Types of Smoothies

If you want to know the best types of healthy smoothies that exist, you will love this article. Also, so that you don’t just stay with the theory, we propose several easy and delicious recipes, all explained step by step. Of course, in case you need a smoothie to take advantage of its healing or slimming properties, if possible, avoid adding sugar or only using natural sweeteners in small quantities. The reason is because the fruits themselves already have their own sugars and, furthermore, when you transform them into juices, their GI index rises (the more processed they are, the more it rises).

These fruit juices can be squeezed directly by hand or, even easier, using a manual or electric juicer. Once this juice is processed, it acquires a very light liquid texture. Its greatest virtue is its great content of vitamin C, A and antioxidants, but you must eat it freshly made or 15 minutes later. On the contrary, its compounds will lose properties. What do you think if we provide you with ideas for you to prepare at home ?

• Orange antioxidant juice. 1 cup of blueberries, 1 small or medium pineapple and 2 oranges. This nutritious smoothie has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and even improves circulation.
• Purifying orange and grapefruit juice. 2 grapefruits, 2 pomegranates, 1 orange and a jet of water. Not only purifies, but also improves the body’s defenses.
• Cleansing orange and lemon juice. 250 ml of orange juice, 1 lemon, 6 mint or mint leaves, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 4 pieces of ice. As if that were not enough, it protects the immune system.
• Tangerine juice. 5 tangerines, 2 lemons and 3 grams of ginger. This mixture is an excellent anti-flu. It’s delicious!

Tip: citrus fruits are not recommended for people with gastritis, except for lemon in some cases.

Fruit and/or vegetable smoothies

Fruit and/or vegetable smoothies can be prepared in a common blender, immersion blender or with a centrifugal blender. These have a foamy consistency and a flavor that is usually very appetizing due to the wide variety of combinations that exist. In the same way as citrus juices, these healthy smoothies are very nutritious and easily digested (great for a sensitive stomach or intestine), but must be consumed immediately to take advantage of their full benefits.

Disadvantages? This same very fine texture characterizes them and the loss of fiber as well, both caused by the type of processing that increases the GI of the final product, among other things (the same happens with citrus juices). You only need to follow the steps of the recipes:

• Guava and orange juice. 3 guavas, 4 oranges and 4 liters of natural water. An excellent fruit smoothie to keep the immune system high, since guava has even more vitamin C than guava.
• Pomegranate and orange juice with carrot. 2 pomegranates, 4 oranges and 2 carrots. Contains abundant antioxidants and vitamin A, C, E. An elixir for the skin!
• Raspberry juice to lose weight. 20 raspberries, 1 apple, 3 oranges and a pinch of water.
• Pineapple and guava smoothie. 3 guavas, 2 thick pineapple slices, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 cup of water or orange juice. It loses weight and has an anti-inflammatory effect!

Fruit and/or vegetable smoothies

They can be processed with a blender, with a kitchen robot or with an immersion blender. Unlike the previous fruit smoothies, in this kind of preparation almost nothing is wasted, since the pulp and fiber are included, thanks to this, more nutrients, micronutrients, phytochemicals are preserved and the GI is lower (although it will depend on the type of fruit and processing). If you still have any questions about how to make fruit smoothies in a blender, then take a look at our following suggestions:

• Banana and orange smoothie. 1 banana, 2 oranges and dessert spoon of honey. Its two main ingredients provide plenty of potassium, a component that promotes muscle function. One of the best fruit smoothies without milk!
• Strawberry, grapefruit and orange smoothie. 10 strawberries, 2 grapefruits and 4 oranges. Slows cell aging and has a diuretic effect.
• Beetroot and strawberry smoothie. 15 strawberries, 1 cooked beetroot, ½ teaspoon of fresh ginger dessert and 500 milliliters of water. Very good to combat anemia! Generally, in fruit smoothies with water, this last ingredient can fulfill two functions: lighten the texture or render the recipe.
• Blackberry and strawberry smoothie. 500 grams of fresh strawberry, 500 grams of fresh blackberries, 50 grams of brown sugar and 500 milliliters of fresh milk. Full of antioxidants and micronutrients!

Tip: there are fruits that are better with this method, for example, bananas.

Dairy Smoothies

They are prepared in the same way as the smoothies in the previous section, but with an additional ingredient of animal origin. In this case, they have a very creamy and appetizing texture that children like, as well as important beneficial nutrients for them. Ideal to complement the menu! Homemade shakes with milk or any other type of dairy are considered very complete, as they provide abundant protein, micronutrients and vitamin D (if dairy products are fortified). Here we provide you with several nutritious and very tasty smoothies for you to enjoy:

• Banana and oats to lose weight. 1 banana, 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or low-fat yogurt, fat-free soy or rice milk, ½ cup whole-grain oats, 4 teaspoons flaxseeds, 1 dash of natural honey (to taste) and 4 ice cubes ( optional).
• Mango smoothie. 3 ripe mangoes, 1 glass of milk, ½ glass of precooked oat flakes, 1 tablespoon of sweetener. Pure energy to start the day!
• Coconut Lassie. 1 liter of natural or soy yogurt, 500 ml of coconut milk (or a whole coconut), 1 bunch of fresh mint (to taste), 1 lemon (the juice), 1 pinch of salt, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon dessert ½ tablespoon of clove dessert, 1 pinch of cardamom (optional and to taste), 1/2 bay leaf (optional and to taste) 1 tablespoon of honey or other sweetener. This type of drink is excellent for the digestive system, which is why it is used to soften the effects of spicy or highly seasoned foods.
• Energy shake for breakfast. 250 gr of Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons of oat flakes and 10 red grapes.
• Ice cream and strawberry milkshake. 200 ml of strawberry jam, 250 grams of vanilla ice cream, 500 ml of whole milk and whole strawberries to decorate. An easy dessert for lunch!

Tip: These shakes are also known as milkshakes.

Vegan smoothies

It is true that it sounds strange to name vegan shakes, because in principle, everything made with vegetables and fruits is considered vegan. In addition, in the event that milk or its derivatives are needed, we already know that they will necessarily be of vegetable origin, however, it is not so evident in other ingredients. For example, honey is a very healthy natural sweetener, but it comes from the work of bees and for this diet, that is inconceivable. So, if you are looking for truly vegan recipes, here are our suggestions:

• Blueberry and strawberry smoothie. 2 bananas, 1 box of blueberries, 1 box of strawberries or fresh strawberries and 500 ml of almond milk. An energy shake!
• Avocado smoothie. 1 medium ripe avocado, 1 glass of coconut milk, 1 tablespoon of lemon or lime juice, 1 dessert spoon of ground cinnamon, 1 dessert spoon of sweetener (optional) and water (optional). An energy drink, packed with healthy fats.

Protein shakes

Homemade milk shakes help increase muscle mass and lean mass, which is why they are ideal for athletes, although there are some suitable for sedentary people who need to benefit from their properties. For our nutritious shakes, we can use basic ingredients, such as: whey, milk (provides casein), eggs and vegetable proteins (present in soybeans, peas and others). To complement, you can add a food rich in carbohydrates and/or one with complementary nutrients. How do we put all this in one recipe? We provide you with more ideas:

• Protein shake with egg. 2 egg whites, 1 banana, 1 natural yogurt and 1 drop of vanilla essence.
• Homemade protein shake for dinner. 3 boiled egg whites, 250g plain Greek or skim yogurt, 1 banana and 250ml skimmed or skimmed milk.
• Protein shake with banana and nuts. 1 banana, 20 grams of nuts, 1 tablespoon of sugar dessert, 200 ml of milk, 100 ml of natural yogurt and 2 cookies.
• Tofu smoothie. 1 orange, 100 gr of mango, 50 gr of almonds and 80 gr of natural semi-hard tofu.

Detox juices

The famous detox smoothies are a mixture of natural ingredients that help the body to detoxify, for this reason, they have a great influence on weight loss and also on other aspects of health. When it comes to the green juice version, they provide abundant chlorophyll, antioxidants and many nutrients. It is interesting to clarify that green juices are a kind of detox juice, but not all detox drinks are green. Do you want to test how effective they are? If your answer is yes, consult one of the following recipes:

• Green spinach and banana smoothie. 2 cups of fresh strawberries, 2 plantains or bananas, 1 cup of almond milk, 1 cup of orange juice, 1 cup of fresh spinach, and 1 apple. This mixture favors the loss of body weight.
• Spinach detox juice. 2 cups of spinach, ½ cucumber, ½ green apple, 1 lemon and 150 ml of water. It provides vitamin A and C, potassium, antioxidants, among others. Fabulous for the skin and for the bone system!
• Pineapple and celery detox juice. 1 slice of pineapple, 3 celery stalks, ½ cucumber and ½ glass of water. A powerful anti-inflammatory!
• Watercress and cucumber smoothie. 1 bunch of watercress, 1 cucumber, 1 green apple and a piece of lemon. Helps in weight loss and strengthens the immune system.
• Broccoli and Cucumber Green Smoothie. 100 gr of broccoli, 1 carrot, 1 cucumber, 1 lemon and 500 ml of water. Although vegetable smoothies are very healthy, if you have a very sensitive stomach, consume them wisely, it can cause cramps due to the fiber.

Smoothies

The original recipe is prepared with a juice base and pieces of natural or frozen fruit (vegetables are also used on occasions), however, currently, these juices or smoothies can be obtained with yogurt, ice cream, milk and ice. The smoothie texture is quite thick and closely resembles milkshakes. If you want these healthy shakes for snacks, you will love their presentation in a glass, but if we talk about breakfast, you may prefer the smoothies bowl (the same shake served in a deep plate). Taste them by trying the following recipes:

• Mango smoothie bowl. 100 gr of broccoli, 1 carrot, 1 cucumber, 1 lemon and 500 ml of water.
• Smoothie bowl with banana. 1 banana, 150 gr of spinach, ½ avocado, 1 teaspoon of flower honey, 250 ml of milk and tablespoon of oat flakes.
• Pineapple and orange smoothie. 2 oranges, 1 guava and 4 slices of pineapple.
• Cherry Banana Smoothie. 1 ripe banana, 125 gr of cherries, 2 low-fat yogurts, 175 ml of skimmed milk and 2 tablespoons of honey (or agave syrup).
• Pineapple smoothie with ice cream. 2 pineapple slices, 1 grapefruit, 1 orange, 3 tablespoons of ice cream, 1 cherry or cocktail cherry. An irresistible dessert!

Tip: it is said that the creation of this drink is between the 20s and the 70s.

Straws

Do you know the difference between a sorbet, a granite and an ice cream? Ice cream is a generally creamy dessert, it may or may not contain dairy. The granite is abundant finely chopped ice, mixed with a concentrated fruit and a sorbet, its definition is between a drink and an ice cream. Sherbet has more juice than ice and is considered more of a drink than ice cream or dessert in this sense. That’s why sherbet is on our list. This preparation is very refreshing and tasty, but you need a very powerful blender or previously crush the ice until very fine, for example, using a bag and a wooden hammer. Surprise everyone with the following juices and smoothies:

• Low calorie lemon sorbet. 3 lemons, 1 glass of skimmed milk and 25 gr of sweetener. These smoothie recipes may be light or low in sugar, but very sweet recipes abound.
• Mango sorbet. 1 ripe mango, 2 glasses of ice, 1 lemon and 1 dessert spoon of sugar. Straws are usually eaten at the end of the meal, as they facilitate digestion.
• Peach and lemon sorbet. 4 peaches, 1 lemon and 50 grams of sugar (1/4 cup).
• Pineapple and coconut sorbet. 2 jars of coconut yogurt, 1 jar of condensed milk and a cup of frozen pineapple.

Tip: Straws are often used as a base for alcoholic cocktails.