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How to make the perfect smoothie

19 January 2021
by Glynis Horning

Nutrient-loaded smoothies are as easy to make as to enjoy. The perfect quick way to start your workday and your year – if you pick the right ingredients. 

Balance the sweetness

Using fruit alone can make for a very sweet smoothie loaded with carbs which give short–term energy, but can leave you feeling hungry and tired again before long. "Drinking lots of pure fruit juice can cause a spike in your blood sugar, which may lead to excessive weight gain," cautions Durban nutritionist Hlanzeka Mpanza. But, by using whole fruits - including the skin - and combining them with vegetables, you displace some of the carbohydrates from the fruits' sugar, and add fibre to help you feel full longer and keep your blood sugar stable. 

A balanced smoothie idea

Blitz up the likes of a medium apple with two stalks of celery, a handful of spinach, a quarter cup of raw almonds and a cup of water.

Use a rainbow of fruits and vegetables

There are more than 1 000 phytonutrients – the compounds produced by plants that give them their different colours and protect them from attacks by microbes and insects. Antioxidants among them help protect our bodies against free radicals associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer and signs of ageing. "It’s hard to isolate phytonutrients, so include a variety of different coloured fruit and veggies in the course of the day or week," says Port Elizabeth dietitian Denise Stokell. 

Multi-coloured smoothie ideas

Go green for one smoothie – combine, say, green grapes, cucumber and kale (high in lutein, a carotenoid); red for the next – berries, watermelon and pink grapefruit juice (high in lycopene); and yellow/orange for the next – mango, pawpaw and carrots (high in betacarotene).

Include healthy fats and protein

This will not only help slow your digestion and the release of glucose into your blood, but boost the nutrition quota of your smoothie. Include plain yoghurt, milk, or a good quality protein powder for protein; and raw nuts, seeds or avocado for healthy fats and a balanced smoothie. 

Here’s how

Blend a banana with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, a cup of low-fat plain yoghurt and a cup of milk or almond milk. Add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder for a flavour twist and additional nutritional boost - t’s naturally rich in minerals and nutrients, and even provides a small amount of protein.

Combine smartly to improve absorption

Some nutrients are best taken up by your body when you pair them with others. For instance, spinach and hemp seeds can be useful sources of plant-based protein and iron if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, but they aren’t absorbed well from plant sources. Combining them with vitamin C can help.

Here’s how

Blend 2 cups of spinach leaves and 4 tablespoons of hemp seeds with a cup of orange juice and some ice. Along with iron, you’ll be getting your daily recommended intake of vitamin C – and if you use vitamin-enriched orange juice, around a third of your recommended daily calcium intake.

IMAGE CREDIT: 123rf.com