How to Make a HEALTHY Smoothie

Learn how to make a healthy smoothie so it doesn’t turn into a sugar bomb and to ensure it is the healthiest possible.

I have been drinking smoothies for years (at least since 2005) and when I first started I really thought I knew what I was doing. I started running in 2005 and added morning smoothies with protein powder to top me off post-run and I sincerely thought I was on the right path.

See my plan was, run often and drink smoothies and in 12 months the weight will peel away. I drank smoothies every day faithfully and so you can imagine how shocked I was when I measured myself a year later and learned not only had I not LOST any weight, I actually gained weight and went up 1 dress size.

What Happened To Me?

How could this be? I was running 3 miles a day on the treadmill faithfully and taking my runs outdoors every Saturday in the Summer. I was drinking my smoothies every morning going hog wild adding all sorts of fruit and berries such as blueberries, pineapples, grapes and such.

What I did not realize is that my smoothies were ticking time sugar bombs.

See, I was making juice-based smoothies using my very favorite Orange, Peach and Mango juice as the base. Sorry to say I was sabotaging any gains I could have possibly been making with the cardio.

I typically added 8 to 16 oz of this in there FIRST and then piled on more fruit and half a scoop of protein powder.

This IS healthy after all right? I mean, I was getting my daily recommended allowance of fruit wasn’t I?  Sure I was and going overboard on the SUGAR!

Eight oz of the juice I used has a whopping 27 grams of SUGAR and if you double it, 54 grams (which is more than many soft drinks).

I even tried Panera Bread’s Green Passion Smoothie and this is what I thought of it:  SMOOTHIE REVIEW.

So don’t make the same mistakes I made.  Consider these tips to make healthier smoothies.

Check Your Base

Like you read, my smoothie base consisted of fruit juice.  Not only did it add too many calories, it added a bunch of sugar (which contributed to the extra calories).  I recommend using either a water or unsweetened nut milk base (almond, cashew, etc.).  Avoid fruit juice bases at all costs.

Check Your Smoothie Ratio

Your smoothie should be AT LEAST 33% vegetables if not more.  Vegetables I recommend include spinach, kale, cucumber, carrots and celery.

Cut Back on The Sweetest Fruits

The point of drinking smoothies is to get more fiber, fruit and vegetables into your system but ease up on the sweetest of the sweet fruit like mangoes and pineapple.  Instead incorporate more berries like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.

They are not only contain less sugar than other fruit, they are packed with phytonutrients which help fight against aging and fiber.

Women should consume about 25 grams of fiber a day.

Power Up The Protein

Add protein to your smoothies to not only bulk them up with less calories, but to keep you fuller longer since protein takes longer for your body to digest.  I recommend a whey or vegan protein powder with at least 20 grams of protein.

Watch My Video On How To Make A Health Smoothie

Watch my video where I share how I made the switch to creating healthier smoothies which has allowed me to stabilize my weight and give me additional much-needed energy (not from sugar). I also showcase some healthy add-ons I include to UP the nutrients factor.  Check it out.

To Conclude

Smoothies are a FANTASTIC way to consume more fresh fruit and vegetables but make sure you are being smart about it and not adding a high-sugar base or produce with the highest amounts of sugar which renders your “healthy” smoothie a calorie and sugar bomb.

How do you make your smoothies?  Are they ticking calorie and sugar bombs?

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