Smoothies with Vegetables
Smoothies are a great way to get all the nutrients you need and they can easily be tailored to suit your individual tastes and dietary requirements. The most popular ingredients are fruit, oats, yogurt and milk or plant-based milks but did you know you can also add vegetables to give your smoothies an extra nutritional boost?
Vegetables Suitable for Smoothies
There are several vegetables that can be added to smoothies for a nutritious boost. Here are some of the best:
- Leafy greens – These include kale, spinach, lettuce, celery and chard. These vegetables are packed full of vitamins and minerals and they add a delicious, refreshing taste to smoothies.
- Carrots – Carrots are a great source of beta-carotene which the body turns into vitamin A, plus they provide a sweet, earthy flavour that goes well with many fruits and other smoothie ingredients.
- Cucumber – Cucumbers add a light and refreshing flavour and they are packed full of essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin B, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C.
- Beets – Beets are a great choice for smoothies as they have a distinct sweet flavour and they are also high in fibre and essential vitamins.
- Avocado – Avocado is considered a superfood because of its high vitamin, mineral and healthy fat content. It’s also creamy and rich which makes it an excellent addition to smoothies.
Tips for Making Delicious Vegetable Smoothies
When adding vegetables to smoothies, be sure to choose ones that you actually like the taste of as this will make them easier to drink. You should also start off by adding a small amount of vegetable and then slowly increase the amount as you get used to it.
For the best results, combine vegetables with fruits so that the flavour of the vegetables is masked by the sweetness of the fruit. You can also add spices like cinnamon, ginger or turmeric to improve the flavour of the smoothie and boost its nutritional content.
Conclusion
Adding vegetables to your smoothies is an easy way to get more essential vitamins, minerals and fibre in your diet. Choose vegetables that you like the taste of and combine them with fruits for best results. With some experimentation you can come up with your own unique smoothie recipes that you can enjoy every day.
