well, the taste is easily overpowered, and the color is fun! You can easily cover the green up by adding something like blueberries.
- Sweet potato. Cooked sweet potato is the perfect vegetable for a blending. Naturally sweet, it adds a delicious thickness and creaminess to your drink.
- Beets. Simply buy a package of pre-cooked beets and toss some in. They add sweetness and a really fun pink color to food without a ton of effort.
- Peas. Not only are peas sweet, they are packed with protein! If possible, frost your peas to ensure they blend in smooth.
- Squash. From zucchini to yellow squash to pumpkin, these are the perfect vegetable. They blend up smooth as well as having a very light taste.
- Avocado. Pack in some healthy fats by blending in some fresh avocado.
- Cauliflower. The flavor is so light and since its white kids wont notice it at first glance.
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Dont Forget The Berries
Source: Blueberry Açaí Super Smoothie
And lets not forget about the best source of fruit when it comes to fiber for your smoothies berries! Raspberries, acai, and blackberries are some of the highest sources of fiber, and are lower in sugar than other types, however, no matter what type of berry you enjoy, theyre all great and provide more fiber than many other fruits. When choosing fruits, stick to 1-2 servings per smoothie and pick the most nutrient-dense like berries, apples, and pears that are also rich in fiber too.
What are your favorite fiber-rich smoothie ingredients?
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Need Some Great Recipes
- A Red Beet Smoothie
Use strawberries or cherries as your fruits and beets as your vegetable in this smoothie. Omit the dairy and substitute coconut water to get a bright red color! Keep the milk and yogurt of choice and youll have a pretty pink drink perfect for a princess.
- Orange Smoothie with Carrot and Sweet Potato
With this recipe, youre free to stick to just one fruit since the vegetables are naturally sweet. To keep the orange color, try mango or even papaya!
- Yellow Pina Colada Smoothie with Cauliflower
Try combining pineapple and banana with cauliflower. Youll have a sweet, light yellow drink everyone will love.
My youngest is obsessed with all things dinosaur. Anytime I make him a green veggie smoothie he gobbles up, dinosaur juice. Leafy greens, peas, banana, and pineapple make a great, perfectly sweet drink. We even made a Grinch version for a Christmas Smoothie!
- Purple Smoothie with vegetables
For the perfect purple smoothie, try blueberries, greens, and purple sweet potato. If you need extra sweetness, add some pineapple or apple to the mix.
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