Healthy Smoothie Ingredients
This week I started thinking about adding even more healthy smoothie ingredients to my daily smoothies.
On Monday when I placed an order with Whole Foods, I ordered frozen spinach, Greek yogurt, and healthy seeds.
I’m now adding spinach to my smoothies. And as I’d read from others, you don’t even taste the spinach.
Adding Nutrient Rich Spinach:
Spinach is one of the most nutritionally-dense vegetables out there. It’s low in calories, but high in fiber, folate, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K.
It’s also rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants and plant compounds.
I also ordered FAGE (pronounced “fa-yeh”) Total, an all-natural Greek strained plain yogurt that is rich, creamy, and made with simple ingredients. It is a major dairy brand in Greece.
Adding Plant-Based Protein:
I ordered ground flaxseed and hemp seed for smoothies. Both flaxseed and hemp seed provides plant-based protein and fiber and is rich in omega-3 acids.
Hemp seeds take the place of nuts. Hemp seeds have a creamy texture that produces a smooth background for fruits or berries.
I forgot to order chia seeds, which I will add to my next order.
Chia seeds have many health benefits. They are packed with fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and various micronutrients. So you get a lot of bang for your proverbial buck.
Omega-3 fatty acids are said to help improve brain function and boost the immune system.
Hemp, flax, and chia seeds each have a unique nutrition profile, so you can add one or all to a smoothie.
In recovering from surgery and trying to walk again, I figure I need all the nutrients I can get.
Healthy Smoothie Ingredients Recipes:
I found many smoothie recipes over at the Well Plated blog for you to check out.
These food bloggers are certainly more creative with their smoothies than I am.
A Couple Cooks has lots of smoothie recipes that include yogurt.
Here are 10 fat-burning smoothie recipes that also help with chronic inflammation.
I absolutely love my smoothie maker. I’ve had several over the years, but this one is my favorite.
It is the Koios Smoothie Bullet Blender. And it was just under $50 for the eleven-piece set. You can also grind coffee, nuts, and beans with it.
I noticed today that this smoothie blender is cheaper than I bought it for at $42.49. When I purchased it I paid $49.99.
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I used to put spinach in my son’s smoothies – he had no idea! Another of my favorites is to add avocado. It makes the smoothie very creamy. Now you’ve gotten me in the mood for one!
Check out coconut unsweetened for its medium and shirt chain fatty acids benefits for inflammation and joint health which I’m in need of now at age 75 and borage oil the PA free pure cold pressed variety. It’s edible ir in capsule form. I love watercress in anything, soups or smoothies, English tea sandwiches, stir fried etc….. full of vits and minerals.
I have been making my own smoothies in my blender for breakfast for years. I start with a banana (it naturally sweetens the smoothie and makes it thicker), then a cup of unsweetened almond milk. Then I add either fresh organic berries and ice (I like my smoothies frosty and kind of thick) or if I don’t have fresh berries on-hand, organic frozen berries. Frozen tropical fruit mixture is good, too. I add protein – either a spoon of nut butter or plain Greek yogurt (like you mentioned – but don’t buy the no-fat…your body actually needs healthy fats). In the fridge, I keep a glass jar of a mixture of organic beet powder (got it on Amazon – my functional dr told me to get it…it’s good for blood pressure) with chia seeds, hemp hearts, flaxmeal, and raw pumpkin seeds) – I add a spoon of that to my smoothie, too. As a side note, if you’re new to flaxmeal, chia seeds and/or hemp hearts, take it easy with them at first, as they can cause tummy upset/diarrhea until your body gets used to them. Lastly, I add a big fist full of organic baby spinach or baby kale.
This mixture keeps me full for several hours.
You can also add some frozen riced cauliflower for another veggie. Like the spinach, you can’t taste it.
My daughter prepackaged her smoothies by using fresh strawberries, bananas, fresh spinach and whatever else she wants in them. Puts them in a plastic bag and the freezer. Then they are ready to pop in the blender along with some yogurt and nice and cold.
Great idea! I have frozen bananas cut into thirds in one plastic baggy, one is filled with various types of berries, and the other baggy has spinach. That’s smart to have them all ready to go.
I can’t wait to check out some of those other blogs for their smoothie recipes. I’ve never added hemp seeds. I’ll have to order some. I loved making smoothies. I agree, it’s a great way to pack in lots of healthy goodies for your body.
I ordered my ground so it wouldn’t be noticeable in texture.
Thank you for sharing all your information, Brenda. I’ve been thinking about purchasing a smoothie maker. I enjoy fruit but can’t eat it fast enough so I’ve been thinking smoothies would solve that challenge.
This is all something very interesting for me to ponder.
I don’t get enough fruit in either. So now I’m getting cherries, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, and mango.
Interesting information because I do not have a smoothie maker. I just added it to my want list.
I was trying to get most things through vitamins and supplements. Now I’m getting actual fruit and spinach.
You don’t have to buy a special smoothie maker. A regular blender works just fine.
I have for years bought Vega One plant based protein powder. One scoop gives me 20 grams of protein. I mix it with water.
I usually buy the plain because I don’t care for anything too tasty.
It is quite pricy at about $49 for 20 servings. Sometimes I can find it on sale on my local supermarket or on Amazon.
Wendy, can you provide a link to the protein powder you use on Amazon?
I’m getting 60 grams of protein with Body Fortress Protein Powder. They didn’t have it this time I ordered, so I got something called Six Star Elite Series protein 1.8 pounds for less than $20 for 18 servings also with 60 grams of protein. I don’t have a favorite yet. Still testing.
Brenda, be careful with the protein powders you order. A lot of them have some nasty ingredients in them like soy, carageenan and Sucralose. Look at the ingredient labels online. If you’re not sure what something is or why it’s bad for you, Google it. There’s some clean protein powders out there, but they’re quite pricey. Best to stick to nut butters (peanut, almond…whatever you like) and plain Greek yogurt for protein.