What Is A Healthy Smoothie?

With all of the hype surrounding juicing, it is easy to forget its more attractive sibling - smoothies. Smoothies are a combination of fruit and vegetables (and really whatever else you want to add). They make for the perfect breakfast, snack, lunch or even dinner. The are literally thousands of healthy smoothie recipes, so you won't get bored of them too quickly. 

So what differentiates a healthy smoothie from a non-healthy smoothie? The ingredients. By using mainly fresh fruit and vegetables, you are able to fuel your body with the nutrition that it needs to function throughout the day. You want to avoid loading your smoothie with high processed foods that are high in sugar. Every once in a while it's fun to add some sweet ingredients, but for the most part we want to stick with our healthy foods.

You can also add ingredients other than just fruit and vegetables. 

For example, there are tons of healthy smoothie recipes that call for a variety of organic seeds. These include hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seed and more! These are packed with fiber and protein and will really give you some extra fuel.

Smoothies vs. Juicing​

Before we answer this highly debated question, it is important to understand that both smoothies and juices can be extremely beneficial to your health. Whether your goal is weight loss or just a healthier lifestyle, you really can't go wrong with either choice. 

Here are the reasons we think smoothies are better for you than smoothies:​

Fiber

If you are considering doing a long term cleanse, then you will definitely want to do so with smoothies. They are loaded with fiber that will actually help make you feel fuller.

When you juice vegetables and fruit, you actually are removing all of the fibers completely. This will often leave you feeling hungry throughout the day. You may also start to feel a bit dizzy and headaches are not uncommon with going on a juice cleanse. You really do not need to punish yourself in order to be healthy!

Fiber is also packed with micronutrients that are lost when vegetables are put through a juicer. When it comes down to getting the most out of your fruits and vegetables, smoothies are the clear winner. ​