It is no wonder that smoothies have become so popular lately!  A good smoothie can get your morning started with a boost of fruits and vegetables. Or it can be a healthy, filling snack for you and your kids. Seniors who don’t want to cook for themselves or may just not feel like eating find smoothies a great way to fill part of their daily calorie requirements. Athletes can add extra nutrients to get the boost they need without added sugars and fat.

Why a smoothie?

• Easy to drink when you just don’t feel like eating anything
• Provides a good source of liquid
• Uses fresh ingredients
• Packs in nutrients all in one place, much better absorbed than a vitamin pill
• Helps stave off hunger
• It’s easy, and fun, to create your own smoothie.

What you need

• Fruit and/or vegetables
• A thickener, such as ice or yogurt
• A liquid to help blending, such as milk or juice
• Blender, milkshake maker or magic bullet

Avoid too much sweetener (sugar, honey) and fat (high fat ice cream); these are often found in smoothies you buy at fast food restaurants. Try and use fresh whole or frozen fruit, not juice or purees.

FRUIT SMOOTHIE RECIPES:

The All Canadian Smoothie
2 cups (500 ml) of milk/soymilk
2 cups (500 ml) of frozen blueberries
1/2 cup (125 ml) of vanilla flavoured yogurt
2 tbsp (30 ml) of Canadian honey or Maple Syrup

Fiber Smoothie
Add 2 tablespoons of wheat germ and use a high fibre fruit like strawberries or cantelope

Protein Smoothie
Use soymilk, ground walnuts or almonds, and ¼ cup of whey powder with your favourite fruit

Healthy Start Smoothie
Use fruit juice instead of milk, and yogurt, not ice cream, and ¼ cup of wheat germ

Detox Smoothie
Recommended fruits for detoxifying are:
Blueberries
Grapefruit
Lemons