Smoothies can be a great way to get the nutrients you need to bounce back from training or to jump start your day. However, certain missteps can quickly upend what should be an ultra-nutritious and equally delicious muscle-sculpting drink. Done wrong, a blender drink can go from nutritional hero to problem child.
One of the main issues is calorie intake. If you’re crushing the calories with your training, it’s perfectly acceptable to drink a few more calories. But you should still be aware of how much energy your daily smoothie is delivering. A couple of spoonfuls of peanut butter, two scoops of protein powder, and full-fat yogurt can add up to a big calorie load. In general, a smoothie should be no more than 400 calories with a little more wiggle room if you are gulping it down as a meal substitute or immediately after a calorie-crushing workout.
Another issue is the choice of ingredients. Bananas are a favorite smoothie ingredient for many people, but they may not be the best choice. Researchers from the University of California, Davis, found that adding bananas to smoothies that also contain berries can dramatically reduce the body’s ability to absorb the flavanol antioxidants present in various foods. The problem is that bananas contain high levels of an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which can sharply reduce the amount of flavanols your body absorbs. Fruits with lower polyphenol oxidase activity include pineapple, oranges, and mango.
A well-crafted smoothie should be macro-balanced and not just heavily skewed towards protein or carbs. That means you want to whip in ingredients that give you a healthy amount of all three of the macronutrients. So, fruit, veggies, dried fruit, and oats for carbs; items like flax, hemp seeds, nut butters or avocado for healthy fats, and yogurt, protein powder, ultra-filtered milk, or cottage cheese for muscle-building protein.
Choosing the best protein powder for your shake is also important. Skim the label on nearly any protein powder and you’re bound to find a few ingredients that aren’t protein. Namely, emulsifiers—ubiquitous food additives including gums now found in the majority of protein powders. These are added to help improve how the powders blend with liquids and increase shelf-life. But it’s concerning to see research suggesting that higher exposure to these food additives may mess with the microbiome, as well as raise the risk for health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.
Vegetables can also be a great addition to protein shakes. Everything from spinach to cauliflower to carrots to cooked beets can work well in a protein shake. You can even use frozen veggies for this purpose, which makes the whole process more convenient and gives your smoothies a frosty edge.
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Excess sugar can also turn a healthy smoothie into a calorie bomb. Fruit, honey, dates, juices and sugar-sweetened dairy-free milk can all add up to a blender drink that is not too far removed from liquid candy. In general, aim to blend in no more than two sugar-containing items, even if those sugars are naturally occurring, like in fresh fruit.
Adding spices to smoothies can also be beneficial. Not only can spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and even a little cayenne transform a smoothie from meh to wow, but they are also a surprising source of concentrated antioxidants that can give your creamy drink even greater health-hiking powers.
Here’s a recipe for a Berry Cheesecake Smoothie that follows the rules for crafting the optimal smoothie:
- 3/4 cup milk of choice
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese
- 1 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
- 3/4 cup frozen blueberries or blackberries
Place all of the ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth.
Using a walk routine in conjunction with a healthy smoothie can be beneficial for weight loss.
Some people find it helpful to use email campaigns to encourage sign-ups for fitness classes that focus on fitness and wellness.
Experts emphasize the importance of a balanced diet.
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