How to Boost Your Smoothie Game
Thinking of blending up a nutritious smoothie? Before you start gathering ingredients, it's important to know what should and shouldn't go into your drink. If you're not careful, you could be racking up sugar, fat, and calories without realizing it. From canned fruit to avocados, here are 10 smoothie ingredients you should skip—and 10 delicious (and healthy) ones you should always add.
1. Canned Fruit
You might think it harmless to add canned fruit to your smoothie—after all, fruit in a can is still fruit, right? But it's important to note that many canned fruit varieties are packed in syrups that will only up your total sugar intake. That's never good news if you're trying to eat healthier.
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2. Sweetened or Flavored Yogurt
Yogurt might be a nutritious ingredient, but heavily sweetened ones aren't. In fact, even when you're making a conscious decision to choose healthier options, like low-fat or fat-free varieties, your pick may backfire. Why? Because to make up for the lack of fat, these varieties often add more sugar to round out the flavor and taste, which leads to your smoothie becoming a sugar bomb.
3. Nutella
Ah, who doesn't love chocolate hazelnut spread? Nutella is everyone's favorite breakfast spread! Well, only if you're okay with eating 10 grams of sugar, 6 grams of fat, along with 2 grams of saturated fat in just a single tablespoon serving. And considering that people tend to add more than one tablespoon... You get the picture.
4. Juice
If you're thinking of adding sugary fruit juice to your smoothie, think again. Most store-bought varieties contain more added sugar and water than actual real fruit juice, so you'd be much better off picking out some fresh oranges, apples, berries, and bananas instead.
5. Ice Cream
Ice cream in your smoothie sure sounds delicious, but if you're trying to blend up something nutritious, it's probably not the best ingredient to add. You're not making a milkshake, after all. Plus, aside from all the sugar and fat this creamy dessert is loaded with, if you're lactose intolerant, the dairy content is only going to make you feel more queasy.
6. Whipped Cream
Again, if your goal is to make a nutritious smoothie and not a homemade milkshake, then you should probably skip the whipped cream and all other dessert ingredients (yes—that means no sprinkles, either). Being high in fat, sugar, and calories, you don't need us to tell you that whipped cream is a no-no.
7. Certain Protein Powders
Protein powder can be a great ingredient to add to your smoothie, but it's always important to check what's inside it first. You'll also need to decide on a goal: are you looking to bulk or just lose weight? Some protein powders might contain fillers, sugars, and other highly processed ingredients that'll only tack up your calorie total, not help you shave off the weight.
8. Added Sweeteners
Before you squeeze another dollop of honey or maple syrup into your blender, you'll want to check how much sugar your drink will have in total. If you already have other naturally sweet ingredients in there, like berries, bananas, and tropical fruits, it's best to skip added sweeteners.
9. Alcohol
Technically, adding alcohol to your smoothie would just make it a cocktail, but it's probably best to avoid the booze either way. Unless you're blending up beverages for a special occasion, it's important to note that alcohol only adds empty calories, and will make you feel worse the more you drink.
10. Too Much of a Healthy Thing
But adding too much of a healthy ingredient can also be a bad thing, which means you might want to stick to only the serving size suggestions when adding in nut butters and high-fat fruits, like avocados. It may help to think of your smoothie like a meal so you can watch your portion sizes.
What, then, are some better ingredients to add to your drink? Here are 10 tasty—and healthy—ones to always blend in:
1. Chia Seeds
Whether you prefer chia or flax seeds, both add fiber and protein, which help keep you full and your bowel movements regular, and antioxidants that help you fight inflammation. With chia seeds in particular, they're especially great if you want something to thicken up your smoothie, since they gel up once soaked.
2. Plant-Based Milk
Can't do dairy? That's okay—just choose a plant-based base. Whether you like almond, oat, or soy, there are plenty of dairy-free alternatives you can reach for that taste just as great. Plus, they often offer just as much calcium, vitamins, and other nutrients as regular cow's milk, making it a healthy, vegan-friendly choice.
3. Fruits
Berries, bananas, apples, melons, mangoes, oranges... the list goes on. Fruit, after all, is a classic smoothie ingredient, and you can never go wrong no matter which variety you choose. The only thing you'll want to watch out for? Given that many fruits are already naturally sweet, it's best not to add more syrup or honey to your drink.
4. Veggies
Thinking of making your smoothie into a green drink? Spinach and kale are popular picks, but don't be afraid of trying out other veggies, like sweet potato, cauliflower, carrot, pumpkin, or whatever else is in your fridge or pantry. For ingredients that are hard to blend when raw, try steaming them beforehand.
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5. Greek Yogurt
There's a reason why Greek yogurt is such a favorite in smoothies: thick and creamy with a star-studded nutrition profile, Greek yogurt will give your drink the healthy oomph it needs. As mentioned before, make sure to stick to plain, unflavored varieties, and always check the nutrition label beforehand.
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6. Nut Butter
Instead of adding sugary chocolate spreads like Nutella, which is loaded with fat, sugar, and calories, choose healthier varieties, like peanut or almond butter. Nut butters typically give you a good boost of protein and healthy fats, and help thicken up your smoothie.
7. Avocado
Avocado is another popular smoothie ingredient. Why? Because it's full of healthy, monounsaturated fats—the kind that help keep your heart pumping as it should. But don't go adding one too many of these green fruits into your drink; avocados may be high in good fats, but too much of a good thing can still be a bad thing.
8. Ginger
Not only does ginger give your drink a spicy kick, but this ancient root is also known for fighting inflammation, boosting immunity, and relieving digestive issues. Dice it up and throw it in along with your other ingredients, or grind out the juice and pour that in instead.
9. Cinnamon & Spices
Thinking of adding other spices? Try adding some cinnamon or nutmeg, which will give your smoothie a delicious, aromatic flavor. These spices are also known to have antioxidant properties, which means they can help you fight inflammation and oxidative stress to prevent cell damage.
10. Coconut Water
For a slightly healthier base than plain water and a dairy-free version that doesn't use plant-based milk, coconut water may be just what you're looking for. Packed with nutrients and electrolytes, coconut water is perfect when you want something light that still boosts hydration and health.
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