Healthy smoothies have taken the internet by storm in the most recent years, and it comes as no surprise to us. Healthy smoothies are the perfect way to fuel your body with vital nutrients, superfoods, and protein. Not only are they packed with nutritional value, but they are also so easy to make- which makes healthy smoothies a convenient luxury for anyone on the go.
This guide is intended to show you how to build the perfect healthy smoothie recipe for your tasting. Whether you enjoy healthy smoothies as mid-day snack or are dedicated to meeting your fitness goals we’ll show you what to do and how to avoid common pitfalls in the smoothie making scene.
In this blog post
- What should you put in a healthy smoothie?
- What makes Ingredients healthy (and what to avoid)
- The most popular healthy Smoothie ingredients right now
- 3 bold healthy smoothie recipes you have to try this year
Disclaimer: While Casting Organic is passionate about health, wellness, and topics related to nutrition, we are not experts-nor do we claim to be. At the same time, we approach our topics from personal experience that has worked, which is why we choose to share our findings. While we do not know all the science out there, we do seek to do our research and bring credible sources for you to learn from. If you are someone that suffers from chronic diseases or has strict dietary restrictions, we recommend you consult with your doctor before making any drastic changes in your routine.
What should you put in healthy smoothies?
If you’re wondering what kind of ingredients are best to add to smoothies, you’ve come to the right place. Our trusted friends at John Hopkins give us a great outline of what those ingredients should be- and spoiler alert it’s not sugar or ice cream.
In their recent blog post all about smoothie making, they make a pretty well rounded overview of the set categories of food types to consider. So not to steer too from what their recommending- because let’s face it’s a pretty solid list. It includes the following categories,
Protein
Protein is the perfect ingredient to add to your smoothie especially if you have an active lifestyle. If you also tend to eat less proteins (as in Chickens, Beef, etc.) adding protein to your smoothie is an effective and delicious way to meet specific protein intake goals. You can use things like powders, Greek yogurt, or nut butters.
Fruit
Fruit is our personal favorite staple when making smoothies- and we even go as far as to say that a smoothie is not a smoothie without no fruit. It adds a lot of flavorful, and favorable vitamins and minerals that will leave you satisfied. You won’t even realize that you’re drinking something with no added sugars.
Greens
If you’re not a big fan of salads but feel like you’re missing out on a lot of the nutrients that these leafy plants provide, consider adding them to your smoothies. Leafy greens are packed with vitamins that help with things like skin, protein, b12 and so much more. The best part about adding greens in your smoothies, is that they don’t have much taste. So you can always add a sturdy amount and add some fruits to make them taste enjoyable.
Liquid base
Depending on the type of consistency that you want to add to your smoothie you can use a number of different liquids to help mix all your ingredients together. Milks- diary or plant based, and water are out go-to options. Some people use fruit juice to their smoothies, but we tend to stay away from these because most of them tend to have a load of added sugars.
Healthy Fats
Avocados and chia seeds, and flax seeds, are the perfect healthy fats to mix into your smoothie. I know what you might be thinking- avocados in a smoothie!? Yes- Avocados are a great ingredient to add to smoothie, as they have a similar consistency to bananas and are packed with hearty benefits. On top of that- its flavor is easy to mix in with other ingredients.
What makes ingredients healthy (and what to avoid)
Healthy ingredients are all about how processed they are. With a lot of processed and frozen smoothie packs, for example, have so many sugars that it is basically like going to cold stone and eating a bunch of ice cream. The best ingredients to use in a smoothie are going to be unprocessed raw fruits and vegetables. At the same time, there may be some good frozen fruit options that are healthy to use as well. A lot of the time these are great for the winter times, when fruits like berries are not in season.
We suggest you always read your food labels to double check that everything looks good to go.
What you want to avoid
Always try to avoid things with added sugars. We have said many times in this blog post before- but some things are just worth repeating. Smoothies are already an overload of different fruits, vegetables, and other bases, so adding heavy ingredients like sugars can actually cause you to intake more calories than expected. The worst part is that although you’ve just consumed a bunch of calories- your body may not feel full for too long- causing you to eat another meal shortly after.
This causes a lot of people to gain weight and surpass a healthy amount of food for their day. Everything in moderation is important. Read, read, read, your ingredient labels and be wise with what you’re combing.
Most Popular healthy Smoothies Ingredient Right now
To no surprise to us, the most popular smoothie ingredients at the moment are Bananas, Mangoes, Berries and peanut butter! Smoothie makers all over, are eagerly searching for smoothie recipes that have these specific ingredients more than any others. These fruits and nut butter are any person’s grocery store staple and are perfect ingredients to add a punch of flavor to their morning or day-time snack.
#1. Mangoes…
which we consider the taste of a tropical paradise vacation, are the perfect sweetener replacement. For smoothie makers who are looking to use healthy ingredients but struggle with letting go of addictive ingredients- like sugars-mangoes are your best friend. This fruit will add a punch of undeniable flavor while providing you with natural vitamins and minerals. In the mix is the vitamin C which makes up 67% of the daily intake value- talk about a perfect immune booster .
#2. Berries…,
are the small and mighty antioxidant leaders. These small and color fruits are considered the poster child of foods recommend for things like skin care, fighting cell damage and free radicals! They are tasty make for the perfect healthy smoothies ingredient, any time of year. Their sweet and slight tartiness, allows for a great options when pairing with overly sweet or plain ingredients like greek yogurt or pears.
#3 Bananas…
are the ultimate kitchen staple! This tropical fruit, is packed with potassium, fiber, even Vitamin C. Bananas are greatly known for their benefits to help aid weight loss, blood sugar levels, and digestive system- just to name a few. On top of all that nutritional goodness, bananas are the absolute perfect healthy smoothies fruit base. They are typically paired with any flavor and they even add a filling texture to your smoothie- which can aid with helping you stay satisfied for longer.
#4 Nut Butters…
are our nostalgic ingredient making head way among healthy smoothies. If you’re anything like us, you grew up eating PB&J sandwiches as a kid and the nut butter taste can take you right back to those days. As mentioned before, they are the perfect source of protein and its loaded with other vitamins like B3 and B6.
Bold Healthy Smoothies Recipes You have to try this year
Tropical Green Power Smoothie
- Ingredients: Kale, mango, banana, coconut milk, chia seeds, a squeeze of lime honey.
- Why It Works: Packed with vitamin C, fiber, and healthy fats for an energy boost that won’t leave you crashing later.
Berry-Chia Antioxidant Boost
- Ingredients: Mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries), Greek yogurt, chia seeds, oat milk, pear, honey.
- Why It Works: This antioxidant-packed smoothie is the perfect skin and immunity booster. Plus, it’s naturally low in sugar.
Almond Butter Banana Shake
- Ingredients: Banana, maple almond butter, oat milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract
- Why It Works: A rich, creamy smoothie that’s perfect for post-workout or breakfast. It’s protein-packed but doesn’t leave you bloated.
What is your Favorite Healthy Smoothie?
Did you try one of our favorite healthy smoothies? We would love to hear from you- let us know in the comment section below which is your favorite of the three! Don’t forget to save this healthy smoothie guide for later.
