What to put in smoothies to make it healthy and taste great

We make smoothies regularly at our house. Soleil sees the blender and immediately says, “smmmmoooothie!” When we make smoothies in our house we usually sing the smoothie song and do a smoothie dance. I have some picky eaters at the daycare, but they never disagree to having a scrumptious smoothie. Here are some excellent things to include in your smoothies to make them extra scrumptious;

Ingredient	Why it is beneficial	Storage
Flax	Protein, fiber, magnesium alpha linolenic (see my blog titled, “Why favour Flax”)	Freezer
Flax oil	Protein, fiber, magnesium alpha linolenic (see my blog titled, “Why favour Flax”)	Fridge
Gingerroot	It is great for digestion	In the freezer to maintain longevity of freshness.
Chocolate mint	**Vitamins A and C. B2, manganese, copper, iron, potassium and calcium, digestion and flavouring	I love planting this herb in the spring as it is hardy and has a lovely fragrance. I freeze whatever I cultivate.
Cinnamon	*Lowers blood sugar, prevents blood clots, boost brain activity, improve concentration	Spice rack
Hempseed	High in Omegas, complete Omino acid	Pantry
Acidophilus/probiotic	Great for digestion, constipation	Fridge
Aloe vera gel liquid	Great for digestion/constipation	Pantry
Prune juice	Great for digestion/constipation	Fridge
Liquid Calcium/Magnesium/Vit D		Fridge
Spirilina	***Antioxidant, boost immune system, improve digestion, reduce fatigue, detoxifier , boost energy levels, healthy cardiovascular function, supports liver and kidneys	Powder in the cupboard
Broccoli	*chromium (mineral required for insulin), fibre, vit C, cancer fighting, calcium	I just cut and add the florets
Spinach	*Decrease chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, great antioxidants, added fibre, vit C, calcium	I cut up the spinach into tiny pieces first
Mixed berries from Costco (blueberries, blackberries, and rasperries)	These are the best antioxidant, sugars, fibre, fruits	Freezer
Acai liquid concentrate	Energy, cardiovascular/immune system, and antioxidants	Fridge
Bananas, strawberries, melons, pineapple, apples, plums etc…	Vit C, sweetener, flavouring	When we have extra fruit and we know we won’t eat it before it goes bad we put it in the freezer specifically for smoothies
Yogurt/Milk , Vanilla	Creamier texture, added probiotics, additional sweetener, flavouring	Fridge, cupboard
Filtered water/ a variety of fruit juices	Flavouring	Fridge
Agauve nectar	Healthier alternative sweetener	Cupboard

*Information found in Magic Foods for Better Blood Sugar –Reader’s Digest

**Information found at http://www.helpwithcooking.com/herb-guide/mint.html

*** Information found at http://www.powersupplements.com/spirulina/spirulina-benefits.html

For the best nutrient value, use ingredients that are the freshest. Select those ingredients that are locally grown or that have travelled the least distance as certain vitamins and nutrients in food degrade over time. They are also more environmentally friendly. Using organic foods gives you more nutrients as they are not grown in soils stripped from chemicals. Cost effective smoothies can be made by purchasing discounted fruits/vegetables, cutting and freezing them right away.

We have used a few different types of blenders, but they didn’t seem to last more than a year of smoothie making. The Oster (Apx $100), with a 1000 watt all metal drive, has been fantastic so far! The blades reverse, saving the cutting life, the mixing power is great, the size of the blender is perfect, and the base is solid. However, the pouring spout could be improved.

I hope you have some fun smoothie making of your own AND always make sure to do the smmmmmmoooooothie song and dance before drinking one! It just tastes better when you do!