Posted on January 13, 2015 by admin in Blog

Smoothies are the in-thing these days. Why? Well, it’s because the preparation is very simple, the selection of ingredients can be varied, and it only require a few minutes of your time. Smoothies can also provide you with a ton of much needed nutrients. The fruits and vegetables that you include in your smoothies can help meet your daily requirement for vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to fight diseases and maintain wellness. Listed below are some tips and tricks to help you create better smoothies:

1. Nothing beats fresh ingredients. Fruits and vegetables that are in season are your best options to include in your smoothie. We are blessed with a wide array of fruits and vegetables that could give us many health promoting benefits.
2. Add ice towards the end to achieve an icy or frosty effect. Ice cubes and crushed ice works well with most blenders like the Vitamix blender. Instead of water, you can freeze coconut water to make ice cubes. This way, you will get more nutrients and flavour in your smoothie.
3. You can also use frozen fruits and nut butters to thicken your smoothie.
4. When making smoothie with soy milk as liquid base, it would be better not to include citrus juices and fruits because the acid may cause the smoothie to curdle or the flavour will not be that good.Instead use, fruits that are less acidic like bananas, avocado, or sweet fruits like mangoes, lychees, peaches and dates, apricots.
5. Berries also work well with soy milk, you can use either fresh or frozen berries together with some banana and ice.
6. Some fruits are best paired with a bit of citrus juice. For example: watermelon goes well with lime or lemon juice, mango and orange juice, or avocado and grapefruit juice. The tartness in citrus fruits will complement well in these fruits.
7. Your regular smoothie can be made more nutritious and filling with the addition of some seeds and nuts. This way, you get to increase your fiber, protein, and healthy fat intake.
8. You can create great tasting refreshment using fruit juices like apple, grapefruit, pomegranate, cranberries, pineapple, and grape juice. You only need to add some ice and blend.
9. Fruits are naturally sweet, but if your taste buds are still not satisfied you can add a small amount of natural sweetener to enhance the flavour. You can use honey, maple syrup, or agave extract, if desired.
10. Choose your ingredients wisely. To maximize the health benefits of your smoothie, it is best to use fresh and high quality ingredients.
11. Experiment and be creative when making smoothies. You can make different combinations wherein you can utilize what you currently have in your refrigerator or pantry.
12. Add some spice by sprinkling some ground cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom on top of your smoothie.
13. Creating homemade smoothies at home with your kids is a great way to spend time with them. It will help them learn and appreciate more the health benefits of each of the ingredients.
14. To create better smoothies, it is best to use high quality blenders like the Vitamix blender.