There is no doubt that you have seen or been to a smoothie establishment. There are healthy options, seemingly healthy options, and glorified milkshakes. Some of the recipes even state that they contain juice and ice cream. Those smoothies do not do anything for your overall health. In fact, they only make you crave unhealthy foods and increase your sugar intake. 

On the other hand, a smoothie can be an excellent source of easy-to-digest fuel for the entire body, especially your muscles. That should be of great interest if you are focusing on your gains in the gym. With the following ingredients, you can ensure your smoothies will be nutrient-dense, instead of detracting from your progress. 

Spirulina

It’s possible that this ingredient may not be a go-to selection for you, but it is one of the most nutrient-dense ingredients on this list. Familiarize yourself with spirulina, which is a blue-green algae that is rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, B-vitamins, zinc, iron, beta-carotene, and so much more. Just remember that a little goes a long way and it can have a seaweed-like taste, so don’t treat this like protein powder. 

Beets

Yes, you can add beets to your smoothie and make it taste good! Beets exhibit anti-inflammatory activity and are rich in iron, folate, and several B-vitamins. A one-cup serving of beets also offers 442 milligrams (mg) of potassium, which may help lower blood pressure. The body can better absorb iron when you consume it with vitamin C, so pair beets with citrus fruits, apples, and carrots for better nutrient absorption.

Cinnamon

Fruits and vegetables get a lot of love and support as smoothie ingredients, but spices like cinnamon are typically neglected. Cinnamon is as versatile as it is aromatic and flavorful. According to several studies, cinnamon may help regulate blood sugar, making it an excellent choice for people with diabetes. It may also reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol. It is also a warming spice that goes great with bananas, almond butter, maple syrup, chia seeds, pears, and more.

Bananas

Believe it or not, every smoothie does not have to contain bananas, but it is a useful ingredient, both nutritionally and texturally. Frozen or soft, bananas bring both a natural sweetness and creamy texture to your smoothies. They are also rich in potassium, fiber, complex carbs, and vitamin B6, which is integral for optimal brain and immune function. 

Almond Butter

If you have the option to purchase raw almond butter, please do so because other varieties can include added sugars and problematic oils. Almond butter is a great smoothie ingredient because it contains monounsaturated fat and doesn’t have nearly as much saturated fat as peanut butter. It is also rich in protein and fiber, two nutrients that help keep those hunger pangs at bay. 

Non-Dairy Milk

Although water is a perfectly acceptable liquid to use in a smoothie, non-dairy milks make smoothies more creamy and filling. One of the primary benefits of non-dairy milks is that they increase calcium absorption. Regarding protein content, soy milk is the best option, but soy can be inflammatory for many people. Both almond milk and cashew milk are great options for smoothies as well. Whichever non-dairy milk you select, make sure to buy unsweetened varieties, as many contain added sugars, stabilizers, and other processed ingredients. You can also make your own non-dairy milks, which is the best and most nutritious option.

Chia Seeds

These seeds may be small, but they are mighty, packing a lot of heart-healthy omega-3s and fiber per serving. Research suggests that chia seeds may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Don’t add too many chia seeds to a smoothie, or else the texture of the smoothie may feel closer to chia pudding. As a side note, chia pudding is a great pre- or post-workout snack to fuel your muscles. 

Spinach

Popeye was leading the charge about popularizing spinach! It is a great green to add to smoothies because it doesn’t really flavor your smoothies. Add bananas and some other fruits and you won’t even know the spinach is there, besides the color. Spinach is a great source of protein, magnesium, folate, iron, and more. It also contains lutein, which promotes healthy eyesight. Spinach is also a great source of vitamin K, with one serving providing nearly 200% of the daily value. 

Raspberries

To round out the list, we have raspberries, which are low in sugar (five grams per cup) and full of fiber (eight grams per cup). Raspberries are also rich in potassium, vitamin C, and a variety of antioxidants. Pair raspberries with a protein source and your smoothie will be great for muscle building and anti-aging.

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Cue the music because summer’s here and the time is right for juicing with some beets. Anyone? Sometimes, you run out of recipe ideas for homemade juices. What do you do in these situations? Perhaps you look up some recipes, searching for juices with ingredients you already have at home. When we need inspiration, we will try to make juices that focus on ingredients that are all the same color.

In the case of this recipe, we wanted to highlight red ingredients, many of which are in season. If you are familiar with our website, you know how much we emphasize using seasonal produce items. This recipe works because it contains simple ingredients that are nutrient-dense and perfectly balanced. It contains a nice blend of fruits and vegetables (well…fruits and vegetable), so the sweetness of the fruits balance the earthiness of the beet. This juice is hydrating, filling, and you can adjust the amount of beet you use if you are new to the world of beets.

Although you can use any mix of berries, we encourage you to use the red ones, such as strawberries, red currants, and raspberries. Just be mindful that currants can be quite sour, and so can the cherries if you pick them incorrectly. Any type of cherry works, but just remember to remove the pits and stems prior to juicing them. Can’t find cherries or they are too costly? Use a little more berries and watermelon!

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Greetings to all the berry and pistachio lovers! Welcome to the unique and delicious flavor combination that is this sweetly-tart berry pistachio smoothie. It satisfies both your sweet and salty cravings at once, and in smoothie form no less! It isn’t an overly salty smoothie, though. You won’t feel like you just ate an entire bag of chips after sipping on a tall glass of this tasty creation. The pistachios provide a hint of saltiness that pairs beautifully with the sweet tartness of the raspberries, strawberries, and fresh orange.

Did you know that pistachio intake can be traced back 300,000 years? You commonly see them as a snack nowadays, but you can add them to desserts, salads, trail mixes, and so much more. Besides offering a slightly salty flavor, pistachios offer a long list of health benefits. Pistachios, just like raspberries, strawberries and orange, offer lots of antioxidants that help protect your cells. Researchers note that pistachios contain more antioxidant compounds that other nuts and seeds. They are especially rich in zeaxanthin and lutein, two antioxidants that help protect the eyes from blue light damage and age-related macular degeneration. The polyphenols and tocopherols in pistachios may help protect against heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Believe it or not, this smoothie does not contain banana. Although it doesn’t require one, you can add a banana if you desire. Want your smoothie to be a little thicker? Go ahead and add some more berries and ice cubes during the blending process. If you want to bulk up the smoothie a little, you can add some chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp hearts, or avocado. Feel free to throw in some spinach, but just keep in mind that the color of the smoothie will change.

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Smoothies are truly the best. They are cooling, easy to make, and provide you with tons of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, protein, and more in one fell swoop. You have to change up your smoothie ingredients in order to diversify your nutrient intake. Incorporate colorful fruits and vegetables, as all of those vibrant colors offer unique antioxidants. This antioxidant-rich beet mango smoothie, for example, has many colors in the rainbow. If you’ve learned anything from us over the years, it’s that we support eating the rainbow, just not Skittles.

To make this smoothie, you begin with mango, which offers a sweet, creamy, tropical base. Add in frozen raspberries for a subtly tart flavor, more antioxidants, and fiber. Next, add chopped beet, but make sure to peel it because that will help reduce the earthy flavor. Beets provide unique antioxidants, which give them their signature dark red color. They also contain folate and nitrites, which the body converts to nitric oxide. In the body, nitric oxide helps to relax blood vessels, increase oxygen and nutrient delivery, and improve muscle efficiency.

The remaining ingredients are carrots and spinach, which we classify as the hidden vegetables in this smoothie. Carrots actually provide a pleasant sweetness and the spinach goes unnoticed, as it does not have a strong flavor. You’ll add fresh lime juice, ginger, and mint to really brighten up the flavor of the whole smoothie. Just blend it up until it reaches your desired consistency and then enjoy!

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Drinking a smoothie is one of the best ways to get a healthy dose of fruits and veggies in one fell swoop. The best thing about this smoothie is that it tastes like a milkshake. It’s as though you are not even drinking something healthy, but then you see the ingredients and realize that each one exhibits impressive health benefits. This smoothie is as chocolaty as it is healthy, offering lots of protein, healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Unlike most smoothies, this chocolate creation does not have a banana base; rather it uses avocado, which enhances the creaminess. Don’t worry, though, your smoothie will not taste like a large cup of guacamole. You will not even know that the avocado is in the smoothie because the raw cacao powder, fresh raspberries, grade A maple syrup, vanilla extract, and homemade almond milk mask the avocado’s mild flavor. To help enhance the level of creaminess, we suggest that you cube the avocado and freeze it overnight. Now, some stores sell frozen avocado, which you can have while cleansing, so long as there are no preservatives or added sweeteners.

The key with this smoothie is getting the right consistency. You can always add some ice if the smoothie is too thin, or a little extra almond milk if the smoothie is too thick. Feel like you need some extra fiber in your life? Consider adding a tablespoon or less of chia seeds of flax seeds. Need it to be sweeter, add a squeeze of maple syrup at a time and taste until it reaches your desired level of sweetness. You may not even need the sweetener, but that depends on your taste preferences. The main thing is that we hope you enjoy this delicious creation.

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Sip your way into a world of vibrance with our blood orange sherbet smoothie that bursts with tropical, sweet, and tart flavors. This delightful smoothie contains three simple ingredients: fresh raspberries, papaya, and freshly squeezed blood orange juice. You will need about five blood oranges to get the right amount of juice for this smoothie. The blood orange juice offers a wonderful tartness with a sweet undertone that makes you feel like you’re sipping a tropical beverage on a tranquil beach.

Although you won’t eat the blood oranges, take a second to appreciate their beauty before you juice them. Their flesh resembles a tie dye tapestry of oranges and reds. It is truly a beautiful fruit that tastes just as good as it looks. Blood oranges exhibit an exquisite tanginess that goes hand in hand with the fresh raspberries. Needless to say, this smoothie is replete with antioxidant compounds and lots of vitamin C.

Sure, the raspberries and blood orange juice provide lots of vitamin C, but let’s not forget about the mighty papaya. This fruit is naturally rich in fiber, vitamin A, and papain, a digestive enzyme that helps break down the protein you eat. Make sure to cube your papaya, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and freeze overnight the day before you make this smoothie. Frozen papaya will give this smoothie a creaminess that you wouldn’t get if you used fresh fruit and ice. Trust us when we tell you that this is the way to go!

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Ahhhh, the raw vegan moment you’ve been waiting for: jam that doesn’t require cooking and is free of added sugars. You just need a mixture of fresh berries, a jar for mashing, chia seeds, and grade A maple syrup. The chia seeds bloom in the mashed berries and maple syrup, thickening the creation to yield a spreadable jam. Much like chia pudding, this jam takes some time to fully set. Ideally, prepare it in the evening and refrigerate overnight so that it is ready in the morning.

This jam contains three types of berries: raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. No strawberries are involved in the creation of this jam because, quite frankly, strawberries get enough love. That’s not why, people! We love strawberries just as much as the next person, but sometimes you need to showcase other berries. Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are all excellent sources of vitamin and other antioxidants. These berries are also low in sugar, making them great to enjoy if you follow the ketogenic diet.

Although you wouldn’t have a flavorful jam without the berries, the jam wouldn’t be jammy without the chia seeds. You need these seeds, which bloom in the presence of liquid to create a thick consistency that is similar to jarred jams you know and love. Plus, chia seeds are excellent sources of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, magnesium, and other impressive vitamins and minerals. Use this mixed berry jam as a condiment on raw ice cream or serve it with fresh fruit. After you finish cleansing, spread it on toast!

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If there were ever a time to enjoy a green smoothie, it would be during the holidays. Despite the classic holiday song, this smoothie is not a mean one. It is not as vile as a crocodile, nor is it as rugged as a heel. This smoothie easy to make and kid-approved, well, we hope it is! Green Grinch smoothie is truly the opposite of every child’s favorite holiday villain. Just trust us when we say it is a great gift to give yourself, but we can’t promise that it’ll make your heart grow three sizes.

This is not a candy cane smoothie, a pumpkin pie smoothie, or a gingerbread cookie smoothie. We’ll save the desserts for desserts and focus on getting more nutrition during the holidays with this green smoothie. After all, something has to try to balance out holiday cookie platters and carb-centric buffets. If you want to make the smoothie a little more festive, decorate the top of the glass with fresh raspberries. That may entice the children to drink this lovely green creation!

Unlike other green smoothies, we feel that this recipe is very balanced. You don’t have a combination of arugula, kale, celery, apples, and carrots; rather, this contains spinach, pineapple, mango, bananas, and homemade almond milk. Spinach makes the smoothie green, but you don’t taste it because the other ingredients have such sweet and tart flavor profile. The homemade almond milk ties everything together and makes it wonderfully creamy and nutritious.

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If you follow a low-carbohydrate diet or try to keep sugar intake to a minimum, you may be wary of fruit. Some people are of the mind that fruit is the enemy because of sugar content, while others believe that the natural sugars in fruit are perfectly fine. Although the sugars in fruit are natural, they can still affect blood sugar. This really depends on what you eat these fruits with and whether or not you have diabetes. 

Do you count carbs or do you simply pay closer attention to the glycemic load or glycemic index of the foods you eat? When you know which fruits are lower in sugar, however, you can help make choices that fit your dietary needs. Certain fruits are categorized as “low-sugar” because you can enjoy a larger portion for a smaller amount of carbohydrates and sugar. Most fruits also contain beneficial antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but if you are monitoring your sugar intake, focus on the following seven low-sugar fruits. 

Lemons

We know that most people are not biting into lemons to snack on, but lemons are great low-sugar fruits. One lemon contains about 2.1 grams (g) of sugar and 2.4 g of fiber. You can squeeze the juice from a lemon into water or into an herbal tea. You can also mix fresh lemon juice with olive oil to make a zesty salad dressing. 

Cranberries

You don’t really have access to fresh cranberries until the fall, and even during the fall you have a limited window to purchase them. With just 4 g of sugar per cup, cranberries are an excellent low-sugar fruit to enjoy. Not to mention, cranberries are excellent sources of antioxidants and phytonutrients, both of which help limit the damage caused by free radicals. According to several studies, cranberries may decrease the risk of urinary tract infections by about one-third in people at increased risk for infection. 

Berries

There are several berries to choose from, but the main low-sugar options are strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. In a one cup serving, raspberries contain 5 g of sugar, blackberries contain 7 g of sugar, and strawberries 7 g of sugar. Blueberries have a higher sugar content, exhibiting 15 g of sugar per cup. That said, eating a moderate amount of blueberries can be beneficial, as they are rich in antioxidants and brain-boosting chemicals. All berries are rich in vitamins, polyphenols, and fiber, and they have a low glycemic index. In fact, berries have proven to significantly lower A1C levels in people with type 2 diabetes. 

Watermelon

Watermelon is both sweet and delicious, but it is surprisingly low in sugar. One cup of watermelon contains 45 calories and 9 g of sugar. Although watermelon has a high glycemic index rating, it contains few carbs and is 92% water, which gives it a low glycemic load. Glycemic load essentially considers the glycemic index of a certain food and the amount of carbs per serving. This gives you a more accurate picture of the food’s impact on blood sugar than glycemic index alone. 

Kiwis

Containing 7 g of sugar per fruit, kiwi ranks relatively low on the glycemic index scale. Not only is a kiwi a great source of fiber, but one fruit also provides 62% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin C. A single kiwi contains about 48 calories and 2.3 g of fiber. Eat kiwis fresh, in smoothies, or in salads. If you want to keep them from spoiling, store them in the fridge. 

Apricots

If you want to snack on some low-sugar fruits, opt for apricots because two small fruits contain a total of 6 g of sugar. This pair of apricots will deliver 34 calories and 1.4 g of fiber. They are readily available during summer, which is when you can get the freshest varieties. Apricots are naturally rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, especially quercetin, catechins, and chlorogenic acids. These compounds help combat oxidative stress and can reduce inflammatory markers.

Avocados

Yes, avocados fall under the fruit umbrella. Not only are they rich in heart-healthy fats, but they also provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A single avocado provides 9 g of fiber and less than a half a gram of sugar. A recent study monitored participants who consumed avocado daily for a total of 12 weeks. At the end of the study, the participants showed improved blood sugar control, cardiometabolic risk factors, and insulin resistance. Avocados may even help improve heart health by lowering bad cholesterol levels.

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Greet the warmer weather with this healthy, refreshing, mixed berry walnut spinach salad with a maple vinaigrette. This salad hits a variety of flavors and textures, offering sweet and acidic notes from the berries and dressing and crunchiness from the red onion, pistachios, and sunflower seeds. It’s as if the warmer weather beckons you to make fresh, colorful dishes. While not scientifically proven to take you to your happy place, we bet that this salad may do just that.

To start you off on the right foot, you need to select plump blueberries and raspberries. If you can snag some from your local’s farmer’s market, we promise that they are worth the price tag. You have to use those berries quickly, so this salad is a great way to enjoy them all before they go bad. Plus, the fresh, sweet berries are a pleasant relief to the intense raw onion flavor. If you prefer shallots to raw red onion in your salad, you can thinly slice one shallot in place of the red onion. Thinly slicing the red onion or shallot will help mellow the intensity.

One thing that a salad desperately needs, besides greens of course, is varying textures. This salad delivers in that regard, especially with the crunch from the raw sunflower seeds and pistachios. Not only do nuts and seeds offer texture to this salad, but they also offer healthy fats and protein. Those two macronutrients are essential for anyone in need of filling up on a raw vegan diet. Lastly, the maple vinaigrette offers a sweet yet tangy flavor that pairs beautifully with the ingredients in this salad. Drop a comment below to let us know if you like it, or what you did to tweak this recipe to your liking.

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