The 3 Smoothie Combos You Should Avoid

Smoothies are one of the quickest ways to pack a health punch in a single go. However, just like bad food combinations, there are also certain ingredients that can rob your healthy beverage of its nutritional benefits. However, while some ingredient combinations are bad for you, there are some that can increase the health quotient of your drink by their simple inclusion. In this article, we will discuss both.

Smoothie Ingredients that you should avoid

• Ingredients bought off the shelf: processed foods are difficult for your body to digest. This is the reason you are encouraged to avoid their consumption on a regular basis. Your smoothies should mostly contain raw vegetables and fresh produce. Dried products are unnatural and give your body an abnormal energy boost. But as these stimulants wane, your body starts to feel weak.
• Packed juices: these are one of the biggest health myths! Since packaged fruit juices are packed with added sugars, they can have a very bad effect on your blood sugar levels. If you want the benefits of fruits, use real ones.
• Oils: it is best to save the use of oils for your meals. If you want to include healthy fats in your smoothies, you can use whole foods such as nuts, seeds, coconut, olives etc.

Smoothie Ingredients that make your smoothies super healthy

• Flaxseeds: adding flaxseeds to your smoothie will give you a healthy load of omega-3s. The two main components of flaxseeds, lignans and alpha-linoleic acid, are very helpful in improving your body’s overall immunity.
• Oats: everyone should eat oats to get their essential dose of dietary fibre. They are also rich in beta-glucans that are known for their effectiveness in keeping blood cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels in check. You can reduce the risk of heart disease by simply adding oats to your smoothies.
• Protein powder: mix a recommended dose of whey protein into your next glass of smoothie to give your drink muscle-boosting ability. Whey protein digests quickly and the casein present in the powder provides the body with vital amino acids.
• Spices: natural spices such as cinnamon, cayenne, pepper, nutmeg and ginger can add that necessary zing to your health punch whilst providing the body with nutrition.
• Try superfoods: maca, cacao, aloe vera, coconut oil and acai are all great additions to your morning smoothie that will give you just the right boost to keep you powered throughout the day.

By Jenny Holt, Freelance Writer