We have all heard this countless times, eat your fruits and vegetables. However, we know there is a limit to how much of them we can eat daily. That is why we all need to drink a smoothie.
What is a smoothie? It’s a mixture of fruits, vegetables or both pureed in a blender with water or milk.A smoothie helps you get your daily dietary requirement of fruits and vegetables without the hassle of sitting down to eat them.
Apart from being delicious, smoothies have so many health benefits. Let us see what benefits they have to offer.
They are rich in Antioxidants.
Antioxidants are crucial for preventing cancer, cellular damage and premature ageing caused by free radicals. This is where a smoothie helps.
Smoothies are rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals for optimal health. Fruits like citrus, banana, and berries are rich in vitamins C, A, calcium and potassium. They are potent antioxidants.
It is high in fibre.
The recommended amount of fibre we should eat is 25-30g daily. Unfortunately, most of us don’t eat near that amount.
Dietary fibre is beneficial for a bowel movement which aids the elimination of waste matter and excess toxic hormones from the body.
One of the ways to get our daily fibre requirements is by drinking a smoothie.The ingredients in the smoothie-like citrus, apples and berries are high in insoluble fibre.
It promotes weight loss.
As stated earlier, smoothie ingredients like grapefruit and watermelon are made up of 80% water and loaded with pectin slows down digestion. So they will fill you up while you consume fewer calories.
Also, a study from the National Centre for Biotechnology Information states that eating grapefruit three times a week for six weeks was linked to a moderate reduction of fat in the abdominal region.
So smoothies can fill your up without making you fat, so drink up!
It reduces blood pressure.
Here is another reason- they help reduce blood pressure. Beetroot is another ingredient in many smoothies and is high in nitrates that help reduce blood pressure and increases blood circulation.
Research has shown that nitrates reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise and aid people who can’t exercise due to heart conditions.
Lower risk of cancer.
Fruits, vegetables and herbs are rich in powerful anti-cancer agents. Fruits like citrus, pineapple and berries are rich in vitamins A and C and contain potent antioxidants that reduce your risk of developing cancer.
You can add other powerful ingredients like cruciferous vegetables to your smoothie.They contain sulforaphane, a plant-based compound that has potent anti-cancer properties.
You need to choose ingredients with properties when you want to prepare an anti-cancer smoothie. Your smoothie ingredients should be high in sulfur, vitamin C and lycopene to give your body a powerful punch.
Its excellent for Detox.
If you are feeling a little bloated and other than the weather, a delicious smoothie may be all you need to clear out your system.
The ingredients used are usually rich in water and insoluble fibre that scrape out the waste from your body.
If you have been eating fried foods, sugar and alcohol, a green detox smoothie can help flush out excess toxins and boost your metabolism.
It gives clear skin.
We all crave smooth and glowing skin and spend money on beauty products. You have to realize that having good starts with good food.
Good nutrition is the building block for having healthy skin. You need to eat foods rich high in vitamins C, E and antioxidants to get glowing skin.
All these can be found in a smoothie because the ingredients used for it are high in nutrients which fight free radicals responsible for skin blemishes and premature ageing. In addition, smoothies are usually rich in vitamin A are good for eye health and will brighten dull eyes.
However, you need to know the reason for making your smoothie in the first place because different ingredients give different results.
For example, ingredients used in a smoothie for weight gain will differ from those used for weight loss. So choose your ingredients wisely.
Let’s explore the different smoothie recipes you can prepare to help you reach your body goals.
Smoothie for Anti-inflammation.
Ingredients :
- Five cloves of Garlic.
- Celery.
- Turmeric
- Ginger
- One pineapple
- 1 cup of blueberries.
Run these ingredients through a high-speed blender and drink immediately.
Smoothie for Weight Gain.
If you are looking for ways to add weight to your lean frame, you can increase your calorie intake with healthy foods found in a smoothie.
Choose calorie and nutrient-dense ingredients in your smoothie to nourish your body and increase your muscle mass without extra body fat. Try this smoothie for your fitness goals.
Ingredients:
- One banana
- One mango
- A pineapple
- 1 tsp of hemp seeds
- Two cups of coconut milk.
Blend all these ingredients and serve chilled before and after your workout.
Smoothie for Strong Bones.
Smoothies contain ingredients that are rich in calcium, magnesium and vitamin K which support bone health.
Let us look at this rich smoothie recipe for strong bones.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of romaine lettuce
- 1 cup of spinach
- I lemon peeled and seeded
- I banana
- I tsp of hemp seeds.
- 2 cups of water.
Blend the vegetables for one minute followed by the fruits.
Smoothie for Detox.
The ingredients in this smoothie will keep you full and detoxify the liver due to powerful ingredients like lemon that help chelate heavy metals from the body.
I drank this smoothie recently for three days. All my sugar cravings disappeared. Try this smoothie to detoxify your body.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of water.
- 1 cup of spinach
- Ginger
- Kale
- Celery
- Parsley
- An apple
- One lemon
- One pear
Blend the vegetables for one minute followed by the fruits. Drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Smoothie for Weight Loss.
Obesity and belly fat isn’t just unsightly and affects our self-esteem, it is detrimental to our health. Medical studies have shown that excess belly fat leads to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Thankfully, there are healthy foods that you can make into a smoothie to help you burn excess body fat, especially in your stomach, increase your metabolism and nourish your body at the same time.
Try this smoothie to reach your weight loss goals.
Ingredients :
- One grapefruit
- One watermelon
- One lime
- One cucumber
- Asparagus
- Ginger
- A cup of water.
Blend all of them and drink.
Smoothie for High blood pressure.
High blood pressure is a condition that is seriously detrimental to health. It can lead to stroke and heart attack.
Thankfully, nature has blessed us with ingredients that we can make into smoothies to help reduce high blood pressure.
They contain no trans fats and excess sodium that is linked to high blood pressure. Try this smoothie below to reduce high blood pressure.
Ingredients:
- One banana
- Kale
- Romaine lettuce
- Five cloves of garlic
- Cinnamon
- One apple
- 1 cup of blueberries
- 2 cups of water.
Blend ingredients and drink once a day.
Smoothie for Stamina.
If you love working out, drink a delicious smoothie instead of an energy drink. It is all you need for energy to kill it in the weight room.
Drink this delicious tropical smoothie to get all the energy you need.
Ingredients:
- Two beetroots
- One pineapple
- One pawpaw
- One apple.
Blend everything and drink as a pre-workout meal.
So, guys, you can try out all these smoothie recipes and reap all their nutritional benefits.
