Anatomy of a Smoothie

Want an easy and delicious way to pack in a ton of nutrients in one meal? How about trying a smoothie? Smoothies can be tailored to your personal taste as well as to whatever produce you’ve got sitting in the fridge. As an added bonus, poured into a reusable cup, smoothies are the perfect sustenance for those always on the go.

There are three key components to a good smoothie: the liquid, the bulk, and the nutrient boosters.

Liquid
The obvious liquid choices in smoothies are usually milk, orange juice, or water, which are all good options, but why not step it up a bit? Replace regular milk with sweet, naturally low-fat almond milk or omega fatty acid-rich hemp milk. Swap typical orange juice for antioxidant-laden cranberry or blueberry juice. And instead of water, try iced chai or green tea.

Bulk
Bananas are great for adding bulk, but so are peaches, nectarines, pineapple, pitted dates, berries, apples, pears, and pretty much any other fruit you like to nosh on. Veggies are another great addition to smoothies also. Try nutrient- and fibre-rich greens such as spinach and kale, or add chopped carrots, packed with free radical-fighting beta-carotene.

Nutrient boosters
For added nutrition, sprinkle in some whole flaxseeds or drizzle in some flaxseed oil to your favourite smoothie. Flaxseeds are concentrated with omega-3 fatty acids and boast balanced ratios of soluble and insoluble fibre. For a post-workout smoothie, add a scoop of your favourite protein powder.

Try out our favourite smoothies

• Strawberry Banana Iced Green Tea Smoothie
• Very Berry Hemp Date Smoothie
• Matcha Yogourt Smoothie
• Banana Berry Smoothie
• Acai Smoothie
• Brazilian Avocado Smoothie