Smoothie

Nowadays Smoothies seem to be common. But what exactly is a Smoothie? Where did it come from and why did it become fashion? What are the health benefits and it is really worth to consume or just a random marketing strategy of the big food companies?

A Smoothie is a thick beverage made from blended raw fruit or vegetables with other ingredients such as water, milk (or dairy-free milk substitutes) and/or ice. Smoothies include dietary fiber (e.g. pulp, often also skin and seeds) and are thicker than fruit juice, with a consistency similar to a milkshake. The fiber makes Smoothies more healthful than fruit juice alone. Smoothies particularly green Smoothies (which include leafy vegetables) are often marketed to health-conscious people. Green Smoothies consist of typically 40-50% green vegetables – usually raw leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, celery, parsley or broccoli – the rest being mostly or entirely fruit.

The term “smoothie” has been around since the early 20th century, but it wasn’t until 1930 that it was used to describe a drink. Early smoothies were simply fruit, fruit juice and ice, and they were an obscure concept in the United States until the natural food craze of the ’60s and ’70s. During these decades, health food stores popped up around the country, and these stores often made and sold blended fruit drinks.

Here are some of the health benefits: Get you daily allowance of fruits and vegetables, easier weight loss, improved digestion, detoxifying, build muscles and improve athletic performance, good for skin, hair and nails, strengthen your immune system, more energy, brain boost …

As a result Smoothies are definitely worth to consume and they are an intelligent solution for people who are having trouble eating raw whole fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds. People with bad digestion do profit from smoothies as well since the ingredients are already shredded. Kids love Smoothies as well since they are rich on fructose – the natural sweetener of fruits.