Packed full of nutritional goodness and known to help prevent dehydration, aid digestion and enhance immunity, smoothies are a wellness wonder. One of the best things about smoothies is that they can be created from a variety of fruit found in your fruit bowl and are simple to make.
With countless recipes at your fingertips online it can be difficult to know where to start; so, we thought we would share with you our favourites. Here are 5 smoothie recipes to help you get inspired.
Method
To create these fresh smoothies put all the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.
1. Smoothie to start your day:
Start your day with this BBC Good Food breakfast smoothie packed full of natural sweetness and slow-releasing fuel.
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 1 tbsp porridge oats
- 80g soft fruit (whatever you have – strawberries, blueberries, and mango all work well)
- 150ml milk
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Did you know? Oats have a high beta-glucan content which has made health benefits including lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and helps maintain a healthy gut.
2. Refreshing smoothie of the season
Enjoy the taste of spring with this refreshing berry smoothie from Which?
Ingredients
- 100g blackberries
- 100g raspberries
- 100g blueberries
- 1 banana
- 100ml natural yoghurt
- 100ml milk
- Dash of maple syrup to sweeten if needed
3. Smoothie ahead of exercise
High in natural fats and sugar, this BBC Good Food super shake smoothie is perfect if you need some fuel ahead of your daily exercise.
Ingredients
- 100ml full-fat milk
- 2 tbsp natural yogurt
- 1 banana
- 150g frozen fruits of the forest
- 50g blueberries
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp goji berries
- 1 tsp mixed seeds
- 1 tsp honey
4. Immune-boosting smoothie
Rich in vitamin A and C, this smoothie helps boost your immunity. The added ginger is great for circulation and is known to act as an antiseptic.
Ingredients
- 2 small raw beetroots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 small apple peeled, quartered and cored
- 50g blueberries
- 1 tbsp ginger (grated)
- 300ml water
For more information about immune-boosting foods visit our blog.
5. Bedtime smoothie
Combining milk and bananas gives you melatonin, serotonin and tryptophan which are known to aid with sleep. The peanut butter adds sweetness.
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 2 cups of ice cubes