Smoothie Sensation
Ahhh, smoothies. They are colorful, bursting with flavor and often power packed with nutrients. Simple, quick, and constructed with little mess. Does it get any better?
Smoothies are such a good menu item to help stay on track as you seek to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables. While they aren’t always low in sugar they can easily be adapted to provide 100% nutrition and 100% delight.
Just a few benefits of smoothies:
Great any time of day.
Can be prepared ahead of time.
Provide simple sources of energy.
Encourage proper intake of fruits and vegetables.
Flavors can be customized for different personal preferences.
A great, healthy substitute for milkshakes.
Kids enjoy smoothies.
Require minimal preparation time.
Can be customized for specific dietary needs. (dairy free, grain free, Low FODMAP, those with digestive difficulties etc)
Creating smoothies is fun!
Unfamiliar with building a solid smoothie? Follow these simple steps:
Which base flavors suit your fancy? Sweet, berry flavors? Tropical, exotic and citrus? Mild and rich? Also, decide at this stage if you want fruits and vegetables, all fruit or just a vegetable combo. Adding greens to smoothies is a great way to pump the body with necessary vitamins and minerals without altering the flavor of the smoothie.
Sweet: raspberries, cherries, pineapple or peaches
Tart: oranges, kiwi, cranberries or grapefruit
Earthy: avocados, green apples (green = lower in sugar), bananas, or greens
Choose one green (1 cup)
Raw, fresh | spinach, arugula, romaine, kale
Choose a protein (1 tablespoon)
Ground | chia seeds, flax seeds
Smooth | nut butters - sunflower, peanut, almond, or cashew
Choose a liquid (1/2 cup, add more as needed)
Dairy milk | Full-fat, Non-GMO, casein free (*see below)
Non -dairy milk | coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk,
Water | coconut water or purified water
*Did you know? Most of the milks available in western Europe, North America, and Australia contain A1 casein – an enzyme that can be highly inflammatory in your body? A1 milk can worsen acne, allergies and asthma, cause digestive issues, and is associated with coronary artery disease and autoimmune disease. All the more reason to use a plant-based milk or look for other options such as goat’s milk or milk from Jersey cows which are free of this inflammation causing enzyme (2).
Choose your flavor (1 tsp, add more to taste)
Cocoa or cacao powder, vanilla extract, almond extract, shredded coconut, ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg
Not enough sweetness? Opt for stevia, dates or another natural sugar. Add to taste.
Topping it all off:
Give a quick sprinkle of ground chia seeds, shredded coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, mint leaves, cocoa -whichever complements the smoothie flavor!
Get creative with your smoothies, get healthy and be well!
What’s next?
For recipe ideas head to our Aspen Wellness Resources or visit the Aspen Wellness Pinterest boards.
References:
“Home - PMC - NCBI.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/.
Briden, Lara, et al. “The Inflammation From A1 Milk Is Mind-Boggling.” Lara Briden - The Period Revolutionary, 14 Nov. 2017, www.larabriden.com/the-inflammation-from-a1-milk-is-mind-boggling/.