Smoothies can get a bad rap because they often come loaded with added sugar (in the form of fruit juice, agave, honey, sweetened nut milks, etc.) and in very large portion sizes. A fruit smoothie from a popular juice shop can set you back 600 calories and 125g (!!) of carbohydrate. That’s more than half of the carbohydrate that many people need in a day. When made right, however, a smoothie can be a great source of fruits (and hidden vegetables!) that have zero added sugar.
Making smoothies at home is a great way to ensure that you know exactly what is going into your glass. If making your own isn’t practical for you, some tricks to cut down on the sugar when ordering them out is to ask for unsweetened almond milk, no fruit juice, unsweetened nut butters, and no added sweeteners like agave, honey, or maple syrup. Fruits like berries, bananas, peaches, and mangos are plenty sweet and should be enough to sweeten your smoothie on their own. Also, be conscious of the portion size, especially when your smoothie is a snack not a meal (i personally always drink my smoothies as snacks…I like to eat my meals not drink them :-)).
This spinach blueberry spirulina smoothie has zero added sugars and it is sweet, creamy, delicious, and packed with vitamins and minerals. Spirulina is a blue-green algae supplement that is rich in B vitamins, beta-carotene (precursor for vitamin A), vitamin K, and iron. I don’t use a lot of dietary supplements regularly (aside from probiotics and vitamin D), and I don’t generally recommend using them unless it is under the care of a dietitian or physician, but I like to throw a little spirulina in my smoothies to give myself a boost in vitamins and minerals, and I find it really increases my energy! Happy snacking!
Spinach Blueberry Spirulina Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 packed C spinach
1C frozen blueberries
1 C frozen cauliflower
1/4 of a frozen banana
2 TBSP cashew butter
1 tsp spirulina
Unsweetened cashew or almond milk
Directions:
1. Add all ingredients except cashew milk into blender
2. Add cashew milk and make sure your goods are drenched
3. Blend until smooth and creamy
4. Make yourself a glass, then pour leftovers into a mason jar and store in the fridge for the next day!