The Smoothie Builder

Hey all you smoothie fans! Need to know how to take your smoothie to the extreme? Whether you make a smoothie for breakfast or have one as a snack, its not about the size of the smoothie, its what is in it that counts! Here are some of tips to get the most out of your liquid meal.

Basics:
Every smoothie needs to start with a base.  Your base should include your fruits or veggies, whether they be juiced or whole.
Try- Bananas, Berries (organic please), Apples/Pears (either whole or juiced), Dark leafy greens ( I always use whole dark leafy greens in every smoothie, favorites are spinach or kale), Carrots (juiced), citrus fruits (freshly squeezed lemons, limes, oranges or grapefruits), beets (juiced)
Remember that your basics are just the start of your smoothie and contain all carbs, vitamins and minerals.  When using these you dont want to have more then a cup and try to not use all fruits because of their sugar content. A good mix is half fruit with half veggies.

Fillers:
After selecting your basics you now need some fillers to fatten your smoothie up! The more fillers you add the longer the smoothie will satisfy you.

Carbs- Add some extra carbs to your smoothie, this is good for any pre or post workout to refuel your muscles.  Keeping in mind that all your basics are pure carbs you only want to start to add extra when replacing a meal or when exercising.
-Sweet potato (a baked sweet potato can blend nicely into any smoothie especially chocolate ones)
-Oats ( don't need to cook them just add them dry)
-Powders (there are some pre or post workout or meal replacement powders you can buy that are usually mainly carbs)

Fats-  Adding fats to your smoothie will delay stomach emptying time and your smoothie will keep you full for a longer period of time.  Please don't use fats if you are making a pre or post work out smoothie though.
-My favorites to add are either a tbsp of coconut oil or some avocado (about 1/4)

Fiber- Fiber needs to be an important part of your diet, in this case though it will be used to delay stomach emptying time and help to slow the release of any sugars into your blood stream.  If you used whole fruits and veggies then there will already be fiber in it but it never hurts to add a little extra.
-My go to is ground flax (1 tbsp), but you can use chia seeds, just remember that they will add a gelatinous texture.

Protein- Protein is important depending on what the smoothie is used for.  If it is for a post workout or breakfast then most definitely add protein, but if it is just for a snack, the protein is optional. 
-When adding protein I always go for a protein powder. 

Extras:  Your smoothie can always be taken to the max by adding some extra body boosting ingredients such as antioxidant powders/supplement, vitamin and minerals (either in liquid or powder form), or even flavors like cacao powder.

So now that you have become a smoothie expert feel free to go out and try mixing different things together.  You will eventually find some favourites! And if you do, please feel free to share! Happy Smoothie Making!