⁠A smoothie can be a wonderful, nutrient-dense meal replacement.

While smoothies have become popular, they are more often than not, made incorrectly which will leave you with a  sugar-loaded beverage which won’t be doing you any good and will end up leaving you hangry and unsatisfied. 

If you want to find out more about how to build the perfect smoothie, follow my template here but always keep these tips in mind when building your own smoothie.

• Fat has little to no effect on blood sugar (this is a good thing!). When eaten with protein and carbs, fat slows down the absorption of these foods, which helps to avoid energy crashes caused by spikes in blood sugar. Fat keeps you satisfied for longer, so you can avoid the post-smoothie hanger.
• Protein works along with fat for satiation and keeps blood sugar steady. Protein is also important to maintaining muscle mass.
• Fiber, like fat, slows down the process of sugar absorption. Fiber also promotes a healthy gut microbiome, and supports detoxification.
• Leafy greens, plants, veggies, and herbs are all great at adding more fiber, vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, and antioxidants.  Remember to mix things up to change up the nutrients you are getting.
• Fresh & Frozen fruits are added for flavor and sweetness along with additional fiber, vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, and antioxidants.  Remember less is more. We want to avoid blood sugar spikes.
• Toppings require chewing, and chewing is a good thing when it comes to digestion.  Chewing releases salivary enzymes that initiate digestion. Chewing also sends signals to the rest of the digestive system to release digestive enzymes, stomach acid, and other chemical reactions needed to properly break down food and maximize nutrient absorption.

Here is the recipe for one of my FAVORITE smoothies that I have on the regular.  Use this or get creative using my build a smoothie template.