HEALTHY SMOOTHIES COOKBOO K .
100 RECIPES
Breakfast, Low carb, Protein Smoothie Recipes, Smoothies for Weight Loss and Alkaline Smoothies, Smoothies for Diabetics, Green, Detox and Cleanse Smoothies
by Thomas ONeal
Contents
Introduction
If there is one easy and quick way to consume all the essential nutrients in a single drink, then it is probably from smoothies. These healthy and nutritious drinks are recommended on almost all the health-oriented diet plans due to the rich combination of ingredients they can provide. There are several ways to prepare and enjoy a smoothie. It can be made according to your taste preferences, health needs, and available ingredients. Perhaps, there are endless ways to enjoy a glass of smoothie. In this cookbook, we will discuss all the different ways to prepare healthy and delicious smoothies through amazing smoothie recipes. But before that, lets have a look at some important techniques and tips for making them.
Why Are Smoothies Good for Your Health?
Well, smoothies are healthy because of the combination of the nutrients they can provide in a single serving. Most of the food we eat is cooked or processed, which usually causes the loss of essential nutrients. The fresh, raw, and organic ingredients in the smoothies can provide quality nutrients, and thats what makes smoothies healthy and nourishing.
1. Detox Your Body
One of the biggest health benefits of a smoothie is that it can help detoxify your body and help it get rid of toxins and radicals. It happens due to the antioxidants present in fruits, vegetables, and skins. Normally the smoothies are made out of uncooked and unprocessed ingredients, which ensure maximum intake of antioxidants.
2 Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation is usually caused by the oxidants, toxins, and free radicals circulating in our blood. These toxins can trigger the bodys immune system, which results in inflammation in different parts of the body both at cellular or organ level. Smoothies can reduce this inflammation by providing such antioxidants that remove all the toxins from the blood.
3. Healthy Ingredients
According to health experts, an average adult should consume 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day. But in todays lifestyle, we are more dependent on processed and fast food, and the fresh fruit and vegetable levels are extremely low. Smoothies can help you maintain your fruit and vegetable intake without putting in much effort in cooking and preparation. Moreover, you have the choice to add as many healthy ingredients as possible to meet your nutritional needs.
4. Source of Phytonutrients
Phytonutrients are plant-sourced micronutrients that are commonly present in leafy green vegetables. These phytonutrients can regulate the hormones and enzymes produced in the body, help remove bad cholesterol, prevent cardiac diseases, cause weight loss, and boost metabolic rates. These phytonutrients are often not consumed through a regular diet, but when the vegetables are blended well with fruits in smoothies, more phytonutrients are added to the diet. Thus, smoothies through their high phytonutrient content can help prevent various diseases.
5. Aid Weight Loss
Smoothies only provide clean energy as they are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers, and phytonutrients; all the macros present in the smoothies are in a very balanced amount. And these nutrients aid the fat burning process by increasing metabolic rates. People who reduce the amount of solid food and start consuming more smoothies live not only a healthy life but also an active one with a perfect body mass index.
6. Improves Digestion
Fibers are responsible for improving the bowel movement in the digestive tract, which then indirectly improves digestion. Smoothies are rich in fiber, which then helps improve digestion. They are also a rich source of macro and micronutrients, which nourishes the friendly gut bacteria living in the human intestines.
7. Lower Cholesterol
The antioxidants and phytonutrients present in the smoothies are responsible for removing the blood cholesterol from the body. They help the body to process these low-density lipoproteins and regulate hormones and enzymes which remove these molecules out of the blood and cleanse it.
8. Increased Fiber Consumption
On average, a human adult must consume 2538grams of fiber per day. But the food we consume routinely does not offer much fiber. Smoothies, on the other hand, are a rich source of fiber; hence, they can drastically increase the fiber intake of a person and can help him meet his target.
Smoothies: As a Meal Replacement or Just a Snack?
Well, you cannot really replace a complete or full meal with a smoothie as the latter does not provide as many calories as the former. Smoothies can only replace a meal when you are living a special diet with low caloric servings. However, all types of smoothies can easily replace a snack. Snacks are usually consumed in between two meals in order to gain quick energy for a short time. When you replace snacks with smoothies, you dont only get clean energy, but you also get to have a variety of macro and micronutrients due to the different combinations of ingredients used in each smoothie. There are different types of smoothies that you can consume instead of a snack.
1.Fruit Smoothies
These smoothies give you a flavorsome combination of different fruits with milk, cream, water, or superfoods like nuts and seeds. They contain more fiber and carbs. Fruit smoothies are generally more refreshing and delicious.
2.Green Smoothies
These smoothies are known for their rich fiber and phytonutrient content as they are made out of leafy green vegetables. These smoothies are more effective for weight loss. Kale, spinach, parsley, celery, coriander, etc., are usually added to these smoothies along with water, milk, or a cream base.
3.Protein Smoothies
These smoothies are extremely healthy and helpful for those who are looking for a protein-rich diet and working hard to develop strong and healthy body muscles. You can increase the protein content of the smoothies by adding more cheese, cream, eggs, cream cheese, nuts, seeds, and protein powder.
How to Choose Your Blender
Blending is a basic and important step of smoothie making. Without having a quality blender at home, you cannot have a good, smooth, and creamy smoothie to enjoy. That is why a smoothie lover must also know a decent amount about the blender he will need to make those smoothies. While there are tons of blender options out there, you can follow the following standard criterion.
1. Blending Power
The blending powder makes all the difference, there are several low-quality blenders out there that look fancy, but they dont have good blending power. As a result, the smoothie blended in such a blender is not smooth and well mixed. So, you need a blender that has a minimum of 500 watts of power or more. Blenders with this power range can grind and blend all types of vegetables and fruitswhether fresh or frozeneasily. Such blenders are also tough enough to crush solid ice.
2. Size and Material
When it comes to a smoothie blender, the size and material cannot be overlooked. A suitable size of the blender can ensure that you get the perfect amount of smoothie every time. It should be large enough to accommodate all the smoothie ingredients but small enough for you to handle easily. Similarly, the material of the blender jug should be good enough to sustain different cold and warm temperatures, plus the plastic or other materials used in the blender should be food-friendly as well as free from any harmful chemicals or microplastics.