Blending your breakfast and consuming it in a liquid form has become somewhat of a normality in an age when we value our time so preciously.
A quick and easy solution to kickstart your day and get some nutrients in on your way to work or the gym without spilling yogurt or coco pops all over your lap on the drive.
Although whole foods are always going to be best when it comes to nutritional value, if you are going to drink your calories you might as well do it right. So we have prepared our ultimate smoothie guide to make sure you give yourself the best start to the day possible.
The guide is broken down into the 5 main components of the smoothie. These include the base, carbs, protein, greens & fats to ensure you get a nutrient balanced and tasty smoothie. Then there are the bonus goodies!!
One tip we always give people on preparing their smoothies is to lay out all the ingredients prior to throwing them into the ninja bullet. If it looks like too much food for you to eat whole then it is too much for you too drink as a liquid so reduce the portion sizes appropriately.
How to make the perfect smoothie
THE BASE
This is the foundation of any great smoothie so choose wisely, the type of base you use can also dictate the ingredients you mix in later.
200-250ml of:
ie: Water
Coconut water
Coconut milk
Almond Milk
Full Fat Milk
Skim Milk
THE CARBS
This is where the flavour comes in, choose any fruit you like but the key is to only add 1 serve total. 1 whole banana or 1/2 banana + 1/2 cup berries.
ie: Berries
Banana
Mango
Pineapple
Passion Fruit
Apple
*BONUS TIP
If you want to thicken out your smoothie add frozen fruits or ice.
THE PROTEIN
You can use the protein powder of your choice. Just choose your flavour to match with the other ingredients you plan on throwing in. Your mint choc chip flavoured protein may not suit the mango flavored smoothie you have been thinking about. But hey, it’s your choice…
ie: Whey protein
Plant based protein,
Hemp protein
Brown rice protein
Or a blend.
THE GREENERY
It cant be all sweetness and protein gains. So its time to add some goodness in there.
ie: Spinach
Kale
Chard
Arugula
Cucumber
Celery
THE GOOD FATS
Use these sparingly, they are in here to add to the satiety of the smoothie as well as getting a good dose of healthy fats in to kick start your day.
ie: Avocado
Natural nut butter
Coconut oil
Flaxseed oil
THE BONUS GOODIES
Time to indulge just a little and add in a little extra flavour or goodness to kick start your morning right.
ie: Chia seed
Maca powder
Cacao nibs
Shredded coconut
As we mentioned at the beginning the base you choose can also dictate some of the additional ingredients you add-in. For example, a coconut water base may need carbs/fruit source that is not as sweet and with full-fat milk you can potentially leave out the added fat altogether.
Don’t be limited to just the ingredients on this list, let your imagination run free and create anything your taste buds desire.
OUR PERSONAL FAVOURITE:
Almond Milk + 1/2 frozen banana + 1/2 cup frozen berries + choc coconut plant protein + 1 handfull spinach + 1 tablespoon peanut butter & shredded coconut.