What is a smoothie? Benefits, dangers, types and recipes

Today the word “smoothie” is already on everyone’s lips. This is the name given to a homogeneous thick cocktail of berries, herbs and fruits, which includes nutritional supplements. Why is this product consumed: for the sake of foreign fashion or for the sake of real benefits? I want to answer this question and talk about popular methods of making smoothies.

Diet smoothies for weight loss

So, if you want to make diet smoothies, then you should keep the following in mind:

For cooking it is better to use not only fruits, but also vegetables. Among vegetables, pay attention to beets, celery, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, pumpkin, bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, leeks and others.
You can also add one teaspoon of fiber powder to your smoothie to enhance the cleansing effect. Some people prefer to add bran, this is a completely acceptable option. But you should be careful with such additives so as not to harm yourself. If you are not sure, it is better to start with half a teaspoon.
Since this is a dietary drink, such a drink should be prepared with skim milk or yogurt or with plain filtered water.

Since you know the basic basis for preparing a dietary smoothie, we will offer several recipe options that can be easily and quickly prepared at home.

a portion of filtered water + half a beet + 2 stalks of celery + half a banana + a handful of greens.
a portion of filtered water + 1 medium carrot + 100 grams of pumpkin + 1 banana + 1 tablespoon of honey.
a portion of filtered water + cucumber + 2 kiwis + a handful of greens + a stalk of celery.
a portion of filtered water + carrots + 3 broccoli florets + 1 apple + a handful of spinach
portion of filtered water + cauliflower inflorescence + pineapple + handful of greens

PP sandwiches with avocado and spreading paste

Why do we need smoothies?

All over the world there is a problem of growth of chronic non-infectious diseases (arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, etc.), the development of which is associated with poor nutrition.

One of the ways to prevent these pathological conditions is the WHO's strong recommendation to consume 400 g (5 servings) of raw fruits and vegetables per day as sources of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and other biologically active substances.

Doctors perceive these volumes as a completely feasible recommendation. But this does not apply to ordinary people.

Just for fun, you can test it for yourself: for three days, write down all the raw fruits and vegetables you consume.

If you don’t want to waste 3 days of your life, then just read the research on this issue. Thus, both in Russia and in the world there is insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Most people find it difficult to bite a carrot or savor a green pepper every day; they may forget, not have time, or not want to eat an apple or pear at all.

But the amount of the required daily intake of these products can be visually reduced, converted into another, more comfortable form and eaten with pleasure, for example, in the form of a smoothie.

It turns out that smoothies are a convenient alternative way to increase your daily consumption of fruits and vegetables, as sources of a huge amount of biologically active substances. It will help modern people take care of their health.

The fashion for a healthy lifestyle is gaining momentum, which requires qualitatively new characteristics from food: it must be convenient to eat, satisfying and high-calorie. The smoothie meets all these parameters.

What do ordinary people think about smoothies?

Smoothies are an excellent alternative to unhealthy buns and chocolates.
It is more effective not to drink a smoothie, but to eat it with a small spoon.
The smoothie itself should be cold, but not icy.
Smoothie - drink or food?
There are “thick” and “thin” smoothies (with and without sugar).

Low-calorie smoothies for weight loss

If you are following a strict diet or counting calories, then low-calorie smoothies will be more relevant.

Such smoothies are prepared exclusively with regular filtered water, which immediately reduces the calorie content of the finished dish. In such smoothies, it is best to avoid fruits that are too high in calories. For example, it is better not to use banana, peaches, apricots. It is better to give preference to fruits - oranges, pineapples and kiwis. These fruits contain a large amount of fiber and are ideal for satisfying hunger.

You can safely add more greens to low-calorie smoothies for weight loss - 2 handfuls are ideal.

And, of course, we add more healthy vegetables, especially green ones - broccoli, cabbage, celery, green peppers. We also pay attention to beets, they are ideal for smoothies.

Filtered water + cabbage + celery stalk + kiwi + two handfuls of any greens
filtered water + half a zucchini + an apple + a handful of spinach + a little lemon
filtered water + 2 stalks of celery + 1 large orange + two handfuls of greens
filtered water + half a zucchini + kiwi + a handful of greens + cucumber
filtered water + 100 grams of pumpkin + carrots + pineapple + a handful of greens.

PP smoothie for breakfast

For those who don’t like to come up with complex and proper breakfasts, this tasty and healthy drink is ideal. Just 1 minute - and a healthy breakfast will be ready. Since breakfast is one of the most important meals, it must be balanced, satisfying and healthy, because its purpose is to wake up your metabolism and give you energy until the next meal. You can safely add the following to your breakfast smoothie:

natural yogurt, kefir, low-fat milk. This will increase the calorie content of the prepared dish and you will not feel hungry.
more fruits. Breakfast is the meal when you can afford more carbohydrates. Feel free to add banana, peaches, melon, and apricots to the smoothie!
A little sweetener. If you want to get a real dessert, be sure to add honey or other natural sweetener.
If you want a truly filling breakfast, be sure to add avocado!
You can add fat using peanut butter. Then you don't need to use yogurt or milk.
Fans of oatmeal can safely put them in smoothies. 2 or 3 spoons will be enough for one serving!

Here are the basic recipes for making a smoothie for breakfast:

a serving of natural yogurt+1 banana+a handful of berries+a handful of greens+flax seeds
serving of milk or plant milk + 1 avocado + 1 banana + honey or maple syrup
a portion of natural yogurt + a handful of frozen cherries + a banana + a few almonds + cocoa powder
a portion of filtered water + a banana + 1 tablespoon of peanut butter + cocoa + a few of any nuts and seeds.
serving of plant milk + banana + kiwi + handful of spinach + flax seeds
serving of coconut milk + apricots + banana + 2 tablespoons of oatmeal

PP breakfasts for weight loss - simple recipes

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.

Smoothie for snack pp

This drink is also ideal for light snacks. In order not to exceed the calorie allowance, it is better to prepare smoothies for snacks using regular filtered water or low-fat natural yogurt. Here are some great easy snack options

a portion of natural yogurt + cucumber + tomato + a handful of greens + spices to taste
a portion of filtered water + carrots + apple + a handful of greens
filtered water + half a glass of pineapple pieces + a handful of greens + 2 dates
filtered water + apple + cabbage + broccoli + a handful of greens.
a portion of natural yogurt + 2 handfuls of berries + a handful of greens

Smoothie drink - what is it?

First you need to figure out what a smoothie is and what benefits it has for humans . It is a drink with a thick consistency, prepared by chopping and mixing fruits, vegetables with the addition of yogurt, juice, water or milk. You only need a blender with enough power to blend solid ingredients.

Place everything in a bowl, add a small amount of liquid and whisk. The result should be a thick drink that can be drunk through a thick straw.

Smoothie pp for dinner

A PP smoothie for dinner is an ideal option for those who want to lose extra pounds. This is also a great dinner for those who exercise and are trying to include more protein in their diet. Such smoothies are prepared according to the following scheme:

a portion of natural yogurt to make the smoothie quite nutritious for dinner and also contains proteins
Feel free to add protein to our smoothie for dinner. It could be one scoop of protein or two. Here you can regulate this ingredient yourself.
Cottage cheese is also an excellent base for a smoothie for dinner. This way you will get the right portion of protein and satiate your hunger well.
We add more berries. They are lower in calories than fruits, but contain the same amount of nutrients and fiber.
As for fruits, we pay attention to pineapple and orange.
Be sure to add greens.

Here are the basic recipe options, based on which you can safely come up with your own:

a portion of filtered water + 100 grams of cottage cheese + a cup of frozen berries + a handful of greens + flax seeds + cinnamon
a serving of natural yogurt + a cup of pineapple + one scoop of protein + a handful of berries + chia seeds
a portion of natural yogurt + 1 orange + one scoop of protein + a few nuts + cinnamon
a portion of natural yogurt + 100 grams of cottage cheese + a cup of frozen berries + a handful of spinach
a portion of filtered water + 100 grams of cottage cheese + kiwi + a handful of greens + one scoop of protein

Dietary PP jelly: 6 recipes

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We have absolutely no questions about vitamins, but we have some complaints about the carbohydrate component. The properties of a smoothie are determined by its composition.

Conventionally, smoothies can be divided into fruit, vegetable and with the addition of protein-containing liquids (milk, yogurt, ice cream), including specialized food products, protein composite dry mixtures.

Fruit

In their “pure” form, fruit smoothies can only be consumed by very healthy people after sports and during intense mental stress.

These same smoothies will be absolutely contraindicated for patients with impaired carbohydrate tolerance, diabetes mellitus, lipid metabolism disorders, pancreatitis and other pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage, renal failure, etc.

Vegetables

Vegetable smoothies without dairy products are ideal for the treatment and prevention of constipation, when working with heavy metals and in hazardous industries, and in case of lipid metabolism disorders. Contraindications will be similar to those above.

With added protein-containing liquids

When milk-containing products are added to dietary fiber, the glycemic index of the final product changes sharply towards its decrease. This is called modification of the carbohydrate component.

In addition, such a product becomes a source of complete protein. Here again, the first indication is moderate physical activity. Contraindications will depend on the quantity and quality of the protein component.

PP smoothie with strawberries

One of the most common smoothie recipes is the one with strawberries. This berry contains a lot of useful substances, has a pleasant taste, and at the same time the calorie content per 100 grams is only 32 calories! PP smoothie with strawberries can be safely included in the PP diet.

serving of low-fat milk + 150 grams of strawberries + half a banana + a handful of greens
a portion of natural yogurt + a cup of strawberries + kiwi + spinach
a serving of plant milk + a cup of strawberries + an apple + 30 grams of goji berries
a serving of natural yogurt + a cup of strawberries + 2 tablespoons of oatmeal
a portion of kefir + a cup of strawberries + a handful of spinach + a little honey

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, the heart will not be able to withstand it, gallstones will begin to pass away - it will be impossible 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).

PP smoothie with banana

You've probably noticed that this fruit is a frequent guest in smoothies. The thing is that banana gives an excellent delicate and creamy texture, soft and pleasant taste. This fruit also provides additional sweetness, so if you use sweet fruits, then honey or other natural sweeteners are practically not needed.

However, you need to remember that banana is a fairly high-calorie fruit and it is best to use it in a smoothie for breakfast, when you need to get a nutritious and balanced drink.

Another important rule is to freeze the banana before cooking. The banana needs to be cut into pieces and placed in the freezer for at least 15-20 minutes.

portion of filtered water+banana+avocado+spinach
serving of plant milk+banana+strawberries+flax seeds
portion of filtered water + banana + 100 grams of cottage cheese + a handful of greens
a portion of natural yogurt + banana + 2 tablespoons of oatmeal + 2 dates
a portion of milk+banana+orange+vanilla+a little honey

The dangers of too much smoothie

It is impossible not to note the other side of the coin of a delicious smoothie dish - consumption in unlimited quantities - “because it’s delicious!”

A convenient replacement for fruits and vegetables in excessive quantities can turn into a problem of damage to tooth enamel due to both high acidity and high sugar content.

On a note

Studies have been conducted that have proven the adverse effects of smoothies on tooth enamel for the above reasons.
However, as always, these studies must also be read correctly. They clearly state that quantity, frequency of use and composition play a key role. That is why we ask you not to indiscriminately refuse or extol smoothies.

Everything will depend solely on your attitude. Everything should be in moderation.

Now all that remains is to break down the “smoothie” into its components and understand the pros and cons.

Diet smoothies with kefir

Another common method of preparing a pp smoothie is to cook it with kefir. This fermented milk product is always on hand, and if you use low-fat kefir, the smoothie will turn out to be truly low-calorie and dietary. Kefir goes well with herbs and vegetables, and with fruits. True, if you cook it with fruit, it is better to add a little honey or a natural sweetener.

a portion of kefir + apple + teaspoon cinnamon + teaspoon honey
a serving of kefir + 50 grams of cottage cheese + a cup of frozen berries + flax seeds
a portion of kefir + banana + a handful of strawberries + 2 tablespoons of oatmeal
portion of kefir + cucumber + kiwi + celery stalk + handful of spinach
portion of kefir+orange+banana+honey

Berry smoothies: preparation rules

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

You should choose seedless berries. These are raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, watermelon pulp. Cherries can be used after pitting.
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.
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.
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.

PP smoothie with kiwi

Another favorite fruit for making smoothies. Kiwi also gives smoothies a creamy consistency and is high in fiber. It can be added to both fruit and vegetable smoothies.

a portion of filtered water + kiwi + avocado + a handful of greens
a portion of natural yogurt + kiwi + banana + 2 tablespoons of oatmeal
a portion of natural yogurt + half a zucchini + kiwi + flax seeds
portion of filtered water+cucumber+kiwi+banana+spinach
a portion of natural yogurt + kiwi + a cup of strawberries + a portion of honey + cinnamon.

As you can see, there are a lot of different variations of pp smoothies that you can safely make at home. Try this simple and healthy drink and be sure to include it in your diet!

Three types of smoothies

Imagine that you have just drunk a homemade smoothie. And what did you get?

Firstly, dietary fiber for adequate stimulation of gastrointestinal motility, formation and excretion of feces, as well as anti-inflammatory effect, adsorption of toxins and heavy metals, and cholesterol removal.
Secondly, vitamins and antioxidants for the proper functioning of all biochemical reactions and protection of cells from damaging agents.