How To Make Healthy Smoothies According To A Nutritionist

I’m a big smoothie fan, especially during the summer when I want something a bit lighter and cooling to start my day. I recently attended a John Lewis #mywellbeing event with Harley Street Nutritionist Hayley Pedrick, who gave us her tips on how to make the healthy smoothies. Over to Hayley:

“When you drink your fruit and veggies, the body absorbs up to four times more nutrients and digests them up to twenty times faster. It’s essentially “mainlining” vitamins minerals and enzymes and the health benefits are therefore rapid and profound.

It also allows you to experiment with vegetables you wouldn’t normally eat, such as fennel which adds liquorice flavour. This “primes the palate” and with familiarity you’re more likely to start including these new foods in other meals. Most people need to experience a new food around 10 times before they develop a liking for it.

Smoothies also count towards your water intake which is helpful in staying well hydrated. Just a 2% drop in hydration status affects both mental and physical performance.

Optimal ratios are two thirds vegetables to one third fruit. Fruits are included for their nutritive qualities and to make the drinks palatable but the quantity is restricted to reduce the amount of fructose you’re taking in.

How To Make Healthy Smoothies According To A Nutritionist      How To Make Healthy Smoothies According To A Nutritionist

How to drink:

Straight away or within 24hrs. There is a concern that when a juice is stored more than 24hrs methanol levels will rise. This can create problems if converted to formaldehyde, which is toxic to the brain. Methanol in fresh produce is bound to pectin and so doesn’t normally create a problem for the body but blending destabilises this bond. The effect is exacerbated in juicing which extracts the pulp (fibre containing pectin).

If you can’t drink immediately it is best to vacuum seal or fill the storage container right to the top to minimise air exposure and refrigerate immediately. This reduces the oxidation of the juice.”

Thanks you Hayley!

I love the fact that I’m able to cram in some veggies into my smoothies. If you’re struggling to eat your 9-a-day, one way to ease it in is to blend it in a smoothie, like Hayley recommends. You can have a look at John Lewis’ blenders and juicers here – my go-to is the Nutribullet, as it’s just so convenient and easy to clean.

HAYLEY’S GET YOUR GAME ON GREEN SMOOTHIE

(Serving size: 1 glass)

Protein rich fruit and vegetable smoothies provide an easily bioavailable source of performance enhancing nutrients: protein, electrolytes, B vitamins for energy and magnesium to support energy production in the mitochondria. The leafy greens and spirulina are also great alkalising agents which sets you up for shorter recovery periods before you’ve even left the starting blocks. The inclusion of maca powder further supports adrenal function, helping you handle the pressure of the race.

GET YOUR GAME ON GREEN SMOOTHIE
 
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
  • 300ml coconut water
  • 1 1⁄2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into chunks 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 scoop whey protein powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon
  • Manuka honey to taste
  • 1 tsp maca powder (optional)
  • 1 scoop spirulina powder (optional)
Instructions
  1. Blend together and serve in a tall glass
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