3 Tips for Making a Well-Rounded Smoothie
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Nothing beats a cold refreshing smoothie when it’s hot outside. If you’re on your food freedom journey, you may associate smoothies with wellness culture, but just because diet culture co-opts a food and uses it as a weight loss tool, doesn’t mean it’s inherently “diet-y”.
Smoothies are one of these foods that yes, you can still enjoy while practicing intuitive eating. What matters most is your intention behind having the smoothie and ensuring that it has enough nutrition to fuel your needs.
Smoothies can even be a way of connecting with our culture. In much of Latin America, smoothies or jugos are super common beverages made with fresh fruit. You can carry that tradition forward and make a delicious snack or hearty breakfast depending on what ingredients you use.
In this article, learn three tips for making a well-rounded summer smoothie to keep you refreshed and nourished.
1. Consider how long it needs to hold you over
What and how much you eat impacts how long you’ll be held over.
Sometimes, smoothies only include fruit and water, which probably won’t hold you over for very long. If you’re just looking for a refreshing snack, that might do the trick, but if you’re looking for a smoothie to serve as breakfast, then you’ll want to be intentional about incorporating more food groups to keep you satisfied for longer.
2. Add protein and fat
One of the best ways to make your smoothie more well-rounded to hold you over for longer is by adding protein and fat.
Fruit is full fiber, carbs, vitamins, and minerals, but it doesn’t have enough calories to sustain your energy levels for very long. Especially if you need to be held over for at least a couple hours, you’ll want to be sure to include sources of protein and fat in your smoothie.
These food groups give us more sustainable energy, so adding them to the carbohydrate base of fruits is key for satisfaction.
Some examples of what you can add to smoothies to incorporate protein and fat are nut butters, nuts, cow’s milk, soy milk, chia or flax seeds, kefir, yogurt, or coconut.
3. Use frozen fruits and veggies
We often see photos online of beautiful spreads of fresh fruits and veggies, leading us to believe fresh produce is the best. In reality, frozen fruits and veggies are just as nutritious as fresh produce, while often being less expensive and having a much longer shelf life.
Having frozen fruits and veggies on hand makes smoothies a more accessible option and helps us get in these food groups full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Overall, smoothies can be a nutrition-packed summer go-to while practicing intuitive eating. When preparing a smoothie, be mindful of whether you’re finding yourself associating smoothies with restriction, and be sure to incorporate a wide range of food groups to keep you energized.
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, check out our nutrition library.
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