How to prepare your best smoothie

The smoothie craze is here to stay. It's a nutritionally complete drink and, despite what it may seem, very easy to prepare. It's all a matter of knowing how to properly combine the ingredients and a little bit of organization for those short on time.

The first thing to do is focus on what ingredients are key to a good smoothie.

The liquid or semi-liquid base

The best options are unsweetened vegetable milks (coconut, almond, oat, rice, etc.), yogurt natural for its probiotic content or 100% pure coconut water, free of preservatives, sweeteners, or colorings. Avoid ice cream, juices, or processed beverages, as their high sugar content makes them extremely caloric.

Fruit and vegetables

If you want a detox smoothie, you'll need to add leafy greens like spinach or kale, and vegetables like cucumber or celery. They're rich in fiber and alkalizing, and blended with half a banana, the flavor improves significantly.

For those just starting out in this world, starting with berries—banana, mango, or pineapple—is a safe bet, but you can experiment with whatever fruit you like best.

Proteins and fats

For your smoothie to be complete and not just a source of carbohydrates, it needs protein and fat. The body takes longer to burn these macronutrients, so adding seeds (chia, hemp, flax), avocado, or sugar-free nut butters (peanut, almond, cashew, hazelnut) will stabilize your blood sugar levels and, therefore, your energy.

Sweeteners

If you need a sweeter touch, opt for a teaspoon of coconut sugar, pure honey, stevia, agave syrup, or maple syrup.

Superfoods

Depending on your needs, you can customize your smoothie to give it an extra boost of vitamins and minerals.

If you are very tired and need a boost of energy, opt for the ORGANIC MACA, he ORGANIC COCOA or tea ORGANIC MATCHAIf you overindulged in food or drink last night, spirulina will be your best ally.

If you want to improve the appearance of your skin, goji berries and the ORGANIC AÇAÍ They are two very powerful antioxidants.

If you're going to train, don't forget the hemp seeds.

If you have bloating and frequent constipation, opt for chia seeds.

Finally, put everything in the blender and that's it!

Some tips:

-You can prepare it the night before and leave it in the refrigerator. The next day, shake it well and it's ready.

-If you prefer to have it freshly made, you can leave the peeled and cut fruit in freezer bags. Preparing the fruit is the most time-consuming part, and this way, all you have to do in the morning is throw it into the blender with the rest of the ingredients.

-If you prefer a thicker, ice cream-like consistency, freezing the fruit beforehand is a surefire trick. You can also add crushed ice.

-You can add cinnamon or vanilla powder to give it an extra flavor.

Alicia Lamothe (Health Coach)