Make Over and Improve Your Life with This Delicious Treat

Just looking at a fruit smoothie makes your mouth water, doesn’t it? Smoothies seem like the perfect healthy, refreshing snack or a great quick breakfast.  Drinking these mega healthy juice mixes can literally change the structure of your cells, for the better! When you fill your body with a huge dose of vital nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants in a manner that your body can easy digest and absorb then everything else in your life will flow just as easily. You will find that your entire life is improved; you will sleep better, feel better, and have a healthy glow to your complexion.

Now some people add too much to their smoothies (sweetened fruit juice, sugar filled frozen yogurt, honey) and they can even have quite a bit of fat if you are using full fat frozen yogurt. You can cut out the dairy to help cut fat and calories but then you are robbing your body out of the protein it needs that will keep your appetite satisfied.

smoothies 3 pack

Photo credit: bigstock

Keep your fruit smoothie as healthy as possible.

Here is a list of tips to keep your smoothie healthy and delicious, yet still satisfying.

  1. Freeze the fruit. Cut up whatever fruit strikes your fancy and freeze them in individual sized baggies. Frozen fruit will keep your smoothies thick and icy cold.
  2. Now add your protein. You can use whey protein to save calories and fat. If you really want milk or yogurt, use nonfat or low fat. You might even try almond milk or hemp milk for a change. Both are super healthy and taste great in a smoothie without adding unneeded fat.
  3. Add coconut water. If your smoothie is too thick, don’t use sugar filled fruit juice. Unless you squeeze it yourself, almost all fruit juice contains some kind of sugar. Try coconut water for a change. They sell it prepackaged in most health food stores. This liquid from young coconuts has an amazing amount of potassium and electrolytes. Read more about other uses for coconut.
  4. Don’t forget to add an avocado. Although bananas are commonly added because they are sweet but they have more sugar than most other fruits. (Who knew?) Your smoothie has enough sugar, so toss in a half or even a quarter of an avocado. You will still get lots of potassium and they are really successful at keeping your appetite at bay. Find out benefits for using avocados.
  5. Add additional sweeteners with caution. If you haven’t already, try agave syrup, which looks similar to honey but it’s much sweeter.

Remember when trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight, smoothies should be used as a meal replacement, not in addition to. Fruit does have calories, not matter how sweet or water filled they appear to be. Ok, you have some good guidelines for creating a more healthful smoothie, now here are a few recipes to help you get started.

 

Blueberry Smoothie

This is very healthy and loaded with antioxidants and other vitamins which are important for cellular health.

    • 1 cup of organic fresh or frozen blueberries
    • ½ an avocado
    • 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin coconut oil
    • 1 Tablespoon hemp seeds
    • 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
    • A pinch of cinnamon
    • 1 cup of hemp or almond milk or coconut water

 

Cranberry Lymph Flush

Everyone knows cranberry juice is a great way to keep your bladder and urinary tract clear of unwanted bacteria.

      • 1 cup of mixed berries
      • ¼ cup unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate
      • ¼ avocado
      • 1 cup coconut water or hemp, almond, or rice milk
      • 1 Tablespoon of flax or chia seeds
      • 1 Teaspoon ground ginger
      • Ice, if you wish.

 

Blackberry Cinnamon Smoothie

Blackberries taste so good, you won’t care that they are a great source of vitamin C and vitamin K, which is essential for your bones to absorb calcium.

      • 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
      • 1 cup coconut water or coconut/hemp/almond/rice milk
      • 1 Tablespoon flax or chia seeds
      • 1/8 Teaspoon cinnamon
      • 1 handful spinach (read more about 7 superfoods)
      • Splash of vanilla extract
      • 1 Tablespoon organic honey or agave syrup, to taste

 

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