Health is not just about exercising or meditating, health is also what we consume. Food items have evolved so much since the beginning of ages there are a lot of options for us to choose from.
Not everyone prefers to eat or drink healthy food that tastes like garbage. Creative health food chefs have come up with recipes that taste delicious and are healthy as well. So, many times people had to drop their favorite dish in order to go on a diet but that has been happening less now that there are healthier and alternative ways of cooking those dishes. Healthy smoothies are just one of those alternatives.
No one can claim to not have made a single mistake in their life. Mistakes happen, it’s the only way to grow, no matter how small the mistake is. It helps us learn what not to and how to work on getting things right. The same is the case with Healthy smoothies.
But we live in a world of speed. We need speed delivery of objects and if some knowledge is to be gained it has to be done in a heartbeat or so it feels. So, we’ll help you avoid some of the common mistakes made by beginners while preparing healthy smoothies and believe us it will save you time.
1. Don’t purchase low-quality fruits or veggies.
A lot of us think that leftover fruits and veggies are perfect ingredients for preparing a smoothie. That is not the case. The fresher the ingredients the higher its nutrient value. But just fresh done not mean high-quality fruits in certain instances. The quality of fruits and veggies is decided by certain factors, some of which are safe certification, it’s appearance, it’s nutritional value, whether it’s organic and shelf life. There are more factors but these are the major deciding factors. A high-quality fruit or veggie is organically grown, fresh, is in good condition, and has high nutritional value.
2. Don’t use the same ingredients every time, mix it up.
There are two reasons why using the same ingredients always is not a good idea. First, you’ll get tired of the taste. Change is the only constant in our life. So, mixing it up is necessary. Second, some fruits cover few nutrition and minerals but a single fruit or vegetable cannot claim to have all of them. So, if you rotate the ingredients, you can cover the majority of nutrients and minerals that are necessary to lead a healthy life.
3. Don’t forget to measure the ingredients.
Just like we are likely to use the leftover fruits and veggies from the refrigerator we are bound to make the mistake of tossing the fruits, veggies and other ingredients in the blender without measuring them. This might make you an edible smoothie but it sure as hell won’t be healthy. Measures are in place because each measurement of the ingredient has a certain fixed amount of nutrient content in it which will change if you either add too much or far too less.
4. Don’t go overboard with sweeteners.
It is not just a play on words when a recipe says to add salt and pepper to taste. It actually means it. Consider sweeteners to be the salt and pepper of smoothies. We all need calories to survive and the fruits and veggies used in preparing the smoothies have sufficient amount but adding extra sweeteners could lead to too many calories. And healthy smoothies are a way to avoid those so, drinking them would be pointless. If you need to sweeten the smoothies then do so by adding dates or raisins.
5. Don’t go overboard with fruits and veggies.
Another common mistake we make is either adding too many fruits and veggies to the smoothie or we don’t add enough of them. Like we have said before fruits contain calories and too much of them would lead us astray from our goal. Green vegetable smoothies have high nutritional value for which they are applauded. Not including greens in your smoothies is a mistake you should remedy. Start with spinach and then slowly move towards kale. We need the balance of fruits and veggies and that’s why it is important to measure them.
6. Don’t overlook the necessary nutrient and minerals.
Rather than going for protein powders that are more suitable for people trying to bulk up, try to get your proteins in a natural way. Adding flaxseed or peanut butter to your smoothie is a much better option. Don’t forget to add fruits with fiber in it. Fiber is essential in many ways it’s improves digestion, aids weight loss and also helps stabilize your blood sugar levels. So, yeah, tossing just any ingredients in the blender is not an option. Do your research before you decide which ingredients to use.
7. Don’t use a low-powered blender, get the best.
Quality of the blender matters. If you have decided to add smoothies to your daily diet then it’s essential that you invest in a good high-powered blender that won’t break down. Buy blender that is specially made for smoothies and has settings for drinks.
8. Don’t use unclean fruits. Washing them is a must.
Washing your fruits and vegetables is not just a good habit that has been drummed into us since childhood. It matters a lot. Unclean and unwashed fruits and vegetables are disease carriers. It’s not always possible to get high-quality fruits and even if we do get high-quality fruits it’s essential to wash them. Prevention is better than cure, so always be prepared.
9. Don’t just add fruit juice as the liquid.
Fruit juice should not be the only liquid present in your smoothie you need to mix it up with yogurt or even coconut milk. It will provide you with more protein. And blending the ingredients together will be much easier and it will give us a smoothie with a creamy texture.
These mistakes have been made by the best of us. We hope that you learn from these mistakes.
