The best way to start your day is by taking a healthy smoothie. Among the ingredients in the smoothie includes raw fruits and vegetables. With the right ingredients, a smoothie can help you lose weight and also increase your dietary intake. If you usually crave junk food, smoothie leaves you satisfied for long hence reduce your craving. Are you interested in losing weight? If you use high calories ingredients, you are likely to add weight. Unfortunately, you can rarely get ingredients that lack calories. To be on the safe side, use low-calories ingredients. Have you ever used the right ingredients only to end up with a runny and watery smoothie? This article will guide you on how you can make your runny smoothie thicker using low calories ingredients. Here is the creamy breakfast recipe.
10 Tips to Make Your Smoothie Creamier
Use less Fluid
If you are checking on your diet, avoid fluids that contain high calories. Instead, you can use water, rice milk, and coconut water/milk with no sugar added. Depending on your recipe, you can also consider green tea or unflavored, unsweetened almond milk.
To get a creamy smoothie, use less fluid than what your recipe indicates. In case the smoothie gets too thick, you can always add more fluid.
Use Frozen Fruits And Veggies
Instead of using ice that melts and makes the smoothie watery, use frozen fruits to thicken your smoothie. You require low calories fruits. Note that, avocados and bananas are an excellent option to help you thicken your smoothie. Unfortunately, these are not the best option when trying to lose weight.
Watermelon is watery thus may make your smoothie runny. You can decide to buy fresh fruits and veggies from the market. Freeze them for 24 hours before using them. If you are in a hurry, consider buying frozen fruits from the supermarket.
Add Chia Seed
Chia seeds are among the healthiest foods since they contain a massive amount of nutrients and have low calories. It’s an excellent option to help you lose weight since it contains high fiber and protein that helps to reduce your appetite.
You can easily blend them using a high-quality blender. If you lack a good one, soak them for 20 minutes. Once they turn gel-like, blend them. One or two spoons are enough to make your smoothie thicker. Take it within 30 minutes since it gets thicker with time, and drinking it will not be easy if it overstays.
Choose Fruits With Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber is essential for your heart health since it reduces your blood pressure, inflammation, and bad cholesterol. It reduces the risk of diabetes and appetite. When soluble fiber dissolves in water, it becomes a sticky substance. That’s why it an excellent smoothie thickening ingredient. Among the fruits to consider includes oranges, apples, and pears.
Choose The Proper Blender
You can’t make an excellent creamy smoothie with poorly blended ingredients. Again, you should not use a food processor when making your smoothie. You require a high-quality blender that will blend your fruits and veggies well.
You can consider a traditional countertop blender made of glass since it’s heavy and stable. It retains no odor or flavor and does not stain. As you blend, you can easily watch how your smoothie looks like. If it becomes too thick, you can add some fluids. Other blenders to consider are Ninja blenders and also Vitamix blenders.
Add Gelatin
Manufacturers make this dried powder from animal parts such as skin, bones, and tissue. It’s rich in protein and contains numerous health benefits. Among them includes treating bones and joints problems. It also improves your mental health, sleep, hair, and skin appearance. It has low calories and helps you lose weight. A little scope of gelatin makes your smoothie thicker. It is colorless and tasteless; thus, don’t interfere with your smoothies taste or color.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed is a super food due to its health-protective properties. It’s loaded with nutrients such as omega-3 fats, protein, fiber, and lignans. Among its health benefits includes reducing cancer risk and improves your cholesterol.
Flax seeds contain low fiber content. A tablespoon of flaxseed is enough to make your smoothie creamy. Start by soaking the seed in water for 20 minutes, and once they form a gel-like, blend. Not many blenders can blend the flaxseed properly. So, consider buying ground flaxseed.
Add Xanthan Gum
Another low-calories ingredient to consider is the Xanthan gum. It originates when sugar is fermented by a type of bacteria known called Xanthomonas campestris. It’s loaded with nutrients, and it’s gluten-free and vegan. With just one tablespoon of Xanthan gum, your smoothie will thicken.
Sweet Potatoes/Pumpkin Purees
Sweet potatoes and pumpkins contain many nutrients and medicinal benefits. Their creamy and soft texture makes them great ingredients for thickening your smoothie. They give your smoothie a sweet taste with no excess sugars. They have low-calories.
You can either use frozen or fresh puree. You can buy it or even make it on your own. The problem with the puree from the supermarket is that they contain preservatives that are not healthy.
Add Keifer
It’s fermented milk that is sour, just like yogurt. The only difference is that its consistency is much thinner, and it’s considered healthier. It’s loaded with numerous nutrients and health benefits. A little Keifer will make your smoothie thicker. Avoid leaving your smoothie overnight. It will become sour, thus interfering with its taste.
Conclusion
No need to take runny and watery smoothies anymore. You can make it thicker and better with the right ingredients. Smoothie has many health benefits. For those who want to lose weight, you can consider adding ingredients with low-calories. It’s vice versa to those who want to increase. Not all types of blenders can make a tasty smoothie. Go for a quality blender with good blades. Some of the low- calories ingredients that can help you to increase the thickness include; Flax seeds, Keifer, pumpkin/sweet potatoes puree, Xanthan gum, adding fewer fluids, frozen fruits, and veggies, and those that have soluble fiber.
John DiBella is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, a cooking enthuthiast and a writer. When he’s not writing blogs about home kitchenware, he enjoys hiking, camping, sailing and cooking.