Waking up to social media posts and coming across fitness advertisements has most likely become a norm in your daily lives. With lifestyle influencers and bloggers vouching for the benefits of a fancy new diet routine every other day, you must be asking yourself, “Will it work this time?” But maintaining a balanced diet in your busy schedule becomes difficult after a while. Trying to alter eating habits drastically is one of the major reasons you continuously find yourself cheating on your plan or unable to keep going in the long run.
What might work for you is a healthy smoothie that comes with a host of benefits. Substituting or supplementing your diet with a smoothie gives you a lot of flexibility. You can make yourself a breakfast smoothie brimming with nutrients or have it as an evening snack, to relish your cravings. It helps you lose excess body weight, fights dehydration and keeps the stomach full. Having a smoothie a day, a major source of antioxidants, keeps various health problems at bay, since it improves digestion and enhances immunity. For instance, a banana smoothie is a great choice.
You can also make smoothies according to your desires and likings. Whether you are a berry lover or you want to include leafy greens to your diet, there is a smoothie solution to everything.
Follow these easy smoothie recipes that have everything you would like, from mangoes to bananas, get ready to detox your body and replenish yourself with fibre and minerals for a healthier, fitter and better you.
Healthy Smoothie Recipes Curated Especially For You
Here are some easy to blend, homemade recipes to satiate your daily cravings.
1. Green Detox Smoothie
Want fantastic yet tasty weight loss smoothies? Look no further. This is the classic detox juice for everyone who is looking to lose excess weight. You can replace your morning breakfast with this green goodness for a fresh start to your day. Surely, one of the best smoothie recipes.
Ingredients:
- 2 green apples
- 3 stalks of celery, no leaves
- 1 cucumber
- 8 leaves of kale
- ½ lemon
- Bits of ginger
- Mint leaves
- Kiwi
- Aloe vera juice (optional)
Recipe:
- Peel the skin of cucumber and kiwi to avoid bitterness
- Mix all the ingredients in a juicer or a mixer and blend well
- Add water or aloe vera juice to smoothen the paste
Cooking Time: 10 – 15 minutes
2. Pineapple Protein Smoothie
Yellow is the colour of brightness and there is nothing better than sipping the mix of mango and pineapple on a bright sunny summer day.
Ingredients:
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 1 banana
- Pieces of freshly cut pineapples
- ⅓ cup frozen mango (during the mango season, you can use freshly cut mangoes)
- 1 scoop protein powder
- Pineapple wedge for garnish
Recipe:
- Mix coconut milk, banana, pineapple, mango and protein powder in a juicer or a grinder and blend on high until smooth
- Garnish with a wedge of pineapple and serve
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
3. Berry Blast
For someone who loves berries, there is no better way than starting your day with a smoothie filled with the richness of berries. For strawberry lovers, add more strawberries to get the taste of an amazing strawberry smoothie with the goodness of other berries!
Ingredients:
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Chopped peaches
- ½ cup of plain yoghurt
- ¼ cup of almond milk
Recipe:
- Blend the berries together with the yoghurt in the blender
- Add almond milk and keep it in the freezer
- Serve chilled
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
4. Morning Glory
Mornings with juicy carrots and freshness of oranges to keep you energised for the rest of your day.
Ingredients:
- 1 beetroot
- 2 carrots
- 2 oranges
- 1 green apple
- Rock salt/black salt
Recipe:
- Peel off the skin of beetroot, carrots and the oranges
- Blend it well in the mixer grinder
- Add rock salt for taste
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
5. Karela (Bitter Gourd) Smoothie
If you don’t like greens, this karela smoothie is a smart solution to drinking your greens instead of having to eat them. It improves your blood supply and boosts weight loss.
Ingredients:
- 1 bitter gourd
- 1 ginger
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon turmeric
- ½ tablespoon black salt
- Honey, to taste
- A pinch of black pepper powder
- Few mint leaves
Recipe:
- Juice the bitter gourd and ginger in the blender. Add water into the juicer, if required
- Pour the juice in a jar and add the remaining ingredients
- Give it a good stir and serve immediately
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
6. Pomegranate Smoothie
Instead of serving aerated drinks to your family and guests, follow a healthy route by serving them chilled pomegranate smoothie for a fun-filled evening. They’ll all love you, we promise!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of pomegranate juice (can use canned or fresh)
- 1 frozen banana
- ½ cup of vanilla yoghurt
- Pomegranate seeds
- Salt as per taste
Recipe:
- Juice the ingredients and salt in the juicer
- Serve chilled with ice cubes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
7. Choco Banana Smoothie
Chocolate is a deadly sin for everyone who is trying to lose weight. But this smoothie is a quick fix to satiate that chocolate craving, yet stick to a healthy diet.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
- ½ cup blueberries
- 1 banana
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- Ice
- Spinach (optional)
Recipe:
- Add the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth and creamy
- Add ice and serve them chilled
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
8. Peachy Mango Smoothie
While mango smoothie is a favourite, it’s time to give it a healthy twist. For the mango lovers, this drink works best to satiate cravings in between meals. And is one of tastiest smoothie recipes.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup peaches
- 1 cup mangoes
- 1 banana
- 1 cup orange juice
- ¼ tablespoon turmeric
- ¼ tablespoon ginger
Recipe:
- Add all the ingredients together and blend them well
- Peel off the skin before blending for a smooth and creamy effect
- Serve them chilled
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
9. Apple Kiwi Smoothie
Start your day or end it with this fruity mix of nutrients. Kiwis also improve blood flow and improve digestion.
Ingredients:
- 3 kiwis, peeled
- 2 apples, cored and sliced
- Coconut water
Recipe:
- Add the ingredients and mix them well
- Add coconut water as required to balance the sour effect of the green apples
- Serve chilled
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
10. Zesty Zinger Smoothie
For everyone who has oranges and a pear lying around, start blending because this combination tastes wonderful with bits of ginger.
Ingredients:
- 1 pear
- ½ a fennel bulb
- ½ a lemon
- 1 orange
- Bits of ginger
Recipe:
- Mix all the ingredients into the blender
- Serve chilled
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Are smoothies only for health junkies?
A. No! Smoothies can be prepared for any occasion. While a low-fat, sugar-free smoothie definitely boosts weight loss, you can also prepare them for family gatherings or fun outings. For instance, a banana smoothie or strawberry smoothie is always a favourite with both kids and adults! Additionally, you can also try out these healthy recipes during lockdown to stay on par with your mission of healthy eating.
Q. Will you feel different after if you drink smoothies regularly?
A. Smoothies are made up of whole vegetables and fruits. These ingredients are rich in fibre, minerals and contain a lot of water content. Thus, having a smoothie boosts energy levels, ease digestion and helps you stay hydrated throughout the day.
Q. Is preparing a smoothie at home expensive?
A. If you already own a juicer, then it won’t cost you any extra bucks, since a smoothie is made mostly with ingredients available in the kitchen. For the ones who do not own a juicer, you would have to make a one-time investment. There are multiple varieties of juicers available in the market priced at different levels. You can buy any juicer as per your requirement.
Q. Is cleaning the juicer necessary?
A. Yes, it is very important to always keep your juicer clean because you will be directly ingesting the juice right from the juicer. Also, you do not want to mix up the flavours from a previous juicing session.
Q. Are smoothies considered to be fattening?
A. If you prepare your smoothies using low-fat milk, honey and maple syrups instead of sugar, smoothies actually work wonders for weight-loss purposes. Replace fattening products with healthier alternatives.
Q. Can diabetic people have smoothies?
A. People suffering from diabetes have certain restrictions regarding the fruits and vegetables they can consume. We suggest you consult your doctor or a nutritionist before adding smoothies to your diet.
Q. What about vegan smoothie recipes?
A. Very easy. If you’re vegan, all you have to do is replace milk with a non-dairy alternative (soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk – whatever you prefer). And you still have a smoothie that tastes just as good!
