Health smoothies recipes are the perfect go-to for a powerful punch of yummy goodness!
Looking after our health is the number one priority (especially in these times) so I thought it would be a good idea to share some nourishing options!
I especially love to add some Forever goodies into the recipes to make them even more healthy and tasty.
I am by no means a health practitioner so if you are watching your calorie intake I would definitely suggest consulting a professional before trying any recipes.
What Are Smoothies?
Simply put, smoothies are thick, creamy beverages usually blended from fruits, vegetables, juices, yoghurt, nuts, seeds, and/or dairy or non-dairy milk.
A basic smoothie will typically start with two key ingredients — a base and a liquid. From there, the world’s your oyster and you can blend ingredients to your liking.
If you want your smoothie to have that icy consistency of a milkshake then freeze your ingredients and include a few ice cubes.
Freezing also helps to keep your produce from going off quickly and if you cut all the ingredients up and measure them out then it cuts your smoothie preparation time substantially (especially if you like to make them before heading out for the day).
Popular ingredients for smoothie health drinks include:
- Fruits: berries, banana, apple, peach, mango, and pineapple
- Vegetables: kale, spinach, arugula, wheatgrass, microgreens, avocado, cucumber, beetroot, cauliflower, and carrots
- Nuts and seeds: almond butter, peanut butter, walnut butter, sunflower seed butter, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flax meal
- Herbs and spices: ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cocoa powder, cacao nibs, parsley, and basil
- Nutritional and herbal supplements: spirulina, bee pollen, matcha powder, protein powder, and powdered vitamin or mineral supplements
- Liquid: water, fruit juice, vegetable juice, milk, non-dairy milk, coconut water and cold brew coffee
- Sweeteners: honey, pitted dates
- Others: dairy or nondairy yoghurt
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Types Of Healthy Smoothie Recipes
Majority of smoothies can be grouped into one or two of the following categories — though there’s often overlap between them:
- Fruit smoothies. Typically features one or more types of fruit blended with fruit juice (freshly squeezed), water, or milk (dairy/ non-dairy).
- Green smoothies. Green smoothies include leafy green vegetables and fruit blended with water, juice, or milk. They are usually much heavier in veggies than regular smoothies, although they may include a small amount of fruit to increase the sweetness.
- Protein smoothies. Protein smoothies commonly start with one fruit or vegetable and a liquid, as well as a major protein source like Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, silken tofu, or protein powder.
Smoothies are so customisable, so it’s easy to pack them with nutrients!
Potential Smoothie Health Benefits
Many people consume smoothies as a morning meal or afternoon snack. They can be a great way to incorporate more healthy foods into your diet.
May Help Boost Fruit And Vegetable Intake
Smoothies made primarily from fresh or frozen produce may increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables, which provide a diverse array of essential vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults eat at least 5 servings (around 400 grams) of fruits and vegetables per day.
However, most people fall short of this mark.
If you find you’re not eating enough fruits or veggies, a smoothie can be a delicious way to pack in 2–3 more servings.
May Support Increased Fibre Consumption
Fibre is an important nutrient that aids digestion by preventing constipation and supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract.
With the right ingredients, smoothies can be a brilliant way to boost your fibre intake.
Some of the most fibre-rich foods are also popular smoothie ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds.
18 Brilliant Ingredients For Healthy Smoothie Recipes
1. Dark, Leafy Greens
Spinach and kale are the perfect staples for smoothies. Don’t be scared to be daring and try beetroots, celery (with leaves) or other dark, leafy greens.
Greens are low in sugars and calories and provide more iron and protein than fruit.
2. Cruciferous Veggies
Shredded cabbage, bok choy (and leafy green kale, as well) are part of the special cruciferous family of vegetables and are packed with nutrients!
3. Nuts, Nut Butters And Seeds
Veggies are important in a smoothie, but protein is needed in order to stabilise your blood sugars and keep you feeling full.
Peanut butter, other nut butters, nuts and seeds are a good source of protein.
Choose natural peanut or almond butter (all peanuts or almonds, no fillers). Ground flaxseed is also a great option!
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4. Greek Yogurt And Milk/ Milk Alternatives
Dairy products are another source of protein, which can help make your smoothie a true meal replacement that keeps you satisfied for longer periods.
Almond milk is low in fat and cholesterol and it’s full of vitamins, as well as iron, calcium and zinc.
5. Berries
Berries are full of fibre and will help you feel fuller for longer. They are also packed with antioxidants!
They are crammed full of nutrients including folate, vitamin C and B6. Among other benefits, vitamin B6 contributes to normal psychological function; this means blueberries are brilliant for keeping our minds in check.
You may need to add quite a few handfuls though!
6. Chia seeds
Chia seeds derive from a flowering plant that is a part of the mint family — they’re an ideal source of omega-3 and protein.
7. Lavender
Lavender is actually an edible herb and it’s also a great source of vitamin A, calcium and iron.
8. Kale
Dubbed ‘Queen of the greens’, this low- calorie leafy veg is high in fibre and absolutely packed with a brilliant array of vitamins, nutrients and essential fatty acids.
9. Cinnamon
A delicious spice that is popular in both sweet and savoury dishes.
10. Nutmeg
This warm, delicate spice should be used sparingly but it is still full of nutrients including manganese, magnesium and thiamine.
11. Avocado
Avocado is a fruit and a fantastic source of vitamin K, B6, E, C, copper, folate and omega-3.
12. Fresh Carrot Juice
This fresh carrot juice is low in calories and high in vitamin A. Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal skin and vision, and to the normal function of the immune system.
13. Beetroot
This root vegetable is packed with calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. It is also a good source of folic acid, fibre, manganese and potassium.
14. Matcha powder
This finely-ground powder is actually used to make green tea, a tea celebrated for its antioxidant properties. Matcha powder also contains fibre, caffeine and the amino acid L-theanine.
15. Argi+
This delicious and nutritious sports drink contains five grams of L-Arginine per serving plus vitamins, including vitamin C – which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue – and vitamin D – which contributes to the maintenance of normal muscle function.
16. Ginger
Seen as one of the healthiest spices available, ginger is exploding with nutrients and is, therefore, a popular ingredient in traditional and alternative medicine.
17. Medjool dates
Medjool dates are low in fat but full of protein and carbohydrates. They are high in fibre, potassium – which assists in balancing the body’s pH – and beta-D-glucan.
If you eat enough dates the beta-glucan will contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.
18. Forever Bee Honey
This all-natural, delicious sweetener is perfect for replacing processed sugar in your diet.
It’s also easily digestible and packed with fructose, glucose and a large number of micronutrients.
My Favourite Healthy Smoothies Recipes
Ginger Green Smoothie recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups of fresh baby spinach
- 1 large ripe banana, sliced and frozen
- 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons of unsweetened almond butter
- 1/4 of a small avocado
- 120–180 ml of unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup of low or nonfat vanilla Greek yoghurt
- Optional: add 1 sachet of Forever Supergreens
Instructions
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add more almond milk.
Tropical Berry Beet Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of frozen mixed berries
- 1/2 cup of frozen mango
- 1/4 cup of raw beets, roughly chopped or grated
- 2 tablespoons of hemp hearts
- 1/2 cup of low fat plain Greek yogurt
- 120–180 ml of unsweetened coconut water
- a squeeze of fresh lime juice
- Optional: Replace coconut water with Forever Aloe Berry Nectar
Instructions
Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth. If you want it a little sweeter, use lightly sweetened yoghurt or swap the coconut water for 100% fruit juice.
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Blueberry Burst Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 240ml almond milk
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- 1 banana
- 1⁄2 tsp dried culinary lavender
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Introduce vitamins C and D, and zinc by adding in two tablets of Forever Immublend.
Instructions
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add more almond milk.
Incredible Bulk Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen pineapple
- 240ml coconut water
- 1 small handful of kale
- 1⁄2 large cucumber, peeled
- 1⁄2 avocado, peeled
- 1 tsp chia seeds
Make this smoothie even greener by blending in one Forever Fields of Greens supplement
Instructions
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add more coconut water.
Fools Gold Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ripe mango, cubed
- 1⁄2 ripe banana, peeled
- 120ml milk (we used unsweetened almond milk)
- ½ cup plain Greek yoghurt
- 2 tsp unsweetened matcha powder
- 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
- 0-2 tsp Forever Bee Honey (to taste)
- A handful of ice cubes
Instructions
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add more milk.
Nutty Protein Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 115g low fat cottage cheese
- 1 pitted Medjool date (soak in hot water for 5 minutes)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 1⁄4 tsp almond extract
- 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon
- 1⁄2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 scoop Forever Lite Ultra (vanilla)
- 200ml unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add more almond milk.
Beets and Berries Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium beetroot, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
- 3 Medjool dates, pitted
- ¾ cup apple slices (optional)
- 1 scoop Argi+
- 200ml almond milk
Instructions
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add more almond milk.
Ginger Ninja Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 120ml carrot juice
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, (roughly chopped)
- 1 banana
- 1 scoop Forever Lite Ultra (vanilla)
- A few ice cubes
Instructions
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add more almond milk.
Do Smoothies Aid Weight Loss?
Smoothies are frequently marketed as a weight loss tool, but it really depends on what you put into it. Other varying factors are your diet as a whole and how much you exercise.
If you are wanting to use smoothies to aid in weight loss I would suggest consulting a health professional.
Ready To Fuel Your Way To Success?
Health and success go hand in hand. Nothing in life would be worth achieving if we don’t first have our health. That is certainly one big lesson Covid has been teaching all of us.
Smoothies are one of my favourite ways to pack in all the good nutrients my body needs.
Not as easy to drink in these colder months, but as the weather begins to warm these healthy smoothies recipes are a go-to!
I hope this article inspires you to get creative with your smoothies in the kitchen and reminds you to please look after your health daily!
Please feel free to share in the comments below and ask me any questions.
Please click the social icons to share this with your network and help inspire them to action today!
With love,
Nat
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