A smoothie is a thick beverage made from blended raw fruit, vegetables or ice cream and cookies with other ingredients such as water, ice, or sweeteners.
Smoothies can be a nutritious and convenient meal replacement or a refreshing snack. Luckily, they’re very easy to make, as well. Just a few basic ingredients blended together will render you a delicious smoothie.
Here are a few health benefits of smoothies:
1. Better digestion
Have you tried the genre of smoothies called “Green smoothies”? The kind of smoothies blending fresh leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, celery or collard.
These greens in particular are alkaline foods so they are your best bet to counteract the discomfort of acid reflux and heartburn. Feel free to throw in some other alkaline foods such as carrots, strawberries and blueberries to the ultimate in health benefits.
2. Boosts your immunity
Fruits and vegetables are a great source of nutrients and antioxidants for good health but some are proven to increase your immunity.
Adding sweet potato to your smoothies isn’t just a way to make them taste nice; the beta-carotene that they contain is an immunity booster. An added bonus is that it is also good for your eyes and bones.
3. Burns fat
It may come as a surprise to you, but smoothies are an effortless way to lose weight. You don’t even need to use them as meal replacements if you’re clever with your choice of ingredients. When looking for the right tasty addition to a smoothie, fruits like berries are a secret weight loss weapon.
This is because of flavonoids, which has been shown in studies to be one of the keys for not putting on weight. It is even suspected that blueberries can actually stop fat cells from developing.
4. Hydration benefits
Drinking the recommended 6-8 glasses of water can seem daunting but with smoothies, you’re already part of the way there.
We can get some of our water intake from our food and this includes smoothies, not least because lots of fruits and vegetables are quite rich in water.
5. Makes you stay fuller longer
If you find yourself snacking because you never feel full, the fiber in fruit or veg based smoothies could be your new best friend!
Avocado is one example of a smoothie that will leave you sated until lunchtime and curb your urge to snack and you only need half an avocado to get its benefits. You’ll get a deliciously thick and creamy smoothie that’s full of healthy fats, fiber and protein.
6. Get a healthy glow
Studies have shown that drinking smoothies made from foods containing cartenoids can give you an attractive glow. You can do the same for your skin by going for smoothies with pumpkin and mango.
