A well-made smoothie can be a simple and enjoyable way to add more fruit, vegetables, fibre and other nutrients to your diet.
While no individual food or drink can “balance” your hormones or detox your body, a varied and balanced diet plays an important part in supporting your overall health and wellbeing.
Here are some of the reasons you might want to add an occasional smoothie or smoothie bowl to your routine.
6 Benefits of a Well-Balanced Smoothie
1. An easy way to include more fruit and vegetables
Smoothies can make it easier to include a wider variety of fruit and vegetables in your diet.
Berries, spinach, avocado, mango, cherries and pineapple can all work well, and combining different ingredients provides a variety of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds.
2. A useful source of fibre
Unlike fruit juice, smoothies made using whole fruits and vegetables retain much of their fibre.
Fibre is important for normal digestion and bowel health and can help you feel fuller after eating.
3. A simple way to include healthy fats and protein
Adding ingredients such as nuts, nut butter, seeds, yoghurt or avocado can make a smoothie more nutritionally balanced and satisfying.
Protein and healthy fats can also help turn a simple fruit smoothie into a more substantial snack or breakfast.
4. Supports a varied diet
Eating a wide variety of plant foods provides different types of fibre and nutrients.
Rather than relying on supplements or so-called “superfoods”, aim for variety across your diet. A smoothie can simply be another way of achieving that.
5. Quick and convenient
One of the biggest advantages of smoothies is convenience. They’re quick to prepare and can be particularly useful on busy mornings.
Frozen fruit and vegetables work well too, so you don’t necessarily need a fridge full of fresh produce.
6. Easy to adapt
There really isn’t one perfect smoothie.
You can alter the ingredients according to taste, dietary requirements and what you already have available. For a more balanced smoothie, consider combining fruit or vegetables with a source of protein and some healthy fat.
Three Smoothie Recipes to Try
Cherry, Pineapple and Banana Smoothie Bowl
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 80ml water
- 2 bananas
- 1¼ cups frozen cherries
- 1 cup frozen pineapple
- 1 teaspoon maca powder (optional)
Method
Add the water and bananas to a blender and blend until combined.
Add the cherries, pineapple and optional maca powder and blend until smooth.
Divide between two bowls and serve.
Blueberry, Spinach and Almond Smoothie
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1½ tablespoons almond butter
Method
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour into a glass and enjoy.
Avocado, Mango and Spinach Smoothie Bowl
Serves 2
Ingredients
- ⅓–⅔ cup water, depending on your preferred consistency
- ½ avocado
- 2 small handfuls spinach
- 2 bananas, sliced
- Frozen mango
Method
Blend the water and avocado first.
Add the spinach and bananas and blend again.
Finally add the frozen mango gradually until you reach your preferred consistency.
Divide between two bowls and serve.
Make Your Smoothie Your Own
You can experiment with ingredients such as fresh ginger, turmeric, seeds, oats or yoghurt.
Try not to think of individual ingredients as miracle foods. The greatest benefit comes from maintaining a varied, balanced diet over time.
And remember that smoothies don’t have to be complicated. Fruit, vegetables and a few simple additions can make a quick, nutritious and enjoyable addition to your diet.