Smoothies: Science and Beyond

Smoothies are a concoction of pureed fruits, pureed vegetables, dairy/dairy alternatives, nuts or nut butter and herbs. You can put nearly anything into the blender to make a smoothie. The key to making it healthy yet tasty smoothie is to strike the right balance of vegetables, fruit, protein and fat sources. 

Most of us may not be getting the required quantity of vegetables and fruits in our regular meals. Hence Smoothie comes as a great way to incorporate those vegetables and fruits which normally we are struggling to add to your diet. A smoothie can also provide a quick meal when you don’t have time to cook or even prepare a salad.

Ingredients Wisdom:

When we think of smoothie, we need to ask ourselves the following questions. Are we using it as a meal replacement, or are you having it as a beverage with our meal? Based on the answer the ingredients can vary.

Smoothie can be consumed as a meal replacement. When used as a meal replacement,  it should provide a good balance of nutrients and in order to make it nutritious, it’s important to make sure the smoothie contains a mix of foods that would be similar to a meal. Let’s check what all ingredients to be added to a meal replacement smoothie.

Leafy Greens and Vegetables: A few handfuls of spinach, Mint, Beetroot leaves, Kale, or Arugula provide antioxidants and fibres without negatively impacting the taste. When these leaves are blended with other ingredients, the individual flavour of these greens is very mild and usually masked well.

By adding one or two vegetables to your smoothie, you are not only doubling up on the fibre content, but also adding more vitamins and minerals and antioxidants to the meal. Additional fibre from vegetables helps to process the natural sugars from fruit efficiently.

Fruits: The fruit being a great source of natural sugar, it helps to mask some of the unpleasant flavours of vegetables. Though fruits have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, smoothies often become hyper-concentrated sources of fruit sugars. Hence wisely choose the fruit so that it gives a sweetness and flavour but doesn’t add too many calories. Choose fruit that has lower sugar content such as apple, pear, guava, pineapple, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, muskmelon, and papaya. The moderate to high GI fruits such as bananas, mangoes, sapotas, grapes, figs, dry fruits can also be added occasionally. Adding these fruits is definitely better than adding artificial sweeteners

Proteins Sources: Proteins can come from nuts, seeds, plant milk or plant yoghurt or occasionally from unsweetened nut butter. The preferred nuts and seeds are almonds, walnuts, cashews or s chia, basil help and flax seed. Other protein sources like plant milk/yoghurt can also be used. Protein portions help to thicken the consistency of the smoothie.

Fat Sources: Good sources of fat in smoothies are again those nuts or seeds added to the smoothie. Avocado also provides rich sources of MUFA and other micronutrients such as B vitamins, antioxidants and potassium.  Occasionally you can use coconut meat, Coconut milk, coconut yogurt. Coconut products contain high saturated fat and hence to be used with vigilance

Liquid Base: The Liquid base of the smoothie is what decides the consistency majorly. You can use water or coconut water. Other choices are sugar-free plant milk such as almond milk, soya milk, walnut, flax milk etc.

Additional Nutrients/Favours: You can also add spirulina powder, cocoa, or other herbal powders like cinnamon nutmeg, turmeric, ginger, etc which adds nutrient quality and flavour.

A well thought out smoothie recipe prepared at home and consumed immediately offers a great range of nutrients which means easier digestion, a healthy immune system and healthier glow to the skin. Try to mix up the ingredients as dietary diversity can be really helpful to ensure a well-rounded nutrient intake. Fibre lowers your risk of heart disease stoke and other metabolic conditions.

So a basic smoothie formula for 1 large glass (300 ml) is:

1 Part Leafy greens/Vegetables: 1/2 cup green leafy vegetables 1/2 cup cubed vegetables

1 Part Nuts/Seeds/avocado: 1 fist-full of nuts or 2 tbsp seeds

1 Part fruits: 1/2 cup cubed fruit. 

1 Parts liquid: 1/2 cup plant milk

1 Part a Natural sweetening agent: 2 Dates or 10 Dry Grapes if needed

1 Part flavouring agent if needed

Smoothie Vs Whole fruits/Veggies

There is no substitute for Whole Foods. Raw, fresh vegetables are the best way to get most nutrients from these foods. But vegetables in any form whether it’s cooked, steamed, sautéed, frozen, canned, or juiced are far better than no vegetables at all. Blending introduces oxygen and sometimes heat, which will knock out a little vitamin C and some B vitamins.

It’s easier to take in more calories when you drink instead of eating them as there’s increasing evidence that drinking isn’t as satiating as eating whole foods.

Smoothies are great alternatives to a salad for those who are not able to consume the recommended intake of vegetables or fruits on a daily basis.

Benefits of smoothie over juice:

Juicing leaves behind a pulp which contains fibre and nutrients that are discarded and hence  you lose most of the benefits of whole fruits and vegetables. Fruit juices are hyper concentrated sources of sugar and are likely to have a higher glycemic index than a smoothie.

Where as in smoothies, addition of other ingredients like leafy greens, vegetables, nuts and seeds brings down the Glycemic index of a smoothie. Blending preserves fibre and a smoothie can deliver an extra boost of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients because it often includes fruit skin. Most often people who drink fruit juices use this as beverages and not as meal substitute and hence increasing their overall calorie consumption.

Does smoothie come under the detoxification food item?

The human body has its own organs like the liver, kidney digestive system, and immune system which can defend itself very well against most environmental toxins, injuries, or the effects of the occasional indulgence. These organs do the natural cleansing activity all the time.  What we need to do is to provide healthier habits to keep your body healthy and hence our system works at its optimal level.

There is no solid scientific evidence to suggest any food or supplements which can detoxify our body and improve our overall wellness. A daily smoothie would be a great choice to give the body large supply of micronutrients. It has to be supplemented with other healthful behaviours which help to maximise the overall health.  

Does smoothie help in weight loss?

Weight Loss process is  controlled by multiple factors such a s food composition,  hormonal state, other lifestyle factors which includes your sleep, physical activity and stress. There is no science in those quick fixes such as weight loss smoothie.

Weight loss majorly depends on how much calorie you consume or how much you burn. Foods that provide the highest satiety for the fewest calories will help to lose weight. Smoothie used as a meal replacement with adequate nutrition and lower in calories should be part of a healthy eating plan to lose weight. If you are having smoothies as a healthy breakfast option and maintain the calorie limit, this will have the additional advantage of keeping you fuller for longer. When trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight, smoothies could be used as a meal replacement, not an addition.

If smoothie is used as a liquid replacement, you should be vigilant as liquid calories, no matter their source, will not curb your appetite as well as solid foods do. Consistently, studies have found that calories in liquid form have less satiety (curb hunger) than calories in solid form. Satiety is also a measure of how long you stay full after eating. 

Does smoothie boost our immune system

The idea of boosting immunity through supplements or other means has been there for a long time, but there are no proven scientific links between these claims and improved immune function. Your body’s immune system serves as a defence mechanism that protects you from infections and diseases by attacking and destroying germs, viruses, bacteria, and parasites. The immune system does not work as a single entity, rather it’s interconnected. Every part of our body, including our immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and supported by healthy-living strategies. Researchers are exploring the effects of diet, exercise, age, psychological stress, and other factors on the immune response.

It is no secret that in our modern daily life, we are not consuming the suggested daily intake of fruits and vegetables. However, by blending yourself a cup of smoothie made up of fruits, vegetables, and superfoods, you would easily be able to get your daily need of nutrient-dense foods. As a result, you can increase your vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant intake to strengthen your immune system.

Regular Bowel Movements: A smoothie consumed as meal replacement for breakfast can give you ? of your recommended daily allowance of fibre. This in turn helps in regular bowel movements. Some people may develop bloating if you drink them too fast. Try to use a spoon to have your smoothies in such cases. Also it’s recommended that you eat your smoothies slowly so that digestion becomes easier too. 

Hydration: you can make smoothies count even more for your water intake by starting the day with base as tender coconut water or plant milk or  water. This ensured adequate hydration

Foods Are Digested Better in Liquid Form

Consuming fruits and vegetables in liquid form makes it easier for your body to break down nutrients and digest them.

Smoothies and cold-pressed juices may provide healthy snacks and an efficient way to get vegetables. But be sure to include the calories they provide in your daily calorie allowance.

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