Healthier smoothies

There’s been a lot of talk lately about smoothies being packed full of sugar, so I’ve brought you a few top tips to lower the fructose and up the goodness, while still making a delicious smoothie! Start enjoying healthier smoothies today!

1. Pick your fruit
For smoothies unlike juices, you always need a little sweetness to make the drink as delicious as it is nutritious. Picking the right fruits is the most important element in keeping the sugar content down, think fruits with a lower GI,  (55 and lower) which means the food is digested slowly and produces only gradual changes in blood sugar.  These fruits include: apples, pears, berries, cherries, lemons, limes and apricots. Higher GI fruits such as mangoes, pineapple and banana are still really good for you, but as the sugar content is slightly higher be sure to add more protein to the smoothie, to even it out.

2. Add greens
Adding fibre-rich, nutrient-packed greens is really key for a nutritionally powerful smoothie. The fibre also helps to slow down the rate at which the sugar from the fruit is absorbed into your bloodstream, making you fuller and energised for longer. I love adding a handful of kale, spinach and sometimes some cucumber, romaine lettuce and celery.

3. Add a protein
Another important element to your smoothie is the protein. This can come from a handful of nuts, seeds, nut butters or a plant-based protein powder such as brown rice protein or hemp. I often enjoy a combination of almond butter and brown rice protein or a handful of cashews and a scoop of hemp protein powder. The protein, like fibre, is absorbed slowly by the body making the rate at which the sugar reaches your body slower, keeping you focused and energised for longer.

4. Pick your milk
With so many of us going dairy free, and opting for the healthier milk choices such as brown rice milk, and almond milk, we often forget that just because it’s labelled as diary free, not every brand is actually good for us. When you pick a dairy free milk or any liquid base for your smoothie make sure there is no added sugar or additives. My favourite brands are Rude Health and Oatly. I also love switching this up for coconut water, which is full of electrolytes so perfect post workout to rehydrate.

5. Add superfoods
To control the sugar levels, but up the goodness add a superfood powder to your smoothie. Spirulina, Chlorella, Wheatgrass, Acai, Baobab and Maca are my favourites and each have unique properties to support a healthy lifestyle. My favourite brands include Organic Burst and Aduna World.

Try this delicious low-sugar smoothie to get your fix.