Give your Body a Boost: Finding the Right Smoothie for Every Need

More and more, we’re placing greater importance on foods and ingredients that support our immune system in its fight to keep us healthy and strong. Especially when the family is locked inside the house, it is important to keep each other healthy with easy to make buteffective vitamin and nutrition boosts. A fresh smoothie is a quick and efficient way to giveyour body this boost and can provide you with more than just essential vitamins. That’s whywe’ve put together a few easy recipes for you, depending on what you’re in the mood for.

Depending on the ingredients you use, your smoothie can be a small or rather filling meal. The regular fruits in a smoothie contain a good amount of carbohydrates, but if you’re feeling extra hungry, you can use ingredients that add fiber or healthy fats to the mix in addition toyour basic smoothie ingredients. Fiber is not only important for your heart and digestive system, but also helps keep you sateduntil your next meal. If you’re looking for ways to ward off hunger with a smoothie, adding fiber-rich foods is key. Luckily, there are many options to choose from, such as nuts, hemp and chia seeds, flax, oats, dried fruits, berries... the list goes on. Alternatively, you can consider healthy fats to keep the hunger away. Excellent examples of healthy fats are avocados (or avocado oil), walnut and linseed oil. Healthy fats not only help you stay sated, they also contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids which aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K

Some may not find a green smoothie as visually appealing, but don’t let the looks deceive you – green smoothies are not only healthy, they’re also delicious and easily customizable. There are so many green superfoods to choose from, so you can really customize your green smoothie to make it your own. Cucumber provides an excellent base of hydration and freshness. There’s a reason Popeye loved his spinach – it’s definitely a superfood, rich in iron and vitamins. Other healthy greens you can include are celery and kale. If you want to makeyour smoothie a little fruitier, feel free to add some lime, mango or pineapple. Ice cubes are also an excellent way to make your smoothie even fresher.

If you’re feeling experimental and want to give your smoothie a flavorful twist, there are a number of spices you can add for that extra kick. Here are three you can use to pimp your smoothie:

Cinnamon: If you love cinnamon and miss the Christmas-flavors, this one’s for you. All you need is a banana, some regular or lactose-free Greek yogurt, some milk (or milk alternative), a scoop of peanut butter (the real kind!) and a pinch of cinnamon. Blend it all together and voilà: Christmas in a smoothie.

Vanilla:If you enjoy the sweeter things in life, vanilla is a great addition to your smoothie. Create a base with strawberries, some regular or lactose-free Greek yogurt and milk (or milk alternative). Next, add your vanilla extract or vanilla flavored protein powder and blend the ingredients until it is a smooth consistency. Final step: enjoy!

Turmeric: Turmeric is a true immune system warrior due to its active ingredient curcuma. If you want to give your immune system a boost, adding turmeric to your smoothie will do the trick. To take it to the next level, you can use self-pressed carrot juice as your base. Next, add pineapple, lemon and banana to the mix, and finish it off with a pinch of turmeric. Your immune systemsays “thank you”!

For an extra pick-me-up, you can add some matcha powder, which is finely milled green tea. Unlike coffee, matcha releases caffeine evenly during the day, and you can therefore avoid the well-known “caffeine-crash” a few hours later. You can add matcha powder to any smoothie, but here is a delicious orange and matcha recipe you can follow: coconut milk (alternatively water or milk/milk alternative) as your base, freshly squeezed orange juice and a handful of ice. Add a few tablespoons of matcha powder, and if you have a sweeter touch, add some honey. Blend it all together, and your morning or afternoon pick-me-up is ready.

You see, there is a smoothie for almost every feeling. Plus, they offer a great way toexperiment with different ingredients, flavors and colors. Why not try out something new every day or slightly change your favorite smoothie until you have created the ultimatesmoothie for yourself or your family. Of course, no one needs to know your secret recipe! Butcan they guess it?