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It's always important to make sure you eat a balanced meal. I'm sure you hear that all of the time. But when you're living an active life, it's not so easy to consume a balanced meal. I'll show you a great way to supplement your nutrients with these tasty and healthy vegan smoothies.
When we're on the go, we want whatever is quick and easy. But does that mean we always have to reach for frozen tv dinners that are high in sodium, fat, and cholesterol?
We want to be more conscious of what we put into our bodies. What we put into our bodies is what our bodies use as fuel.
Imagine you have an Aston Martin for a car. You want to keep this premium vehicle in top shape by feeding it the fuel it needs. Are you going to pump Regular Gasoline into it?
No way. You're going to give it the premium quality food it needs so it can perform well at all times and last you a long time.
Now, instead of the Aston Martin, imagine your body. You need to provide it with the fuel it needs to keep it in top shape. And you can do that with nutritious food I'll be describing.
When you think of nutrients, do you imagine a basket full of fresh fruits and vegetables? I certainly do. But it's very overwhelming and time consuming to eat the recommended 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
That comes out to nearly 5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day! Not only is that a lot to chew, but when do you have the time to shovel cup after cup after cup of apples, celery, or any produce into your mouth? It hurts my jaw just thinking about it.
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Personally, I'm a lazy eater and also a GERD sufferer. I contemplated the best way to keep up my nutrient intake and that was with smoothies. So, I started to purchase smoothies after my gym time. It seemed like a great idea initially.
But buying smoothies doesn't leave me satisfied because it's usually overflowing with unnecessary added sugars. Yes, surprisingly many shops don't keep their smoothies simple, but add sugars to get a sweeter taste. Then I feel guilty and gross that I consumed a dessert as opposed to a fruit bowl or salad.
The healthiest option is to make your own smoothies at home so you know what's going into your body.
It also gets pretty expensive for something you can make at home. It's easier than you think to do this at home as long as you have a good blender.
It's great to come out of the grocery store with an entire bag full of fruits and vegetables. You look like a star! But the next problem with bringing this home is that three days or so later, your produce starts to spoil.
Have you ever seen bananas last 7 days without spotting and turning mushy? Probably not or else you've stumbled upon an unknown species of bananas.
So, do you go grocery shopping every other day to keep up?
The natural response to a busy life in this situation is that towards the end of the week, you're eating less and less produce if at all especially if you're like me and usually do grocery shopping for the week all in one go.
It's best that I provide you will smoothie ingredients that you can keep frozen, if needed. That way, you can go to your freezer at any time for your very own smoothie bar. Fresh produce can last up to several months in the freezer.
This is fantastic news for busy people like you and me. When you're ready for your smoothie, you can just pull out your already-washed ingredients and voila! You have a smoothie ready in under 5 minutes.
Also, using frozen fruits allows you to have a thick, frozen smoothies without adding ice that may dilute your nutritious drink.
What constitutes as a serving (as on Self Nutrition Data)?
Spinach - 1 cup (raw)
Kale - 1 cup (raw)
Strawberry - 1 cup (whole)
Blueberry - 1/2 cup (whole)
Raspberry - 1 cup (whole)
Banana - 1 large
Mango - 3/4 cup (raw)
Orange Juice - 8 ounces (1 cup)
Unsweeted Almond Milk - 8 ounces (1 cup)
Coconut Water - 8 ounces (1 cup)There are so many benefits fruits and vegetables have for your body. But what are you really consuming? Is it trace elements that are hard to find in food? Or is it nutrients that will actually boost your immune system? I did the research for you here.
Here are Some of the Many Health Benefits:
Spinach & Kale: helps immune health, heart health, weight loss (Vitamin C, A, K, & folate)
Berries: helps immune health, digestive health, heart health, skin health, anti-cancer properties, anti-inflammation properties, and control blood sugar (Antioxidants, Fiber)
Bananas: helps skin health, heart health, digestive health, immune system, and gives energy (Fiber, Protein, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Vitamin B6 & C)
Mangoes: helps eye health, regulate blood sugar, cholesterol, alkalises body, lose weight, fight cancer, and is an aphrodisiac (Fiber, Protein, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, and basically all of the vitamins you need)
Citrus Fruits: helps heart health, immune system, skin health, and hydration (Protein, Fiber, Vitamin C & B1, Potassium, Folate)
Almond Milk: helps with immune system, bone health, and skin health (Calcium, Vitamin D & E)
Coconut Water: helps with digestive health, hydration, blood pressure, kidney stones, and diabetes (Fiber, Protein, Vitamin C, Manganese, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium)
Here are some ideas for healthy ingredients you can blend into your smoothie or sprinkle on top to give it some added texture. It's great to have add some texture to your decadent smoothies. These can provide more protein and good fats (omega-3-fatty acids) that make this a more sustainable meal supplement.
Healthy Toppings/Additions:
Chia Seeds
Flax Seeds
Protein Powder
Oatmeal
Almond Butter
Coconut Flakes
Granola
Cocoa Nibs
Mixed Nuts
The Key To Blending:
Have you ever tried to add a bunch of ingredients into a blender and it just gets stuck. It's the worst! You open the lid and try to use a spoon to stir the mixture around, creating a mess and taking what feels like forever to make a simple smoothie.
The key is to Add the Liquids first. Next, add the green leafy vegetables. Finally, add the more solid fruit on top especially if it's frozen.
Don't be afraid to add more liquid as needed. If you're using frozen fruits and vegetables, the smoothie will need more liquid to get the blender to work properly.
Remember that frozen fruits blended will give you the creamy texture that you want in a smoothie without adding ice.
Smoothies are perfect for breakfast, as a snack, or for a post-workout boost. If you add protein powder and other toppings, you can easily make it a meal replacement when you're on the go. Use these creative vegan smoothie recipes and feel free to unleash your own creativity by adding ingredients or changing some of it up. Your body will thank you for nourishing it. Let me know how your smoothies turned out by leaving a comment below. Can't wait to hear from you!
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