Smoothies: benefits and harms for the body. Smoothie for colon cleansing. Tomato smoothie

Smoothies are a favorite treat for most people who follow a healthy diet. This thick, sweet drink is especially popular among vegetarians and vegans. For me personally, smoothies are an integral part of my daily diet. Every day (with rare exceptions) I drink a large mug of banana smoothie for breakfast with various additives (berries, greens, sprouts, etc.). Often for dinner too...

But the question is: aren’t smoothies harmful? I often find that people are afraid to drink it because it can lead to weight gain. Like, bananas themselves are high in calories. Like many other fruits. And in liquid form, it is very easy to overeat them, that is, to lose control over the amount of calories consumed. There is also an opinion that smoothies are not ideal from a digestive point of view. After all, the longer we chew, the better the food is absorbed. We don’t chew smoothies, but quickly drink them.

In this article, I decided to take the smoothie apart and answer the questions:

• Is it possible to gain weight from smoothies?
• Are smoothies good for digestion?
• How much smoothie can you drink per day?
• Which is better - smoothies or whole fruits?

So, smoothies and weight. Where did it all start?

A study 1 was published in 2000 that compared the effects of liquid and solid foods on caloric intake. Participants in the experiment added 28 teaspoons of sugar per day to their diet, in addition to the rest of their food. The first group is in the form of soda. The second is in the form of marmalade. The number of calories in a daily serving of soda and marmalade was identical - 450 Kcal.

As a result, the total daily calorie intake in the second group remained almost unchanged. The body recorded an additional 450 calories from the marmalade and reduced the consumption of other food. But in the first group, the daily amount of calories increased noticeably! Which suggests that the body did not recognize the calories that came in the soda and did not reduce the consumption of other foods. A month later, the weight of the participants in the second group increased.

From this it was concluded that liquid food does not provide a feeling of fullness and leads to an increase in calorie intake. Does this mean that a glass of smoothie for breakfast is perceived by the body as a lack of breakfast and during the day we will eat more food than if we had just had fruit for breakfast??? Looking ahead, I’ll answer - no, it doesn’t mean that. The devil, as always, is in the details...

Firstly, soda and marmalade differ not only in physical form, but also in composition. Therefore, the experiment cannot be considered pure. If only we could compare a banana and a smoothie made from this banana! Secondly, neither soda nor jelly are healthy foods in themselves. The question arises: if it were not a harmful soda, but a smoothie made from fresh fruits, would this lead to weight gain in the second group of participants?

Let's turn to more correct research:

• 2007 study: ABOUT vegetable puree soup VS Chopped vegetables 2. The soup turned out to be more satisfying than the same vegetables cut into pieces! So satisfying that eating soup as a first course for lunch resulted in the serving size of the second course being noticeably reduced. And the total number of calories eaten during lunch became less than if there was no soup, but only the second course (see figure). So the conclusion that everything liquid does not saturate is not correct!

The vegetables are clear. What about fruit???

• 2012 Study: Fruit Salad VS Fruit Smoothie 3. The salad turned out to be more satisfying than a smoothie made from the same fruits. The saturation factor was approximately 10% higher. Not that big of a difference! But it also disappears if you don’t drink, and There is smoothie! It turned out that if the participants in the experiment were served a smoothie not in a glass, but in a bowl with a spoon, then the satiation from the same smoothie would be exactly the same as from whole fruits (see table).

And one more study...

• 2005 Study: Applesauce VS Sliced ​​Apples VS Apple Juice 4 . It turned out that after eating 3 apples, hunger decreases within 15 minutes. Apple juice made from the same apples almost does not reduce the feeling of hunger, that is, it does not bring satiety. But applesauce (heated in the microwave) is about as filling as whole apples! At the same time, saturation lasts longer, that is, you will eat a minimum amount of calories per day (see figure).

Conclusion: it's all about how long you eat this or that food! The longer, the better the saturation!

You drink apple or any other fruit juice very quickly, literally in a minute. In addition, the juice is devoid of the most important component for digestion - fiber. Therefore, there is really no saturation from juice. You eat a solid product for much longer, chew more thoroughly, which leads to maximum satiety and better digestion. You also eat hot soup or warm applesauce for a long time so as not to burn yourself.

Smoothies are essentially a happy medium between juice and solid fruit! Even if you drink a smoothie in one gulp, it saturates much better than juice and almost as satiating as hard fruit. But at the same time, smoothies are often more pleasant to drink than just eating fruit. Thanks to its delicate consistency and various tasty additives (berries, superfoods, spices...). And if you eat a smoothie with a spoon, then this will be the best option! So my advice to you is not to drink the smoothie in one gulp, but rather savor it in your mouth before swallowing. Better yet, eat it with a spoon. This will improve satiety and digestion. Personally, I like to make a very thick smoothie that's fun to eat with a spoon!

To make a thick smoothie:

• Add significantly less water, or
• Add ingredients that give a thick consistency: flax seeds, chia seeds, sprouted green buckwheat (or other grains).

And one more very interesting point) If you still think that smoothies do not fill you up (despite the arguments presented), then for you personally it will be so. It is called "placebo effect". And it was confirmed many times during experiments. In fact, people's hunger does not depend on the actual caloric content of the food, but on the expected caloric content of the food. Surprising but true!

For example, the famous study “Mind vs. Milkshake” 6. People were given two glasses of the cocktail: one high-calorie and high-fat, labeled “Indulgence,” and one low-fat, low-calorie, labeled “Light Shake.” All participants in the experiment noted that the first cocktail was very satisfying and completely satisfied their hunger. After the cocktail they didn’t feel like eating for a long time. After the second cocktail, hunger returned faster and people wanted to eat something else. But in fact, both cocktails were identical!

Conclusion: Our subjective perception of food greatly influences how many calories we eat per day.

I advise you not to think that smoothies don’t fill you up and lead to weight gain, don’t stress yourself out, but instead listen to your body) The body will not let you down and will give you a signal that you are full)

And most importantly, I often hear the statement that smoothies make you fat, I hear from people who, in addition to smoothies, eat cutlets, chicken, fatty fish, cookies, pies, chocolates, curds and other foods that are standard for modern society. Here I have a question - are you sure that it’s all about the smoothie? It's like a person who just had a big meal at McDonald's complaining that eating a banana makes him fat! It seems to me that banana has nothing to do with it...

Conclusion: Don't blame fruits and fruit smoothies for causing you to gain weight. Better yet, watch your diet more carefully and look for imperfections in it. Fruits and smoothies are our friends. Yes, they are sweet, but it is natural sweetness. Yes, they are filling and sometimes high in calories, but these calories are instantly absorbed into the blood and converted into energy, without being stored as fat and distributing a huge amount of vitamins and nutrients throughout the body! Fruits are life, they are lightness, they are energy, they are a slim healthy body)

Smoothies and digestion

Further. Smoothies and digestion. We have already briefly touched on this topic. After all, good digestion and stable normal weight are complementary things. It will also be better for your digestion if you drink the smoothie slowly, or better yet, eat it with a spoon. The process of processing food begins in the mouth, with the help of saliva. And the slower you eat food, the better it is absorbed. In addition, such an important health factor as blood sugar level depends on the speed of food consumption.

After a glass of freshly squeezed juice, for example, your blood sugar level jumps sharply. To level it out, the body releases the hormone insulin. However, the sudden release of insulin causes your blood sugar levels to drop too much and become much lower than before you started drinking the juice. Such surges in sugar and insulin levels are harmful to the body, especially to organs such as the adrenal glands and pancreas. When you eat the whole fruit, nothing like that happens. As for smoothies, it all depends on:

• how fast do you drink it and
• what do you make it from?

For example, if we are talking about an apple smoothie, then it is important to drink it slowly, otherwise you cannot avoid a sugar spike. But there are fruits/berries that, in principle, do not increase sugar levels. This is in particular:

• bananas
• mango
• all berries
• all the greens

The study found that in terms of digestion and blood sugar levels, there was not much difference between a banana and a banana smoothie. Moreover, bananas themselves lower blood sugar levels! 250 grams of bananas per day (1-2 pieces) reduce sugar levels in diabetic patients by 10% within 4 weeks 7 . Therefore, the common popular belief that sweet bananas increase blood sugar levels and are contraindicated for diabetics has no scientific basis. The same goes for mangoes. They contain a special substance - mangiferin - which helps lower blood sugar.

Berries are a whole separate issue! They are so wonderful that, thanks to special phytonutrients, they can even out blood sugar levels even after you drink water with sugar (which usually results in a terrible sugar spike, which, after the release of insulin, is replaced by an even more terrible sugar crash) 8 . Surprisingly, berries not only slightly even out sugar surges, but bring them back to full normal! Drinking a blueberry smoothie for 6 weeks can completely restore the body's sensitivity to insulin. That's why adding berries to smoothies is a great idea.

My experience

So, at the same time, everything is fine with my weight. The huge amount of fruit that I eat in the form of smoothies does not in any way spoil my figure or my health. Quite the opposite!

Conclusion: The research that I present in this article works for me personally in practice.

Drink a smoothie, friends, and know that it is healthy! There are no restrictions on the number of smoothies you drink per day. You can at least 3 times a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner) But it’s unlikely that you will want to do it so often, because we are all gourmets and love to eat a variety of foods. And of course, don’t forget about whole fruits, because they are the healthiest, beyond competition! When we eat whole vegetables and fruits, we give work to the chewing muscles, improve digestion due to more thorough chewing, cleanse the intestines, etc.

Sources

1 Liquid versus solid carbohydrate: effects on food intake and body weight. DiMeglio DP, Mattes RD. Purdue University, Department of Foods and Nutrition, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1264, USA. 2000

2 Soup preloads in a variety of forms reduce meal energy intake. Julie E. Flood, Barbara J. Rolls. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. 2007

3 Mode of consumption plays a role in alleviating hunger and thirst. Martens MJ1, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. 2012

4 Soup and satiety. Mattes R. Department of food and nutrition. Purdue University. West Lafayette, IN 47907-2059, USA. 2005

5 Does prolonged chewing reduce food intake? Fletcherism revisited. Hendrik Jan Smita, E. Katherine Kemsleyb, Henri S. Tappb, C. Jeya K. Henrya. 2011

7 Daily consumption of banana marginally improves blood glucose and lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic subjects and increases serum adiponectin in type 2 diabetic patients. Cressey Ratchada
Kumsaiyai Warunee, Mangklabruks Ampika. 2014

8 Postprandial glucose, insulin, and incretin responses to grain products in healthy subjects. Juntunen KS, Niskanen LK, Liukkonen KH, Poutanen KS, Holst JJ, Mykkänen HM. 2002

In the wake of the raw food diet trend, the menu of healthy lifestyle supporters is increasingly including unusual cocktails - smoothies. However, skeptics tend to consider this to be more of a fashion statement. Is this so and what are the benefits and harms of smoothies, how justified are the enthusiastic responses of fans of the popular drink: let’s compare the pros and cons.

What is a smoothie

Smoothie is translated from English as “very pleasant” and “homogeneous”, “balanced”, which indicates its taste, composition from a homogeneous mixture of various ingredients. The components of the drink are berries, fruits, vegetables with the addition of herbs, yogurt, nuts, honey, milk, eggs.

The uniformity of the composition of such a cocktail is ensured by whipping it using a blender. The finished mixture is a “golden mean” between puree and juice.

The history of the invention of smoothies is associated with the 60s of the 20th century, when vegetarianism was gaining momentum, as well as with the name of the owner of the Smoothie King chain of cocktail bars, Steve Kahnau, who, in search of relief from allergies, experimented with mixing various fruits and discovered that the mix of raw fruit does not cause a reaction in the body. Inspired by the find, he became a popularizer of a cocktail with unique properties. The industrial development of smoothies began in 1984, during the Olympics in Los Angeles as part of the development of a series of healthy drinks.

Smoothies have risen to the crest of modern popularity due to the spread of the healthy lifestyle movement. Indeed, in addition to the convenience of eating a whole portion of fruits and vegetables in one glass, such cocktails have therapeutic benefits.

Beneficial properties of smoothies

Our common fresh juices are a squeeze of vegetables and fruits. Cleared of the remaining pulp, which also includes fiber, such drinks include only part of the beneficial properties of the vitamin-mineral complex. In contrast, smoothies absorb the original plant product in full, with maximum benefit of organic inclusions.

The denser consistency of a smoothie cocktail allows you to use them as a snack, since the puree-like mass enriches the body with fiber and helps stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, increases the absorption of nutrients, thanks to its unique bioavailable form. Such cocktails have a whole list of beneficial properties.

1. Smoothies Suppress Free Radicals. The harm from eating refined and fried foods manifests itself in the creation of favorable conditions for the development of tumors and pathologies of blood vessels and heart (Alzheimer's disease, phlebitis, varicose veins, atherosclerosis). Healthy smoothies can neutralize this health threat.
2. Organic products in smoothies contain the maximum amount of folic acid., ascorbic acid and iron, which are responsible for hair health. Thus, the benefits of banana and apple-based cocktails work to strengthen the hair follicles, giving them a healthy shine, smoothness and manageability, which is very important after the damage of exposure to the sun, hair dryer, dyes and low-quality cosmetics.
3. Freshly shaken cocktails strengthen the skeletal system. Eating raw food helps maximize calcium absorption and replenishment in the body. The beneficial properties of smoothies affect the condition of teeth and joints, and reduce the likelihood of developing problems such as caries, osteoporosis, arthrosis, arthritis, and rheumatic diseases.
4. Increase immunity. Smoothies with citrus fruits, carrots, and herbs accelerate cell renewal, which increases the formation of red blood cells and enhances the body’s protection from the harm of viral, infectious and fungal infections. This is beneficial in the fight against tuberculosis, ARVI, meningitis and many inflammatory diseases that have a fungal basis.
5. Improves vision. The beneficial properties of blueberries, carrots, spinach, and pumpkin are useful as a base for smoothies to improve visual acuity, including for diabetes. Including peaches, oranges, blackberries, and grapes in a cocktail will be useful for relieving eye fatigue from the influence of radiation from electronic gadgets and stress factors.
6. Eliminate constipation. The abundance of fiber in smoothies has a beneficial effect on the intestines, gently binding and removing feces, toxins and wastes, thereby helping to cleanse the body and normalize the urge to defecate.
7. Slow down aging. The beneficial properties of smoothie cocktails as powerful antioxidants are manifested in protecting cells from the harm of destruction, in maintaining the acid-base balance: externally this is manifested in the regenerative processes of the body: tightening the skin and reducing wrinkles.
8. Qualitatively affect the excretory system and water balance. The benefits of smoothies also affect the kidneys, remove salt from the body, cleanse the skin and eliminate acne, blackheads, dermatosis, urticaria, psoriasis and other problems.
9. Increase stress resistance. The benefits of cocktails on hormonal levels directly affect your mood and help reduce the risk of depression.

One of the important advantages of cocktails is the ease of preparation.

For digestion

Drinking a nutritious smoothie cocktail has the ability to speed up and improve metabolism, which has a positive effect on digestion. In particular, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is restored, as a result of which the risks of developing gastritis, colitis, and ulcers are reduced.

To cleanse the body

Smoothies can serve as a gentle way to cleanse the body. Fiber, which is so rich in healthy cocktails, is like a sponge, capable of absorbing and removing toxins that are harmful to health from the body. With regular use, the detox effect of smoothies will far surpass medications due to the benefits of a deep effect on the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and liver.

For weight loss

Due to the fact that with the help of smoothies the body is cleansed of toxins, it has the ability to normalize metabolism and promote fat burning. As a result, weight loss occurs naturally and gently, minimizing the harm of intoxication.

The smoothie diet is one of the popular options for losing weight: its benefit lies in the fact that, with a given set of healthy cocktail ingredients, it can preserve and even replenish missing muscle mass.

The smoothie diet includes fresh fruits, vegetables with the addition of grains, cereals, due to the beneficial nutritional properties of which smoothies are called “lunch in a glass.” In fact, such a cocktail, unique in composition, turns from a drink into food: at the same time, it serves not just as a snack between its main meals: it itself represents a full meal.

In this regard, to speed up digestion, it is necessary to chew the solid particles of the cocktail: this will stimulate the functioning of the salivary glands.

You should also pay attention to the caloric content of the ingredients included in the smoothie. For example, low-calorie apples can be the base of a smoothie. For weight loss, low-calorie apricots, tangerines, and black currants are primarily suitable from fruit and berry ingredients. The properties of low-fat apples, pineapples, and cherries will also be useful for weight loss. And you should be careful when consuming fruits with a high content of glucose and starch, such as grapes, avocado, watermelon, melon and peaches, bananas: it is better to exclude them from the diet.

It would be useful to replace additives from sweet and fatty dairy products with low-fat yogurt or kefir in a smoothie cocktail.

Salt must be excluded from the diet to normalize water balance. For taste comfort, crushed dried will be useful as a good replacement.

Thanks to the ability to mix various ingredients in one glass, it makes sense to enhance the beneficial properties of the cocktail by adding components that are rarely consumed on their own, but are powerful sources of vitamins: celery leaves and roots, spinach, cilantro, parsley, dill, wheat sprouts, nettles and beet tops.

For example, apple, carrot, celery, mango and low-fat yogurt are a great balanced option for making a smoothie: everything is chopped, mixed, and then blended to the desired consistency.

The mode of taking smoothie cocktails is 3 or 5 times a day, depending on the selection of products and the appearance of hunger.

A smoothie diet for weight loss can range from one to several days a week, and can be done regularly.

For athletes

This healthy cocktail is also ideal for athletes who set themselves the goal of gaining weight. Adding protein, nuts or cottage cheese to the smoothie will increase the protein content, and bananas and greens will balance the carbohydrates in the smoothie. The power of smoothies to increase energy is also known, which serves as a natural support for the body during physical activity. In addition, intense training requires the expenditure of mineral elements and vitamins, which are then well restored by a light and at the same time nutrient-rich drink.

For children

A healthy, tasty solution would be to supplement the children's menu with a vitamin glass, especially for those kids who are not inspired by salads.

In addition, studies have been conducted, the results of which indicate the benefits of the influence of the properties of smoothies on mood. Drinking bright, fresh cocktails will be helpful for switching to a positive attitude.

Healthy smoothie recipes

Smoothies are a universal drink that is beneficially used by both raw foodists and supporters of the traditional menu as a tasty way to replenish the body’s supply of vitamins and minerals valuable to humans.

Important! The calorie content of the finished cocktail, consisting of plant ingredients, is on average 40 kcal.

Depending on the ingredients, smoothies have different properties: they can be cleansing, nourishing, invigorating, strengthening, dessert, etc.

Imagination makes the list of smoothie cocktails endless, but it will be useful to use already developed balanced recipes as a starting point.

Vegetable smoothies

Vegetable smoothies include tomatoes, carrots, beets, avocado, cucumbers, pumpkin, bell peppers, cabbage, ginger and enhance the benefits with “green” vitamins of parsley, basil, cilantro, celery, and spinach.

Pumpkin and carrot smoothie

• one medium carrot;
• 150 g pumpkin pulp;
• 150 ml yogurt;
• 1 tbsp. l. honey;
• zest of half an orange.

Carrots are washed and squeezed in a juicer. The pumpkin is cut. All ingredients are mixed and blended into a homogeneous mass.

Tomato smoothie

• tomatoes 500 g;
• apple – 1 pc.;
• carrots – 2 pcs.;
• flax seeds - 1 tbsp. l.;
• olive oil – 2 tbsp. l.

The tomatoes are cut. Peel carrots and apples and grate them on a coarse grater. All ingredients, except oil, are mixed and blended with a blender at low speed for a minute. Pour into tall glasses, add olive oil, and top with flax seeds.

Summer smoothie option

• cherry tomatoes - 10 pcs.;
• cucumber – 2 pcs.;
• red onion – ½ piece;
• garlic – 2 – 3 pcs.;
• kefir or yogurt – 600 ml;
• cottage cheese, black pepper - to taste.

Vegetables are washed, chopped, mixed with all ingredients, and blended in a blender. Yield: 3 cups.

Beet smoothie

• beets – 1 pc.;
• celery stalk – 2 pcs.;
• yellow bell pepper – 1 pc.;
• large cucumber – 1 pc.;
• lemon – 1 pc.;
• carrots – 2 pcs. (optional).

Vegetables are coarsely chopped, combined with lemon juice and ground in a blender.

Fruit smoothies

It is important to remember that fruits contain large amounts of sugar. Their excessive use leads to a sharp jump in blood glucose, which is extremely undesirable, especially at the beginning of the day. Therefore, it will not be beneficial to have fruit smoothies for breakfast.

Morning cleansing smoothie with greens

• celery – 2 stalks;
• spinach – 1 bunch;
• banana – 1 pc.;
• juice of half a lime;
• water – ½ tbsp.

The ingredients are cleaned, crushed and blended with a blender.

Apple smoothie with cinnamon

The apples are washed, peeled, coarsely chopped, poured with yogurt and blended with a blender into a homogeneous mass, ice is added to taste. The consistency is adjusted with yogurt. The cocktail will be useful for breakfast.

Other recipe options

Four more healthy fruit smoothie recipes:

1. For a refreshing effect: from green tea, ginger, apple, grapes, banana, kiwi, a spoon of honey.
2. For vigor: banana, half a glass of yogurt, half a glass of freshly brewed coffee, dark chocolate, grated nutmeg.
3. For the benefit of strengthening the immune system, for second breakfast: kiwi, banana, berries.
4. For relaxation - an alcoholic dessert smoothie: orange, mango, 2 tbsp. l. tequila.

All components are mixed in a blender to the desired consistency. For invigorating and refreshing properties, add ice to taste.

Berry smoothies

The beneficial properties of berry smoothies are unique due to the antioxidants and vitamins present in large quantities in their composition.

In addition, due to the specificity of carbohydrates and the acidity of berries, they, unlike fruits, will be useful for stabilizing blood sugar, so adding them generously to cocktails will not be harmful.

Recipes with a healthy combination of ingredients and a balanced composition. You can use frozen berries.

Strawberries with yogurt

• low-fat yogurt - 150 ml;
• strawberries - 200 g;
• milk or yogurt - 1 tbsp.

Vitamin bomb with Chia seeds

• banana – 1 pc.;
• frozen raspberries – 200 g;
• Chia seeds - 1 tbsp. l.;
• spinach – 3 handfuls;
• coconut milk – 100 ml.

Cocktail yield – 1 l.

Sparkling smoothie:

• white wine – 2 tbsp. l.;
• blueberry juice – 1 tbsp.;
• tangerine – 1 pc.;
• raspberries – 100 g.

Attention! The benefits of berry smoothies with added ice also include an anti-hangover effect.

Smoothie with grains

A smoothie containing grains will be beneficial especially in the morning. You can use flakes or sprouted grains as ingredients. Eating sprouted grains in a smoothie on an empty stomach can provide therapeutic benefits due to their antioxidant properties in combating free radical damage.

Morning smoothie with wheat germ

Components:

• two green apples;
• juice of half a lemon;
• 40 g each of fresh basil and parsley;
• 60 g of sprouted wheat grains.

Cooking features:

1. Juice is prepared from apples.
2. Half the volume of juice is mixed with herbs and wheat, whipped until smooth.
3. Pour into a glass and add the rest of the juice.

Smoothie with cereal

• oat flakes “Hercules” (can be buckwheat, rye, rice, etc.) - 2 tbsp. l.;
• banana - 1 pc.;
• oranges or tangerines - 2 pcs.;
• yogurt (kefir, fermented baked milk) - 150 g;
• water - 2 - 3 tbsp. l.

The flakes are poured and infused in boiling water, then mixed with the rest of the ingredients and blended with a blender.

What can you add to a smoothie to make it healthier?

The most useful additives will be dried fruits, seeds and nuts.

Supporters of traditional nutrition will appreciate smoothies with kefir, yogurt, milk and cottage cheese.

The beneficial properties of ginger, cayenne chili pepper, cinnamon, and lemon will enhance the composition of a valuable cocktail. Here the main rule will be to observe the measure: for example, in 1 liter of the finished smoothie there should be up to 4 cm of ginger, a small lemon, which can be used directly with the peel - this way the bioflavonoids useful for the absorption of vitamin C will be preserved. Exceeding the amount of seasonings by more than 1.5 tsp. may harm the taste of the drink.

Athletes can also add special protein and carbohydrate supplements directly to the shake.

Attention! In addition to prepared berries, you can use frozen fruits and vegetables in the cocktail. This will be especially useful in winter.

What not to add to smoothies

Using sugar and salt will not bring any health benefits to the cocktail: the best solution would be to replace sugar with honey or stevia, and, if necessary, add some salt to vegetable smoothies with sea kale powder.

Canned ingredients should be avoided.

Heavy cream is poorly compatible with fruit: this ingredient is more suitable for desserts than for a vegetable cocktail.

According to doctors, the benefits of smoothies will also be significantly reduced by various flavoring additives and fillers: sweeteners, syrups, toppings, etc.

Is it possible to make a smoothie without a blender?

The situation when you don’t have a blender at hand, for example, on a trip, is not yet a reason to refuse a healthy snack in a glass.

1. The simplest solution for “low-tech” smoothie preparation is to choose soft fruits and berries (banana, kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, etc.), arm yourself with one or two forks, and also prepare a liquid cocktail base in the form of yogurt, kefir, etc. The pulp is crushed with a knife or crushed with a fork, then diluted with a small amount of yogurt, whipped with two forks, folded like a whisk in one hand (this speeds up the process) into a thick mass, and then gradually diluted with yogurt to the desired consistency of the cocktail.
2. Another option is to use a fine grater. Hard ingredients are grated, and very juicy or soft ingredients are rubbed through a sieve or squeezed through cheesecloth.
3. If you have other kitchen equipment on hand, a juicer, a fine-mesh meat grinder, or a mixer with a regular egg whisk can be useful for grinding cocktail ingredients.

The crushed ingredients can also be shaken vigorously in a sealed jar.

How to drink a smoothie correctly

What parameters should a proper smoothie cocktail meet:

Attention! The main useful rule for preparing a “live” cocktail is the balance of BJU in order to avoid harm from increased cholesterol and blood sugar.

Harm of smoothies and contraindications

Since cocktails made from fruits and berries contain a large amount of acid, this can be harmful to tooth enamel. Precautionary measures here include rinsing your mouth after each drink and using a straw.

Regular consumption of cocktails will also require the inclusion of solid components that can be chewed. This way you can ensure a constant flow of blood to the gums and support your gums and teeth from possible problems.

There are few contraindications to drinking cocktails, and they relate to intolerance to the components and possible allergic reactions, as well as exacerbation of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: in this case, you will need to consult a doctor.

How to store smoothies

A freshly prepared smoothie will retain its benefits in the refrigerator for no longer than 24 hours. Moreover, after 3 hours of storage, oxidative processes begin to negatively affect the beneficial properties. Outside the refrigerator, the cocktail will last for a maximum of 4 hours until fermentation.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of smoothies have long ceased to be a topic of heated debate, since the advantages of preparing fresh drinks are undeniable. It all depends on the purpose of drinking the cocktail. As in any nutritional issue, with a competent approach, taking into account contraindications, you can not only get great pleasure from the taste, but also make the most of the medicinal properties of fresh smoothies.

The first information about smoothies appeared in the last century, or rather, in the early seventies. It was then that the first “healthy cafe” of its kind appeared in the United States, where they prepared cocktails from fruits and berries pureed in a blender - smoothies.

A smoothie is a homogeneous thick drink made from fresh or freshly frozen berries, fruits or vegetables, crushed to a puree in a blender; The addition of nuts, milk or cereal flakes is also possible.

Smoothies, the benefits of which have been repeatedly proven, are today a well-known complete dish that saturates the body with useful elements and vitamins. All supporters of proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle actively include these healthy cocktails in their diet.

According to the technology for preparing a classic smoothie, the cocktail contains berries or fruits, and milk or water is also added to make the consistency of the cocktail a little less thick. Modern recipes may include other ingredients, such as vegetables, nuts, grains, herbs, yogurt, syrup, and so on.

Smoothies are especially popular in the summer, when berries and fruits are available in large quantities, but in winter smoothies are even more useful, because it is during the winter period that the body lacks vitamins, and such cocktails are a storehouse of useful substances.

Smoothies: benefits and harm to the body

Rich cocktails - smoothies can be an excellent replacement for the usual juices. They are thicker, the whole fruit is used for cooking, therefore, the content of nutrients in them is much higher. These shakes can be used as an alternative to on-the-run snacks such as candy or sandwiches.

Let's take a closer look at the qualities of the drink and determine whether a smoothie is beneficial or harmful to the body.

Benefits of smoothies

The main benefits of smoothies, or several reasons why it is advisable to include this drink in your daily diet:

• One serving of smoothie allows you to replenish the daily requirement of vitamins in the body. It's scientifically proven that eating fruits and vegetables every day has a positive effect on your health, but what if you can't take these foods with you as a snack? You can combine them into a cocktail and enjoy the pleasant taste of the smoothie.
• Quick and easy to prepare. There is nothing complicated in the process of preparing a vitamin cocktail: you just need to select the desired ingredients, place them in a blender bowl and mix until smooth.
• Smoothies are a great substitute for sweets. If you can’t imagine your life without sweets, then a fruit cocktail with the addition of a spoonful of honey or sweet syrup will be an excellent healthy alternative to fast carbohydrates, which are not healthy at all.
• Low calorie content in the drink. Are smoothies good for those losing weight? This drink has very few calories, but at the same time it can satisfy the feeling of hunger for a long time, which is why it is often included in various weight loss programs.
• Normalizes the functioning of the digestive system. The crazy pace of life forces people to constantly rush somewhere, which is why they often do not have enough time for a normal and nutritious meal; Most people replace the required meal with tea and a sandwich, and this has a negative impact on the body. A lack of essential elements, such as fiber, leads to problems with the functioning of the stomach. A few fruits mashed into a smoothie help solve this problem.
• Cleanses the body of toxins. Every day the body is affected by many negative factors. With food, water, and air, we receive an unpleasant collection of harmful substances that tend to accumulate in the body and poison it from the inside. Powerful detox cocktails help effectively cleanse the body.
• Smoothies are suitable for people actively involved in sports, they promote recovery after training and muscle building.
• Freshly prepared cocktails have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the body, charge you with energy and fill you with vitamins.
• Youth elixir. If the body does not experience a deficiency of nutrients and vitamins, then the skin condition will be ideal: it will be moisturized, smooth and clean.
• Proper nutrition is the key to a healthy body. Smoothies are one of the main components of a healthy diet, as they consist of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Strengthening the immune system. Many of us experience seasonal colds: this is due to the fact that the body lacks vitamins throughout the year, and the immune system gradually weakens and cannot resist infection. Daily consumption of vitamin smoothies significantly strengthens the immune system and protects the body from colds.
• Full sleep. If the general condition of the body improves, then the person will not face problems with sleep, which means that he will be full of energy every day.
• You can harmoniously add healthy but specific ingredients to your smoothie, such as celery, herbs or spinach. Many do not like their specific tastes, but in cocktails they will be masked and the benefits of these ingredients will be provided.
• Delicious cocktails have a beneficial effect on energy: after all, a healthy body filled with vitamins always radiates positive energy.
• Smoothies activate brain activity and improve memory.

Harm from smoothies

Smoothies can be harmful only if they are consumed excessively (several times a day) or if solid foods are replaced with smoothies, as well as if there are allergic reactions to the ingredients of the cocktail.

If you follow the basic rules for preparing a smoothie, the cocktail will have a positive effect on the body and fill it with vitamins and energy. So, the basic rules for preparing a healthy smoothie:

1. Most vitamins can be obtained by adding green ingredients to smoothies, such as spinach, lettuce, mint, and parsley.
2. To give a smoothie its characteristic consistency, you need to choose the right base. The base can be avocado, banana, pear or others.
3. Don't ignore adding protein. Sources of protein include dairy products, nuts, and seeds.
4. Choose the consistency of the cocktail according to your taste: it can be a little more or a little less homogeneous, it all depends on preference.
5. Avoid added sugar; sweet fruits such as banana, mango can replace it. As a last resort, you can add one spoon of honey, but do not overdo it with sweetness.
6. Doctors recommend drinking smoothies in the first half of the day - this way they will maximally charge the body with energy and have a beneficial effect on the body as a whole. It is also important to remember that only freshly prepared smoothies are suitable for consumption and to obtain maximum benefits, since under the influence of oxygen and light, vitamins die and only a tasty cocktail remains, which will not have the necessary effect.

Answering the question “A smoothie - is it good or bad for the body?”, we can safely say that this cocktail has a positive effect on the general condition, provides energy and vitamins, the main thing is to maintain a balance and know the amount of consumption so as not to provoke possible negative nuances, which Let's talk further.

There are no contraindications for including smoothies in your diet, however, it is worth remembering that, despite all the benefits of smoothies described above, you always need to know when to stop and stick to the norm: after all, an excess of benefits can also be harmful.

Smoothies prepared at home are one hundred percent natural and are a vitamin cocktail. Freshly prepared cocktails contain a range of vitamins, microelements, and are rich in fiber and antioxidants. But if you don’t want to feel the harm smoothies have on your body, then you should remember that you shouldn’t get too carried away with this drink. And that's why. Smoothies, while healthy, are often flavored with honey, sugar or other sweeteners, which are not particularly healthy and can lead to excess sugar in the body, thereby causing weight problems or hormonal imbalances. It's best to reduce your consumption of sweeteners so you can fully benefit from the drink.

To saturate your body with useful elements, you should maintain a balance and drink no more than one glass of smoothies per day. Are smoothies harmful? No, if you follow the norm, but if you abuse the cocktail, you may encounter the following troubles:

1. If you completely replace whole foods with liquid or puree cocktails, the load on your teeth and gums is significantly reduced. To keep teeth healthy, they need to receive a certain load, that is, you need to chew, bite: this way, the secretion of saliva, a natural antiseptic, is stimulated. If there are no chewing movements, then saliva is released in smaller, insufficient quantities, as a result, the teeth are not fully cleaned with it, bacteria multiply and caries and other problems develop, for example, dental plaque.
2. Although smoothies can replace a full meal, they are not juices that lack fiber. There is enough fiber in smoothies, but fiber alone is not enough to maintain the necessary load on the stomach. Due to the lack of solid food, the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, resulting in an increased likelihood of constipation.
3. If you use unwashed or stale ingredients for cooking, you can easily get poisoned.
4. Also, drinking a smoothie without a straw puts a lot of stress on tooth enamel, which often leads to increased sensitivity.
5. Excessive consumption of smoothies that contain dairy components significantly increases the level of cholesterol in the body and, as a result, problems with the cardiovascular system arise.

One more tip. Smoothies that are harmful to the body can be found in stores or cafes. You shouldn’t get carried away with smoothies in a cafe, because once you prepare the drink at home, you know exactly its composition. But in public catering places you can often encounter hackwork and get, under the guise of a smoothie, just a thick cocktail with various flavoring additives that have nothing to do with naturalness and will definitely not be healthy.

Over the past five years, there has been a real boom in smoothies in our country. These are bright, tasty and aromatic cocktails without alcohol, made from fresh fruits, vegetables and berries. You can add ice, yogurt, milk, soda to them. These cocktails are favored by vegans, raw foodists and other fans of a healthy lifestyle, slimness and beauty. The benefits and harms of smoothies for the body are described in detail in this article.

Rules for making smoothies

Anyone can prepare a fragrant and bright drink at home. Of course, in fashionable healthy eating restaurants, the cocktail will be decorated with slices of citrus fruits; high-quality sweetener and natural seasonings are used for preparation. But all this can be easily repeated in your own kitchen.

1. You'll need a powerful blender that can blend even hard, raw vegetables into a smooth consistency, such as carrots or raw beets—popular ingredients that make the benefits of smoothies undeniable for blood formation. In order not only to achieve grinding, but to grind raw beets to a homogeneous consistency, you will need a device with a power of at least 1300 W.
2. Which supplements should you choose? After all, the benefits of smoothies lie not only in the presence of vitamins and minerals from fresh vegetables, fruits and berries. Amino acid mixtures, skim milk, and yogurt are also added there. If you want a cold, refreshing cocktail in the hot summer, you can add ice cubes from distilled water. Ice mineral water will also enrich the taste of the cocktail not only with air bubbles, but also with a mixture of minerals. If you want to add milk to give the drink a creamy taste, you should opt for a low-fat product. Sometimes even low-fat cottage cheese is added to smoothies so that the drink has a full range of amino acids and proteins. In this case, the consistency is quite thick.
3. No lumps or pieces are allowed in smoothies. The essence of making a cocktail is to allow it to pass freely through the straw. If you can feel incompletely crushed pieces of ingredients in the smoothie, then either the blender was not powerful enough or the preparation technology was broken.
4. Fruits, vegetables and berries for preparing the drink should be fresh, thoroughly washed and dried. If at least one ingredient turns out to be stale or even rotten, the taste of the cocktail will be ruined. In addition, a person who drinks such a drink runs the risk of indigestion.
5. If the goal of a smoothie drinker is to lose weight, green ingredients should be preferred. They most often have a negative calorie content and combine perfectly with each other in taste. These are cucumber, celery, kiwi (peeled, of course), broccoli, green Simirenko varieties).

Difference from regular cocktails and juices

Juices are drinks during the preparation process of which only the liquid is expressed and the pulp is discarded. The essence of making smoothies is that the pulp should not be thrown away, as it is a complete ingredient.

Cocktails in the usual sense of the word imply the addition of one or another alcohol. A smoothie can be called a vegan or raw food cocktail, since alcohol is never added to it. The consumer will fully appreciate the benefits of vegetable smoothies prepared at home. You can select ripe fruits yourself and adjust the thickness of the drink by adding or reducing the amount of ice, milk, yogurt or cream.

Smoothies are much thicker than juice. Cocktails vary in thickness, but more often they are closer in consistency to juices. In some cases, smoothies are so thick that they resemble a creamy mass. This means recipes with the addition of liquid cottage cheese, yogurt, and cream. However, we must not forget the rule: you can drink a smoothie through a straw, so even with a relatively high thickness it should stretch.

Berry smoothies: preparation rules

The benefits of a berry smoothie will be maximum if you take into account simple rules during the preparation process.

1. You should choose seedless berries. These are raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, watermelon pulp. Cherries can be used after pitting.
2. Before preparing the drink, you should carefully sort out all the berries, wash them and dry them. If you start grinding wet fruits immediately after washing, the smoothie will turn out too watery; Even if at first glance the berries look almost dry, a lot of moisture has still accumulated on them.
3. Strawberry smoothie, which has the highest benefits and taste, is the easiest to prepare. Ideal combination with banana, mango, nectarine, watermelon, peach. Strawberry-melon smoothie will give real pleasure to even the most sophisticated gourmet. Strawberries are rich in beneficial antioxidants and slow down the aging process.
4. Vanillin, cinnamon, and ginger can be used as seasoning for berry smoothies. Lovers of sweet drinks can add powdered sugar (regular sugar will also work, but it must first be ground in a blender). People who are losing weight are better off using a zero-calorie sweetener.

How to properly prepare smoothies from fruits?

The benefits of fruit smoothies are the abundance of vitamins and minerals in the composition. The absence of heat treatment allows you to preserve all elements in almost their original form. It is much easier for the body to absorb beneficial components from raw foods. Unfortunately, in the presence of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, some raw fruits, even when ground, can provoke an exacerbation. But more on that below.

The benefits of fruit smoothies, based on the composition:

• with the addition of banana - supports the functioning of the heart muscle and restores salt balance in the body due to the high potassium content;
• - excellent treatment and prevention of iron deficiency anemia, since ripe fruits are rich in ferritin;
• kiwi in cocktails will help improve immunity, as it contains a lot of ascorbic acid;
• mango increases libido and mood, promoting the release of oxytocin and endorphins;
• orange pulp and lemon juice in the smoothie will help fight the autumn blues and depression, and the high content of vitamin C helps prevent colds;
• pineapple in smoothies is an ideal solution for people losing weight.

After the cook gets his hands on preparing simple one-ingredient cocktails, you can move on to more complex recipes. Multi-ingredient smoothies surprise with an unusual combination of products and can capture the imagination of even the most sophisticated gourmet.

The combination of berries, vegetables and fruits is sometimes truly surprising. The benefit of the apple-celery smoothie is the negative calorie content of the latter. This is a great recipe for people losing weight. A smoothie made from celery and apple pulp saturates and gives you a great mood, supplying the body with iron, vitamin C, potassium, selenium and iodine.

Smoothie with added vegetables

People uninitiated in the intricacies of proper nutrition still believe that the benefits of smoothies lie in the presence of berries and fruits. It's a delusion. For a long time, various ingredients have been used for cooking all over the world, excluding only animal products.

The benefits of smoothies for the body are invaluable. And the vegetables make this dish a complete meal replacement. We are no longer talking about a light dessert - it is rather a vegan creamy soup, creamy breakfast, lunch or dinner. Some people give up eating animal products once and for all and switch to vegetable cream soups. At the same time, they do not lose anything in terms of well-being and health by consuming additional tableted amino acids.

Greens are often added to vegetable cocktails - this enriches them with an extraordinary aroma and taste. It is worth considering that all ingredients must be raw. These are carrots, beets, celery, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes. Some of the ingredients are simply amazing.

1. The benefits of nettle smoothies are invaluable for blood formation. Regular intake of such a cocktail is an excellent prevention of thrombosis, varicose veins, inflammatory processes, problems with the cardiovascular system and vein walls.
2. Carrot smoothie is rich in retinol and is ideal for people with eye, skin, and liver diseases. Please note that raw carrots are a fairly strong allergen and may not be suitable for everyone. Carrot smoothie is the perfect aperitif. Stimulates appetite and improves digestion. Cleanses the body of accumulated toxins, toxic compounds, alcohol intoxication and other contaminants.
3. Beetroot smoothie is a magical remedy for the blood. The fruits contain a protein that is very similar to the protein found in human blood. This explains why beets help to recover so quickly in case of anemia. It's hard to believe, but beets contain hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide in the human body. Due to the presence of hemoglobin in beets, the beneficial effects are achieved in a short time.
4. A celery smoothie, the benefits of which are obvious for fat burning, is made by squeezing the raw and freshest possible stalks of the vegetable. The highest value of the drink is its ability to quickly cleanse the body of stagnation, toxic substances, and other poisons. The kidneys, liver, and blood channels are cleansed. The benefit lies in the negative calorie content of celery. This is an excellent choice for those who want to lose weight.

Relationship with the presence of chronic diseases of internal organs

The reader gets the impression that using the recipes described above is only beneficial. The harm of smoothies and juices should not be overlooked. For some people, these recipes are literally dangerous.

1. In the presence of gastritis and peptic ulcers, drinking juices, infusions and smoothies from raw berries and fruits can provoke an exacerbation, increased pain and internal bleeding.
2. If you have chronic cholecystitis, you should consult a hepatologist before drinking a smoothie.
3. The benefits of a smoothie for breakfast are obvious only to completely healthy people. If you have chronic diseases of the peritoneal organs, taking fresh fruits on an empty stomach, even in crushed form, is prohibited.
4. If a person is prone to developing allergies, he should be careful; fresh berries and fruits are often strong allergens.

What time of day is best to drink smoothies?

At what time of day will fruit and vegetable smoothies have the greatest effect? The benefits and harms of a smoothie for breakfast will vary depending on the individual characteristics of the body. Everything that a person takes on an empty stomach must be agreed upon with the treating gastroenterologist (subject to the presence of chronic diseases).

The optimal time to eat a smoothie (to maximize the benefits) is as a snack after breakfast. A portion of vitamins and minerals will strengthen the body before lunch, and carbohydrates will give you energy.

Replacing dinner with a smoothie is not a good idea. This is not beneficial, but rather harmful. The optimal dinner is a piece of fish or meat or a glass of kefir. Minimum carbohydrates and maximum protein. This principle will help improve sleep, not suffer from insomnia (carbohydrates give you energy) and get rid of excess weight.

Possible harm to the body

A completely healthy person has nothing to fear. But in the presence of a peptic ulcer of the digestive system, polyps, erosions, gastritis, the pain may intensify. It is especially dangerous if you have such diagnoses to take smoothies on an empty stomach. Before you start eating fresh vegetables and fruits on a regular basis, you should consult with your treating gastroenterologist.

In the presence of chronic cholecystitis, inflammation of the gallbladder cells may increase when taking smoothies. You should start taking it with small portions, avoid citrus fruits and herbs as ingredients, as well as hot spices.

The consequences of replacing regular food with cocktails and smoothies

What happens if you completely switch to liquid nutrition? Such a system exists. And there are a lot of liquid eaters (the so-called people who eat only smoothies and dishes made from pureed raw vegetables). They form groups and support each other. They say that the state of health changes radically and even chronic diseases go away. However, not a single miracle cure has ever been documented.

In matters of nutrition, it is better to avoid radical decisions. A sudden transition to liquid nutrition can be life-threatening. Exhaustion is inevitable. A blood clot may break off, your heart will not be able to withstand it, gallstones will begin to pass away - you will not be able to do without emergency medical help.

If absolutely necessary, the transition to liquid nutrition should be made gradually. The optimal transition period is three to four months. If no health problems appear during this time, you can continue to eat smoothies alone. A person must be aware that subsequently he may experience atrophy of intestinal motility, muscular dystrophy, baldness and skin problems (due to a deficiency of amino acids in the diet).

Doctors' opinions about the benefits and harms of smoothies are ambiguous. Some doctors advocate switching to eating chopped raw vegetables. Others, on the contrary, are categorically against it. Opinions agree on one thing: if you have chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, you should be extremely careful when introducing smoothies into your diet.

1. This change in diet may help the passage of gallstones.
2. Children are strictly prohibited from eating smoothies alone, otherwise they may develop muscular dystrophy.
3. Smoothies are healthier than juices because they contain slightly more calories, and the stomach perceives them as a more complete meal.
4. A smoothie cannot replace taking vitamin and mineral complexes.
5. In the presence of chronic gastritis and intestinal ulcers, taking smoothies on an empty stomach is strictly prohibited.
6. Smoothies contain a lot of carbohydrates - this should be taken into account by people losing weight, since fat burning mainly requires proteins and amino acids.

Russia is experiencing another fashion boom - a smoothie boom. This dish came to us from America, but is not something prohibitively expensive, exotic or pretentious. Every family can easily afford to include a smoothie in their daily diet - a thick mixture of berries, fruits or vegetables in pure form or supplemented with ice, yogurt, and nuts.

Smoothies in the original version are simply chopped vegetables, fruits, berries or a mixture of them. They are distinguished from juices by their thicker consistency, and this is understandable: smoothies use the whole fruit, while when squeezing juices, the solid part is discarded. Smoothies are similar to cocktails, but unlike the latter, they never contain alcohol.

How to make a smoothie?

First of all, remember whether your kitchen is equipped with a powerful blender that can easily grind solid foods. Equipped? Wonderful. Take the fruits and berries that you have, for example, an apple and a banana, an orange and a mango, any others - place them in a blender bowl and grind. Pour the resulting mixture into a tall glass, dip a thick straw into it and decorate the top with whole berries or leaves of suitable spices. Less than two minutes have passed, and you already have a wonderful, fresh and healthy smoothie on your table.

What are the benefits of smoothies?

A smoothie is a concentrate of vitamins and fiber in one glass. After all, one serving of smoothie can contain several vegetables or fruits at once. That is why smoothies are recommended for breakfast and at any time for weakened people. A smoothie is like a smart food construction set. You can put together a dish that solves certain problems of a particular person.

Are you getting slimmer? Use celery and soy milk.

Are you getting better? Add cream, milk, yogurt or soft cheese.

Do you want to cool down? Remove the ice from the freezer.

Is there hard work ahead? Fortify yourself with a smoothie with added nuts.

Need to regain your strength and clear your mind? Include ginseng and ginger.

Has the risk of catching colds increased? Add lemons, oranges, currants or sea buckthorn.

Harm from smoothies

Like any food product, smoothies have a complex effect on the entire body, so if you abuse them you can easily:

Be poisoned by using unwashed vegetables and fruits or stale ingredients;

Get a toothache without using a straw to drink a smoothie, because fruit acids have a strong destructive effect on tooth enamel;

Detect bleeding gums, since with a decrease in the constant load on the teeth, the gums become weak and are affected by periodontal disease;

Increase cholesterol levels and worsen the functioning of the heart and blood vessels if you drink smoothies several times a day, constantly adding dairy products to it;

Experience severe constipation as a consequence of intestinal atony caused by insufficient consumption of solid food.

And one more nuance

Homemade smoothies are natural. But in catering establishments, under the guise of a smoothie, you can be served a thick cocktail based on dairy products, thickly flavored with flavorings and food flavorings. At best, such a dish will not harm the body, but it certainly will not be useful.

Drawing conclusions - making a smoothie

Of course, there is no need to refuse a smoothie just because it could hypothetically cause harm. You just need to take the process into your own hands, using proven recipes and treat yourself to something tasty and healthy every morning by preparing smoothies of all the colors of the rainbow.

Red from one banana and a glass of red currants, with the addition of a tablespoon of honey and one hundred grams of yogurt.

Orange from a couple of carrots combined with green apple, orange, banana, ginger and garnished with mint leaves.

Yellow made from whole mango with the addition of papaya and low-fat yogurt.

Green from broccoli and spinach combined with carrots, apple and orange.

Blue made from blueberries, raspberries and bananas.

Blueberry blue with the addition of banana and, if desired, low-fat yogurt.

Purple from blackcurrant and peach.

Bon appetit and be healthy!

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