Smoothies: real benefit or fashion trend? Smoothies - types and preparation of a drink Smoothies are useful and when to drink.

Making smoothies at home is very easy!

What is a smoothie

Smoothies- This is a cocktail of vegetables, fruits, berries and milk or water, whipped in a mixer or blender. It is not difficult to make it, and now the number of recipes on the network exceeds tens of thousands. Their popularity is explained by the convenience: it can be made in advance and taken with you to drink at any time. Moreover, smoothies are a very healthy drink!

Smoothie Benefits

How can smoothies be useful? Well, everything is simple here! The benefits depend on the ingredients. Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals, and by combining them, you can get your new vitamin complex every time. Milk, kefir are rich in calcium and valuable amino acids. Smoothies are very useful for athletes and people seeking to lose weight, as they quickly satisfy the body's need for micronutrients.

A huge plus is that the taste of smoothies is more pleasant than individual vegetables. For example, a child does not like fresh carrots, but when you mix them with some fruits, you get a very pleasant cocktail.

Can smoothies be harmful?

Only if a person has an intolerance to certain foods, an allergy. There is a way out - just do not add such products.

Can you lose weight with smoothies?

How to treat this expression. Smoothies do not directly affect weight loss! That is, if someone starts drinking smoothies in order to lose weight, then he will soon be disappointed. Everything is very simple - this cocktail, as well as the ingredients used to prepare it, do not contain substances that can somehow noticeably affect the fat burning process. Do not believe magazines, publics and your laziness.

If you follow a diet, exercise, and add smoothies to your diet to satisfy hunger and replenish micronutrient reserves, then you can talk about some benefits. As you noticed, it will be indirect.

And one moment! Not all shakes are light and low in calories. Indeed, by adding cream, syrup or honey, you will get a product that can compete in terms of calories with bakery products.

There are many recipes, but they are all very simple. Smoothies can be easily made at home. To do this, we need a blender or mixer and the necessary ingredients, the composition and quantity of which can only be limited by your imagination. Below is a very good recipe.

banana smoothie

Ingredients

Orange;
Kefir;
Banana;
Nectarine;

Cooking

It is necessary to peel and remove the seeds from the orange with nectarine. Cut into small pieces. Also peel and cut the banana.

Put everything in a blender, pour a small amount of kefir and mix. Determine the amount of kefir so that it is not liquid, but not very thick, since smoothies are usually drunk through a straw. You can add honey or sugar for sweetness.

Put a couple of ice cubes in a glass, carefully pour in the fruit mixture. Insert cocktail tube. That's it, smoothie is ready. Now you understand that you can make countless variations of this drink. Choose, experiment.

Please your family and friends with your creations. Need another recipe? Then just for you:

apple smoothie

Very nutritious smoothie. One of the best for those on a diet. Packed with nutrients, very palatable, and has only 130 calories per serving. You will need: 1 peeled, cored apple, 1 cup frozen red grapes, 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup chilled unsweetened green tea, 1 tablespoon honey, ice.

Smoothie with spinach

Supersmoothie. 7 nutritious foods complement each other perfectly in this drink and fill your body with health. By the way, it only has 131 calories! You will need: 1 cup spinach, 1 cm frozen and chopped banana, 1 cup frozen berries (unsweetened), fresh ginger root (1 cm), 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 cup chilled green tea, 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, 1 cup crushed ice.

Pomegranate Banana Ginger Smoothie

Pomegranate is not only good for the heart and circulatory systems but also helps to reduce weight. The energy value shake 200 calories! You will need: 1 frozen and sliced banana, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 0.5 cm ginger root, 1 cup pomegranate juice, 4-5 ice cubes.

Kiwi smoothie

Green berry smoothie. Forget about high-calorie cocktails from cafes! This recipe will give you only 235 calories, contains fresh fruits and is very tasty. You will need: 1 frozen banana, 4 frozen strawberries, 1 peeled kiwi, 2 cups lettuce, 1.5 cups green tea, 6 ice cubes.

Melon smoothie

Melon wind. Refreshing, invigorating and healthy snack. Only 165 calories, rich in nutrients. You will need: 1 cup lettuce 1 cup spinach 1 frozen banana 10-12 small pieces of honeydew melon 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 4-5 ice cubes

blueberry smoothie

Blueberry banana smoothie. Less than 250 calories, no trans fats, but fiber and protein. You will need: 1 piece of tofu (2 cm), 1 cup milk, 1 cup frozen blueberries, 1 cup spinach, 1 large banana.

As you can see, a low-calorie snack can be delicious and very healthy! Do not starve, do not torture your body, love yourself and fill your body with useful products! Enjoy your meal! Liked the article? Be sure to share with your friends on social networks!

positive smoothie

Beautiful appearance, healthy skin, excellent health is, first of all, proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. And this means that you need to cleanse the body of toxins and toxins in a timely manner. A properly prepared smoothie can replace a full meal. A smoothie for cleansing the intestines will give everyone a healthy body and provide a great mood.

To include smoothies in your family's diet, it is not necessary to visit specialty restaurants every day. You can easily cook it at home yourself. To do this, you just need to purchase the necessary products and press the button of the kitchen blender. Replace one meal a day with a tasty and healthy smoothie, effective recipes which we offer you.

If you really decide to rid your body of toxins and toxins, cleanse the intestines and normalize your general state, never buy ready mixes for smoothies, which today you can buy in any hypermarket. They will necessarily contain chemical additives, which, as a rule, are incompatible with food ingredients when it comes to cleansing the body. Your slags will adequately appreciate them and will quickly begin to increase their number. Therefore, only natural products in smoothies will help you improve the digestion process, normalize metabolism and metabolism, and feel a natural influx of energy.

Peeled cabbage leaves - 1 cup;
Green apple - 1 pc;
Parsley greens - 0.5 cups;
Banana - 1 pc.

Peel the apple and banana. Cut the thick veins from the cabbage leaves and chop everything with a knife. Tear the parsley with your hands and put it in the blender bowl. Chop all vegetables and fruits thoroughly and pour a glass of water into the bowl - you should get the consistency of kefir. Therefore, you can regulate the amount of water yourself.

Useful advice! It must be remembered that the highest percentage of pesticides is found in the peel of some fruits and vegetables and in the upper layers of the fruit. Therefore, when preparing a smoothie, the purpose of which is to cleanse the intestines and the body as a whole, this fact must be taken into account. Thus, you will be able to limit the ingress of pesticides into the body, respectively, the accumulation of toxins in the body will stop.

Fruit and vegetable green smoothie

mint leaves - 1 handful;
parsley - 1 handful;
freshly squeezed citrus juice (tangerine, orange) - 200 ml;
celery greens - 2 branches;
mango cubes - 1 cup;
peeled and chopped cabbage leaves - 1 cup.

Tear all the greens that are on the list of ingredients with your hands and put them in a blender bowl. Grind to a porridge-like state and add the mango. Grind again until smooth and slowly add the juice - you should get the consistency of thick kefir.

Green smoothie perfectly restores the intestinal microflora and promotes the elimination of toxins and toxins in a natural way. The calorie content of this smoothie is quite high, so they can replace a full meal.

The inclusion of Sicily smoothies in the diet not only effectively cleanses the intestines, but also helps to reduce blood pressure, strengthen the work of the cardiovascular system. So if some of you suffer reduced pressure unfortunately this recipe is not for you.

Cressalat - 1 cup;
Carrots - 6 pcs.;
Spinach - 1 cup;
Ripe tomato fruits - 3 pcs.;
Bulgarian pepper (red) - 2 pcs.;
Celery greens - 4 branches;
Garlic cloves - 4 pcs.

Dice carrots, bell peppers and tomatoes. Pass the garlic cloves through a press directly into the blender bowl. Tear the greens with your hands and send to the garlic. Behind them are cubes of carrots and bell peppers. Turn on the blender and carefully grind into porridge. At the end, add juicy tomato fruits, and mix until smooth.

Drinking Sicily smoothies is a priority in the morning. It will give a charge to the body for the whole working day and, with an active lifestyle, stimulates the body to cleanse.

Kiwi, pineapple, cucumber - unison of health and beauty in a glass

Recipes for cucumber smoothies and masks are well known to cosmetologists. But the combination of cucumber, kiwi and pineapple gives the smoothie great cleansing properties. Moreover, this recipe is also recommended for those who are actively struggling with extra pounds.

Pineapple pulp - 200 gr.;
Kiwi - 1 pc.;
Peeled fresh cucumber.

Cut all the ingredients into slices and put into a bowl. Thoroughly grind everything and drink 2 times a day - in the morning and in the evening. The result will not keep you waiting. Within a week, you will be able to feel a surge of energy, and the discomfort and pain that bothered you will slowly but surely begin to leave your body.

Colon cleansing smoothie

Seriously engaged in cleansing your body - do not overdo it. Green smoothies should be drunk slowly, in small sips. In the first month of treatment, drink 1 glass per day. The next month, the rate can be increased to 2 glasses or 400 ml. The maximum rate per day should not exceed 4 glasses of smoothies. In the process of making smoothies, try to combine vegetables and fruits that can create in unison a pleasant taste for you.

Do not add sugar or salt to the cocktail;
Consume smoothies at fresh immediately after preparation;
Do not combine smoothies with other foods.
The effect can be obtained only if the prepared smoothie replaces your dinner, breakfast or lunch.

And one more important tip for those who decide to use smoothie recipes to cleanse their body - stop drinking any alcoholic beverages, including beer. They are simply incompatible with treatment.

In the last five years, there has been a real boom in smoothies in our country. These are bright, tasty and fragrant cocktails without alcohol, made from fresh fruits, vegetables and berries. You can add ice, yogurt, milk, soda to them. These cocktails are chosen by vegans, raw foodists and other fans healthy lifestyle life, harmony and beauty. The benefits and harms of smoothies for the body are described in detail in this article.

Smoothie rules

Everyone can prepare a fragrant and bright drink at home. Of course, in trendy restaurants of proper nutrition, the cocktail will be decorated with slices of citrus fruits, high-quality sweetener and natural seasonings are used for preparation. But all this can be easily replicated in your own kitchen.

You will need a powerful blender that can blend even hard raw vegetables like carrots or raw beets, popular ingredients that make smoothies undeniable for hematopoiesis. In order not only to achieve grinding, but to grind raw beets to a uniform consistency, you will need a device with a power of at least 1300 watts.
What supplements should you choose? After all, the benefits of smoothies are not only in the presence of vitamins and minerals from fresh vegetables, fruits and berries. Amino acid mixtures, skim milk, yogurt are also added there. If you want a cold, refreshing cocktail in a hot summer, you can add ice cubes from distilled water. Icy mineral water will also enrich the taste of the cocktail not only with air bubbles, but also with a mixture of minerals. If you want to add milk to give the drink a creamy taste, you should opt for low fat product. Sometimes even fat-free cottage cheese is added to smoothies so that the drink has a full spectrum of amino acids and proteins. In this case, the consistency is quite thick.
Smoothies should not contain lumps or chunks. The essence of making a cocktail is that it can freely pass through the straw. If not completely crushed pieces of ingredients are felt in the smoothie, then either the blender was not powerful enough, or the cooking technology was violated.
Fruits, vegetables and berries for the preparation of the drink should be used fresh and thoroughly washed, dried. If at least one ingredient turns out to be stale or even rotten, the taste of the cocktail will be spoiled. In addition, a person who has consumed such a drink risks indigestion.
If the goal of a smoothie eater is to lose weight, green ingredients should be preferred. They most often have a negative calorie content and are perfectly combined with each other in taste. These are cucumber, celery, kiwi (of course, peeled), broccoli, Simirenko green varieties).

Difference from regular smoothies and juices

Juices are drinks in which only the liquid is decanted, and the pulp is discarded. The essence of making a smoothie is that the cake cannot be thrown away, since it is a full-fledged ingredient.

Cocktails in the usual sense of the word involve the addition of one or another alcohol. A smoothie can be called a vegan or raw food smoothie, as alcohol is never added to it. From home-cooked vegetable smoothies, the consumer will fully appreciate the benefits. You can select ripe fruits yourself and adjust the density of the drink by adding or reducing the amount of ice, milk, yogurt or cream.

Smoothies are much thicker than juice. Cocktails are different in density, but more often they are closer in consistency to juices. Smoothies in some cases are so thick that they resemble a creamy mass. This implies recipes with the addition of liquid cottage cheese, yogurt, cream. However, we must not forget the rule: smoothies can be drunk through a straw, so even with a relatively high density, it should stretch.

Berry smoothies: cooking rules

The benefits of smoothies from berries will be maximum if simple rules are taken into account in the cooking process.

Seedless berries should be chosen. These are raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, watermelon pulp. Cherries and sweet cherries can be used after removing the pit.
Before preparing the drink, you should carefully sort out all the berries, rinse them and dry them. If you start grinding wet fruits immediately after washing, the smoothie will turn out to be too watery; even if at first glance the berries look almost dry, they still have accumulated a lot of moisture.
Strawberry smoothie, which has the highest benefits and taste, is the easiest to prepare. Ideal combination with banana, mango, nectarine, watermelon, peach. Strawberry-melon smoothie will give real pleasure even to the most sophisticated gourmet. Strawberries are rich in beneficial antioxidants and slow down the aging process.
As a seasoning for berry smoothies, you can use vanillin, cinnamon, ginger. Those who like sweet drinks can add powdered sugar (regular sugar is also suitable, but it must first be crushed in a blender). For people who are losing weight, it is better to use a zero-calorie sweetener.

How to make fruit smoothies?

The benefits of fruit smoothies are the abundance of vitamins and minerals in the composition. The absence of heat treatment allows you to keep all the elements almost in their original form. It is much easier for the body to absorb the beneficial components from raw foods. Unfortunately, if available chronic diseases organs of the gastrointestinal tract, some raw fruits, even when ground, can provoke an exacerbation. But more on that below.

The benefits of fruit smoothies, based on the composition:

with the addition of a banana - supports the work of the heart muscle and restores the salt balance in the body due to the high content of potassium;
- excellent treatment and prevention iron deficiency anemia, since ripe fruits are rich in ferritin;
kiwi in cocktails will help improve immunity, as it contains a lot of ascorbic acid;
mango boosts libido and mood by promoting the release of oxytocin and endorphins;
orange pulp, lemon juice as part of a smoothie, it will help fight the autumn blues and depression, and the high content of vitamin C contributes to prevention colds;
pineapple in a smoothie is the perfect solution for losing weight people.

After the chef gets his hand in making simple one-component cocktails, you can move on to more complex recipes. Multi-component smoothies surprise with an unusual combination of products and are able to amaze even the most sophisticated gourmet.

The combination of berries, vegetables and fruits is sometimes really amazing. The benefits of an apple-celery smoothie are in the negative calorie content of the second. This is a great recipe for people who are losing weight. A smoothie of celery and apple pulp saturates and gives a good mood, supplying the body with iron, vitamin C, potassium, selenium and iodine.

Smoothies with vegetables

People who are uninitiated in the subtleties of proper nutrition still believe that the benefits of smoothies lie in the presence of berries and fruits. It's a delusion. For a long time, various ingredients have been used for cooking around the world, except for animal products.

The benefits of smoothies for the body are invaluable. And vegetables make this dish a complete meal replacement. We are no longer talking about a light dessert - it is rather a vegan creamy soup, creamy breakfast, lunch or dinner. Some people give up eating animal products once and for all and switch to vegetable cream soups. At the same time, they do not lose anything in terms of well-being and health status by using additional tableted amino acids.

Greens are often added to vegetable cocktails - this enriches them with an unusual aroma and taste. It is worth considering that all ingredients must be raw. These are carrots, beets, celery, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes. Some of the ingredients are simply amazing.

The benefits of nettle smoothies are invaluable for blood formation. Regular intake of such a cocktail is an excellent prevention of thrombosis, varicose veins veins, inflammatory processes, problems with cardiovascular system and vein walls.
Carrot smoothie is rich in retinol and is ideal for people with diseases of the eyes, skin, liver. It should be noted that raw carrots are a fairly strong allergen and may not be suitable for everyone. Carrot smoothie is the perfect aperitif. Stimulates appetite and improves digestion. It cleanses the body of accumulated toxins, toxic compounds, alcohol intoxication and other contaminants.
Beetroot smoothie is a magical remedy for blood. The fruit contains a protein that is very similar to the protein found in human blood. This explains why beetroot helps to recover so quickly in case of anemia. It's hard to believe, but beets contain hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide to human body. Due to the presence of hemoglobin in beets, a beneficial effect is carried out in a short time.
Celery smoothies, whose benefits are obvious for fat burning, are made by squeezing the raw and freshest vegetable petioles. The highest value of the drink is the ability to quickly cleanse the body of congestion, toxic substances, and other poisons. The kidneys, liver, blood channels are cleansed. The benefit is in the negative calorie content of celery. This is a great choice for those who want to lose weight.

Relationship with the presence of chronic diseases of internal organs

The reader has the opinion that the use of the above recipes is only beneficial. The harm of smoothies and juices cannot be overlooked. For some people, these recipes are literally dangerous.

In the presence of gastritis and peptic ulcer the use of juices, infusions and smoothies from raw berries and fruits can provoke exacerbation, increased pain and internal bleeding.
If you have chronic cholecystitis, you should consult a hepatologist before drinking the smoothie.
The benefits of smoothies for breakfast are only obvious to completely healthy people. If there are chronic diseases of the peritoneal organs, the intake of fresh fruits on an empty stomach, even in crushed form, is prohibited.
If a person is prone to developing allergies, you should be more careful, fresh berries and fruits are often strong allergens.

What time of day is best for smoothies?

At what time of the day will vegetable and fruit smoothies bring the greatest effect? The benefits and harms of smoothies for breakfast will vary depending on individual characteristics organism. Everything that a person takes on an empty stomach should be agreed with the attending gastroenterologist (subject to the presence of chronic diseases).

The optimal time to eat a smoothie (to maximize the benefits) is after breakfast. A portion of vitamins and minerals will strengthen the body before dinner, and carbohydrates will give vigor.

Replacing dinner with a smoothie is not a good idea. This is not a benefit, but rather a detriment. The optimal dinner is a piece of fish or meat or a glass of kefir. Minimum carbs and maximum protein. This principle will help to improve sleep, not suffer from insomnia (carbohydrates energize) and get rid of excess weight.

Possible harm to the body

Fully healthy person nothing to fear. But in the presence of peptic ulcer of the digestive system, polyps, erosions, gastritis, pain can intensify. It is especially dangerous in the presence of such diagnoses to take smoothies on an empty stomach. Before you start eating fresh vegetables and fruits on a regular basis, you should consult with your gastroenterologist.

In the presence of chronic cholecystitis, the inflammation of the gallbladder cells may increase when smoothies are taken. You should start taking small portions, avoid citrus fruits and herbs as ingredients, as well as hot spices.

Consequences of replacing ordinary food with shakes and smoothies

What happens if you completely switch to liquid nutrition? Such a system exists. And there are a lot of liquid eaters (as people who eat only smoothies and dishes from grated raw vegetables) are called. They form groups and support each other. They say that the state of health changes radically and even chronic diseases disappear. However, not a single miracle cure has ever been documented.

In matters of nutrition, it is better to avoid radical decisions. A sudden transition to a liquid diet can be life-threatening. Depletion is inevitable. A blood clot can come off, the heart cannot withstand, stones from the gallbladder will begin to move away - without emergency care doctors will be indispensable.

If absolutely necessary, the transition to liquid nutrition should be carried out gradually. Optimal time transition - three to four months. If during this time no health problems appear, you can continue to eat smoothies alone. At the same time, a person should be aware that subsequently atrophy of intestinal motility, muscular dystrophy, baldness and problems with skin(due to deficiency of amino acids in the diet).

The opinion of doctors about the benefits and harms of smoothies is ambiguous. Some doctors advocate switching to a diet of chopped raw vegetables. Others, on the contrary, are vehemently opposed. Opinions agree on one thing: in the presence of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, one should be extremely careful with the introduction of smoothies into the diet.

Such a change in diet can help the passage of stones from the gallbladder.
Children are strictly forbidden to eat smoothies alone, otherwise muscular dystrophy may develop.
Smoothies are healthier than juices, as they contain slightly more calories, and the stomach perceives them as more complete food.
Smoothies cannot replace the intake of vitamin and mineral complexes.
In the presence of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer of the intestine, it is strictly forbidden to take smoothies on an empty stomach.
Smoothies contain a lot of carbohydrates - this should be taken into account by people who are losing weight, since proteins and amino acids are mainly needed for fat burning.

Medical, healthcare and health news

Smoothies: benefit or harm?

Recently, adherents of a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating are increasingly including a variety of smoothie cocktails in their diet. Let's try to figure out if they are really so useful or is it another tribute to fashion?

WHAT DO WE DEAL WITH?

Smoothie (from the English smooth - “homogeneous”) - a thick drink in the form of berries, fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, seeds and other things mixed in a blender or mixer with the addition of liquid: water, ice, juice, milk, dairy products.

A classic smoothie consists of berries or fruits with the addition of water or milk. But lovers of experimentation can use a wide variety of ingredients for its preparation - these are vegetables, and herbs, and roots, and spices, and nuts, and seeds, and cereals, and honey, and syrups, and yogurts, and much more.

READY SMOOTHIES FROM THE STORE - TOTAL CHEMISTRY?

Having studied the composition of fruit and milk smoothies presented in our stores, the experts came to the conclusion that this is true. They consist, as a rule, of reconstituted milk powder flavored with various flavors, dyes and thickeners.

In addition, they are high in sugar. None of this goes hand in hand with a healthy diet. As noted by Marina Petrova, an expert on the dairy market, only milk powder can be called natural there, from which moisture was first removed, and then restored during the preparation of a cocktail.

Maria Belevtseva, a food technologist, added that such smoothies can be consumed as a dessert, but in
small quantities. They are delicious, so you can treat yourself to them sometimes, but they have nothing to do with healthy eating.

She is echoed by the pediatrician, immunologist-allergist Elena Antsiferova: despite the fact that children really like them, parents should remember that it is better to give the child natural fruits than to drink such drinks that can provoke allergic reactions.

ARE THERE NO REAL SMOOTHIES IN RESTAURANTS?

Considering that a natural product can be stored for no more than 72 hours, the storage mode is important here. To improve the taste, sugar can be added to smoothies, and fruits, berries and vegetables can be stale.

In addition, hygiene rules may simply not be observed in these establishments, so here you can only rely on the conscientiousness of restaurateurs.

CAN SMOOTHIES CAUSE DIABETES AND OBESITY?

Natural smoothies, homemade from fresh and "clean" (without nitrates and pesticides) ingredients in a hygienic way and drunk freshly prepared, are a real storehouse of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. In addition, their homogeneous (homogeneous) structure relieves the digestive tract and allows maximum absorption of all useful substances.

But, as nutritionist Angelica Duval notes, everything needs a measure. And if you start eating only smoothies, even from the freshest and purest berries and fruits, and even start flavoring them with sugar, syrup or honey, then very soon your pancreas will experience no less stress than when using the same chemical cocktails.

Doctor Elena Antsiferova adds that with the abuse of smoothies rich in fructose, the latter will overload the liver and, as a result, turn into fat, and this is a direct path to diabetes and obesity.

For the good of the case, fruit and berry smoothies are best consumed in the morning and no more than a glass a day. Better yet, alternate them with vegetables.

DO SMOOTHIES PROMOTE THE BODY?

With the right ingredients and a certain system of drinking, smoothies really help to remove toxins and other harmful substances from the body, thereby cleansing it and, as a result, reducing weight.

Such programs can be either one-day or designed for several days, but it is not recommended to sit on them for more than a week.

Smoothies made with green vegetables, fruits, and herbs are best for detoxing. Green vegetables and fruits in this case refers to vegetables and fruits that are green in color, and not their degree of maturity. In addition to smoothies, it is recommended to drink clean water and herbal teas.

If you do not want to gain weight, you should not add sugar, nuts, chocolate, honey and ice cream to smoothies, it is better to replace milk with yogurt or kefir. If you still prefer sweet smoothies, then nutritionist Angelica Duval advises adding Jerusalem artichoke syrup to them - the most useful product that can be consumed even by diabetics.

CAN'T YOU MIX VEGETABLES AND FRUITS IN A SMOOTHIE?

The problem of the compatibility of various vegetables and fruits, as well as other products, really exists. So, for example, watermelon and melon are not recommended to be mixed with anything. A cucumber, on the contrary, goes well with all vegetables and fruits.

Lemons, dates, pineapples, pomegranates and avocados can also be mixed with other ingredients, but a banana combined with carrots is undesirable.

Anna Krasnova.

Smoothies are helpful. Or not? Or not all smoothies, but only those made from vegetables? What is the best way to make them? What to fill in and what to do if the stomach swells from them? But what about the rule that vegetables should be eaten only separately from fruits? Are there any special "correct" proportions or other rules for making smoothies? ...

Familiar questions? I get asked them all the time. And after some thought, I decided to answer them in one article. Not only because the interest is high, but also because I constantly come across conflicting information in different sources. Now a lot of people write about healthy eating, but often the information is based solely on personal experience without any scientific basis. Today I want to tell you not just about smoothies, but about the RIGHT smoothies that will not only provide you with energy, but will also be your basis for proper nutrition for many years to come. So…

Why smoothies and not juice

Smoothies have two benefits:

Smoothies contain a lot of healthy fiber that feeds our bifidobacteria living in the intestines. And they are the key to good immunity. If they are not fed, they will die, and pathogenic fungi and bacteria will immediately take their place. In addition, fiber prolongs the feeling of satiety, which means that you will not let you overeat and / or gain weight.
The right smoothies, again, thanks to fiber and fat, do not knock down the balance of blood sugar. This provides a lot of benefits: good mood, hormonal balance, feeling full, cheerfulness during the day, good skin condition…

Another plus: after a smoothie, it is MUCH easier to clean kitchen machines. I rinsed the blender and went to work. The main thing is to do this immediately after cooking, until the contents stick to the walls tightly. If there is no time at all, you can simply fill the blender with dishwashing detergent and water. Come home in the evening and wash everything calmly. But with a juicer, such a trick will not work. That is why mine has been gathering dust in the kitchen cabinet for a long time. It’s a pity to throw it away, because, firstly, it’s paid, and secondly, thoughts from the series “What if it comes in handy!” haunt. But that's not the point. In general, smoothies are much easier, healthier and more satisfying.

What is the correct composition of a smoothie

There are a few simple rules that will provide you with the best result:

No more than two medium-sized fruits per liter of finished drink. The thing is, fruits are high in sugar. That is why fruit smoothies are not the best start to the day. The focus is again on stabilizing blood sugar. It is necessary to avoid a sharp release of glucose into the blood, which just happens when eating fruits. Therefore, the “apple-banana-melon-milk” option is categorically not suitable for the “right” smoothie.
At least three big handfuls of greens or vegetables per liter of finished drink. What for? It is from these foods that we take the most useful, and they are what make smoothies so healthy. If you eventually fall in love with smoothies in which there are no fruits at all, then your health will only benefit from this. The meaning, again, in large numbers fiber, useful trace elements and in the stabilization of blood sugar.
Amount of liquid: all solid ingredients are poured 2/3 with water or another “correct” liquid (more on that below).
Fats- necessarily! To stabilize blood sugar even more, you need to add fat sources to smoothies: vegetable oils, coconut milk / cream, avocados. For 1 liter of the finished drink, use: 100 ml of non-light coconut milk OR 2 tbsp. any vegetable oil OR 1/2 medium avocado
Additives such as ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper (Chile), cinnamon, lemon will not interfere at all. All these ingredients have a mass useful properties. The main thing is not to overdo it with the quantity. For example, for 1 liter of smoothie I put 3-4 cm of ginger root, 1 small lemon (right with the peel, but this is an amateur, it’s just that the peel contains bioflavonoids that improve digestibility vitamin C). Seasonings - no more than 1-2 teaspoons per liter, otherwise it will be too spicy.
Berries do not belong to fruits, because, unlike them, they stabilize blood sugar and have a different acidity. Therefore, the good news is that berries can be put in smoothies indefinitely.

To make it easier to understand how this works in practice, here are some recipes for the “right” smoothies:

What changes into what in a smoothie

The rules here are very simple: everything is replaced according to the principle of colors. Everything red to red, orange to orange, and green to green. For example, spinach can be safely replaced with parsley or cilantro. Beets - bell pepper and an apple. Banana - pineapple ... In general, I advise you to experiment. Everyone's tastes are different, and my favorite green smoothie with lemon causes many people to vomit. And I can't imagine life without him! Why do I recommend substituting ingredients based on the color of the products? It's just that certain colors carry certain trace elements that are similar to each other or interchangeable. So, all greens are rich in calcium, folic acid and chlorophyll (a substance that helps in body detoxification). All citrus fruits contain vitamin C and bioflavonoids, which improve the absorption of vitamin C (however, how wise nature!). All orange contains beta-carotene, which gives the skin a healthy color and protects it. from aging.

How do smoothies help you lose weight and improve your body? How to prepare a smoothie? Why smoothies and not juice? I answer all these questions in this video

How many smoothies can you drink a day

In theory, a liter per day is more than enough. This is, I would even say, the absolute maximum. Unless, of course, you decide to spend a fasting day. In this case, you can drink two liters. But not more! Otherwise, you will overload the intestines, and out of habit, you may even develop mild diarrhea.

So the rule is: a minimum of 200 ml per day and a maximum of 1 liter on a normal day and 2 liters on an unloading day.

Is it possible to mix fruits and vegetables in the same drink

Can! But smoothies, consisting only of fruits, are contraindicated. Such a drink is a dessert, and not a healthy product in any way. There is too much sugar in fruits, so leave the banana-strawberry-fruit juice option for a treat.

As for the very question of the combination of fruits and vegetables at one meal, then here I am already tired of participating in the debate ... There is no scientific evidence that vegetables and fruits cannot be eaten together. The only thing you will find on the Internet on this subject is the enthusiastic reports of eyewitnesses who will tell you how their life became better when they stopped mixing fruits with other foods. The best life is that they have disappeared discomfort in the stomach and intestines. But! Having a reaction to mixing fruits and vegetables in the same meal is simply a sign of a malfunction. digestive system. If your stomach swells, then you should not eat fruits separately, but identify digestive problems and solve them. One of the problem solving options is in this article.

Fruits contain acid and other substances that, on the contrary, contribute to better digestion of food. For example, natural preparations, which improve digestion, consist precisely of fruit extracts. And pineapple and papaya are even recommended during and immediately after meals to help the stomach work.

So mix both fruits and vegetables for health, only so that there are at least twice as many vegetables as fruits.

How to make smoothies for yourself, your kids, and others in your home

As with everything else - gradually. In ancient times, I also drank smoothies according to the recipe "fruit-fruit-fruit-juice." Then I read that it was harmful, and for a start I replaced the juice with water. It was not that (of course!). I began to add honey to the water, just a couple of teaspoons per liter. Then I removed the honey. After another month, I replaced one fruit with a portion of spinach. Then, after some time, I added avocado and other oils ...

In general, patience and once again patience. Although, there are people who are better off in the pool with their heads. If you are one of them, then try right away the “right” smoothie. I hope that the awareness of the correctness and healthiness of such a drink will give you the strength to drink it to the end.

I also come across such a reaction to smoothies: they don’t climb because of the consistency!

A person cannot swallow all this miracle of nature, no matter how hard he tries. Then there are two options:

Leave the idea and get your set useful substances from vegetable food
Experiment with consistency by changing the amount of liquid. It is possible that you will like a thinner or thicker drink than from the recipe that I offer.

As for the children and other people who share living space with you: you will not be able to re-educate them. You can only infect with your example. Still I can advise unostentatiously to offer to try or taste. Every time. Here last Saturday they, for example, refused. And the next time, invite them to try again, at least a sip. And the next - the same thing ... I did it. It's been about three years since I secretly started putting spinach in smoothies. But now, if I have the audacity not to make a smoothie for breakfast, then I can’t avoid a reprimand. By the way, there are many more tips on how to teach children to proper nutrition, there is in this article.

What to do if you're not eating your smoothies

Here I offer the following options:

Add 1-2 tbsp to smoothies. protein powder. I already wrote about what they are.
Eat a handful of nuts (10-20 pieces). Nuts are chewed for a long time, saturate for a long time due to the high content of protein and fat. Yes, and delicious!
If you have a very powerful blender, then nuts and seeds can be added directly to the smoothie during the preparation process.
After making a smoothie, add a tablespoon of chia or flax seeds to them and mix everything on low speed.
Try this option: 300 ml smoothie plus 1 right loaf with the right filling (fish is suitable in any form, pesto, avocado, vegetables)

The Right Smoothie Liquids

Ordinary pure water
Soy or other plant-based milk without added sugar
Coconut milk light

Just a couple of weeks ago, a discussion broke out in the comments to my posts: is it possible to add kefir, milk or drinking yogurt to smoothies. Like, otherwise tasteless. A sweet discussion very quickly turned into a fierce debate ... Some wrote that drinking yogurt, which is sugar and fat free, is less there, others reasonably noted that yogurt is full of sugar substitutes and chemistry, and dairy is not at all the best option for a healthy drink. I agree with the second. Everything is possible, of course. Another question - is it necessary?

First, sweeteners should be avoided. Why - about it. If you can’t live without a sweet smoothie, then it’s better to add apple juice. It will be much better than drinking yogurt.

Secondly, dairy products prevent the absorption of calcium from food (and from the dairy products themselves too!), acidify the body and cause constipation ... Is it worth starting your day with such a cocktail?

Thirdly, although bifidobacteria are present in kefir in small quantities, it is still milk product. Why it should be avoided, in the sentence above.

How long can smoothies be stored

Smoothies are best consumed within three hours of making them. The maximum shelf life (in the refrigerator) is 1 day. Without a refrigerator - 4 hours (it is through this time that fermentation processes begin to occur in food at room temperature). Personally, I try to drink my liter before lunch (I have it at noon). If it doesn’t fit on some days (yes, it happens!), then I put the smoothie in the refrigerator and use it either as a second snack in the afternoon, or I drink it the next morning. This option seems to me the most convenient.

What to do if your stomach swells after a smoothie

Wait a couple of weeks. It is possible that everything will pass by itself. The fact is that such a reaction is the consequences of the huge amount of fiber that is contained in the right smoothies. And if before that you ate only porridge and sandwiches, then your intestines, simply out of habit, can react this way. If after two weeks the stomach does not stop swelling, then I advise you to work with digestion, while reducing the amount of smoothies by half. How to get rid of bloating, I wrote in detail.

That's probably all about smoothies. If you still have questions - you are welcome to ask them in the comments either here or on social networks.

If you have a desire to make smoothies your favorite drink, which will guarantee your youth, longevity and well-being, then I suggest joining my mini detox author's program, where you will receive not only many recipes for the most useful smoothies, but also be able to chat with me and with other participants of the program in real time. More about the program -

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