The new mixed drinks made of fruits and vegetables – better called “smoothies” – are becoming increasingly popular these times. But what is actually the origin of these trend drinks? Originally, smoothies were must-have in the 60s for Vegetarians or others following a health-conscious nutrition. At the end of the 90s, the trend first moved to Europe, and now smoothies are the ultimate lifestyle product.
Fruits, vegetables & more – Ingredients for a smoothie
There are basically no limits to creativity for preparing your perfect smoothie. There are various versions of the creamy juices: green smoothies, fruit smoothies, smoothies containing milk products or nutritional supplements, such as proteins or minerals. The core difference between smoothies and normal juices is that smoothies are made of the whole fruits or vegetables. So the skin, stem or stones are not removed. Special smoothie-blenders mash your favourite fruits and vegetables without any problems. You can use anything that your heart desires – just give it a try! To receive a creamy consistence which is not too viscous, just add water, yoghurt or fruit juices to the mashed vegetables, fruits, seeds and herbs.
Smoothies to lose weight?
Nourishing experts recommend having at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day. There the smoothie comes right on cue. A big portion of fruits being mashed as a “smoothie to go” is significantly easier to eat. But beware – depending on the ingredients in your smoothie, the cult drink is not particularly low in calories. Due to the high proportion of fructose and the lower saturation effect – because of the liquid consistence – a smoothie is not suitable for a diet. Green smoothies are rather recommended in this case. They primarily consist of leaves, herbs and vegetables and only include a small amount of fruits. Here too, caution is advised: green smoothies are vitamin bombs, but proteins and fats fall by the wayside. Do not apply a smoothie treatment longer than 10 days. Otherwise deficiency symptoms can occur.
Detox with green Smoothies
Green smoothies have another advantage – their detoxifying effect. Drinking green smoothies daily can support a better removal of slags as well as junk food. The high amount of chlorophyll binds toxins and helps to naturally move these out of the body. The intestine gets cleaned by dietary fibres, which are contained in the smoothie. Green smoothies are true masters in detoxing! But which ingredients best suited for a detox treatment?
- Lemon: has an alkaline and cholesterol-lowering effect
- Stinging nettle: has a purifying, diuretic and dehydrating effect
- Fennel: Has an anti-inflammatory and dehydrating effect, fights free radicals
- Dandelion: activates the metabolism, improves the body’s absorption of nutrients
- Coriander: binds heavy metals and flushes them out
- Green cabbage (kale): supplies the body with dietary fibres, supports detoxification
Also try the following ingredients: avocado, cucumber, melon, rocket, coconut milk, basil, mint, celery
My favourite smoothie recipe:
Ingredients:
- 100 g leaf spinach
- 1 mango
- ½ cucumber
- Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- 100 ml still water
- Chia seeds
Mash the ingredients until you get a creamy consistence. Depending on your taste, you can adapt the indication of quantity. Add the chia seeds at the end – as the perfect topping for your smoothie. Ready is your healthy energizer!
