Alison Crane
Family and Consumer Sciences agent
Garland County Extension Service
Every generation seems to rediscover smoothies and put their own spin on the nutritional value and flavors blended into the popular drink. For lactose-intolerant people, a smoothie can be a great substitute for a milkshake. Smoothies offer a lot of nutrition and can be an easy and tasty way to include more fruits and vegetables in your family's diet.
The first electric blender was developed in 1922 and was used to make milkshakes and malts at soda fountain shops. By 1932, a patent was issued for a machine that could reduce fruits and vegetables to liquid. Then in 1937, an inventor released the "Miracle Mixer" after fixing some of the engineering issues and shortly after, the "Waring Blendor" was being sold for the amazing price of $29.75 (about $654 today). In the early 2000s, "green" smoothies became popular with the addition of raw, leafy vegetables. Basically, smoothies have been around in recipes and trademarks for as long as the blender has.
According to the USDA, boys and girls ages 9-18 need to eat four to six cups of fruits and vegetables each day. With busy schedules and sometimes very picky palates, making sure your family consumes enough healthy options can be challenging. Smoothies can be an easy way to sneak in extra fruits and vegetables without all of the fuss. Allowing your child to experiment by creating their own "recipe" can encourage them to try new foods and flavors.
While just about every food blogger has their own take on the best smoothie recipe, using what you have available at the time will make it more likely that you will make smoothies on a regular basis. To make your own smoothies follow this basic formula:
2-3 parts fruits or vegetables (2-3 cups)
1-1 ½ parts liquid (1-1 ½ cups)
½ part yogurt or thickener (½ cup)
When it comes to the fruits and vegetables to use, there really is not a limit to what you can try. For a creamier texture try bananas, peaches, avocados, pears, mangos, coconut, or figs. Even dried fruits can be used in smoothies, but you need to keep in mind that dried fruits are more concentrated in flavor and also might require a more powerful blender or be reconstituted before adding them to your smoothie. Add green leafy vegetables to your smoothie and pair them with fruits to mask the strong taste.
Vegetables in smoothies are a great way to add vitamins and minerals as well as fiber. Some vegetables can be added raw or cooked but starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes or pumpkin will work better cooked. Hard vegetables like turnips may need to be grated first.
The liquids used in smoothies are an important starting point because they help the blender to run smoothly. Water, milk, nondairy milks, juices, teas and other drinks can be used. Keep in mind that some drinks like club soda or juices will add more calories to your smoothie. Using low-fat milk is a great way to include dairy with lower fat and calories.
Thickeners give the smoothie a creamy texture and add body. Typically, yogurt is used but peanut butter and oatmeal can also be used. Yogurt can be sweetened or unsweetened, regular, Greek, or even a soy yogurt.
Smoothies are not limited to these three basic ingredients. There are many ways to flavor your smoothie or increase the nutrients. National Smoothie Day is right around the corner on June 21st. Why not celebrate the first day of summer by having a smoothie and challenging your family to see who can create the healthiest and best tasting smoothie?
Contact the Garland County Extension Service for our Smoothies = Fun handout for more information and ideas on making smoothies part of your family's summer fun. Call 501-623-6841 or email [email protected].
Alison Crane is a Family and Consumer Science Agent with the Garland County Extension Service. The