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5 Ingredients to Give Your Smoothie a Health Boost

Heather Dale — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:51:09 PST

Gone are the days of taking a few basic ingredients and throwing them into a blender. Bananas, strawberries, and yogurt? So last year. Now that you've discovered the wonderful world of kale, chia seeds, and spinach, it's time to expand your smoothie-making skills even more. The following five food items are guaranteed to increase the nutrient (and flavor) quotient of your smoothies.

Avocado: Besides the nutrient content, avocados help add a creamy, smooth texture to smoothies. If you are not an avocado fan, add only one-half of an avocado to a smoothie - you'll barely taste it (yet still reap all the health benefits). Here's a basil avocado smoothie recipe to help get you started.

Here are more nutritious ingredients to add to your shakes.

From Chalky to Appetizing: Making a Good Powdered Smoothie

Michele Foley — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:31:06 PDT

Powder-based smoothies are so convenient: add water, shake, and you're done. The problem is that these types of smoothies leave a lot to be desired in terms of taste - they're often chalky, tasteless, or, at worst, off-putting to the palate. To make these nutrient-rich smoothie powders more appetizing, try adding one - or a few! - of these mix-ins to your next smoothie.

Fruit: Fresh or frozen fruit is a great way to brighten the flavor profile - and nutrient makeup - of a smoothie. This couldn't be more true of smoothies made from green powders; they may be phytonutrient-rich, but they often lack sweetness, which is something a healthy dose of mango, apple, or berries can help solve.
Nut butters: Nut butters help add fat and protein to powder-based smoothies, and in addition to adding flavor, nut butters make a good thickening agent. Suddenly a thin and runny smoothie is thick, rich, and creamy!
Milk: Whether you choose dairy or non-dairy, milk and all its varieties are good mix-ins for smoothies made from protein powders. Add a creamy dose of calcium and protein by using milk in place of water when mixing your next smoothie. Milk also helps to lessen the chalky taste that is common in powder smoothies.

See more smoothie mix-in ideas after the break!

A Healthy Smoothie Recipe For Every Meal of the Day

Michele Foley — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:07:20 PDT

Whether it's for breakfast, dessert, or a post-workout snack, there's never a bad time to enjoy a smoothie. While a smoothie may seem overly complicated to make, it's not. Grab your ingredients, throw them in a blender, and go. What's so great is that the ingredient possibilities for shakes and smoothies are endless. Keep reading to see which healthy smoothies we're blending up!

The Perfect To-Go Cups For Smoothies and Shakes

Heather Dale — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 04:22:29 PDT

Perfect for trips to the gym, reusable water bottles help reduce the amount of plastic bottles that end up in landfills, while also reducing exposure to BPA that is commonly found in plastics. But what do we do about our protein shakes and smoothies that often get made in a hurry as we're running out the door? The following to-go containers are rough, tough, and exactly what you need when taking a smoothie to the office or even the gym. Keep reading to see which ones made our top five list!

Jillian Michaels Sells Meal Replacement Shake: Cool or Not?

Michele Foley — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:30:11 PDT

Fitness trainer Jillian Michaels is adding a meal replacement shake to her line of diet supplements. Called the Jillian Michaels Ultimate Shake, it's the trainer's first drink and will come in two flavors: French vanilla and Dutch chocolate. In a press release, Jillian describes the shakes as "high in protein, low in calories, rich in B6, B12, antioxidants, and fiber, contain no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners, and best of all, they're absolutely delicious!" They clock in at 180 calories.

While I don't mind a shake as a midday pick-me-up, I need a little more than 180 calories for a meal. Besides, I've never been a huge fan of liquid diets; I like getting my nutrients from fruits, veggies, and whole grains.

What do you think of the Jillian Michaels Ultimate Shake - smooth move or down the drain?

Photo courtesy of NBC

Slim Fast Wedding Cake Topper Ads: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 03:47:21 PDT

Losing weight before a wedding is a big deal for a lot of brides. And judging from these ads, it's something that Slim Fast knows well. With a tagline that reads,"Need to lose a little weight before your wedding?" the three different ads show a cake topper where the bride is in an uncompromising position. In one she's gotten so heavy she's fallen through the cake, and in another we see that she's ripped the backside of her dress. While none of these situations are funny IRL, something about using cake toppers gives it a bit of humor. What do you think . . .

View 2 Photos ›

New brides, pay attention! We'll be bringing you tips on how to prepare your body for the big day, but we want to hear what you've been doing to stay in shape too. Head over to the FitSugar Community and post your wedding workout tips, or, if you're already hitched, how did you get healthy for your big day?

In Praise of McDonald's Shamrock Shakes

YumSugar — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:00:01 PDT

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope you've found a special way to celebrate, whether it's wearing green, downing corned beef, or plotting your nighttime revelry. Me? I'm ringing in March 17 with a Shamrock Shake. We took an office trip to the McDonald's across the street to get our fix of the seasonal St. Paddy's Day-themed drink. I'm not always one for festive-colored food, but the creme de menthe-colored drink was the emerald oasis in my daily grind of a desert. It's chilly, but not cold enough for a brain freeze, and as thick as possible without causing a traffic jam in the straw. First, my palate was hit by a blast of mellow mint, followed by a long, lingering vanilla finish. Sham-shakes have only one caveat: they tend to leave an unpleasant sugary coating in the mouth. (That, and the fact that I wish Uncle O'Grimacey were still around.) If they weren't sold but once a year, I doubt they'd achieve the cult status they have today - although they sure make St. Patrick's Day more delicious. How do you feel about Shamrock Shakes?

Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me: Shakes During Delivery

babysugar — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:00:49 PST

There are a lot of things about birth that a mama-to-be doesn't realize until she enters the delivery room. An itchy epidural, relieving the bowels on the table and tearing to name a few.

When my first son was born via c-section, I succumbed to the post-delivery shakes that my friends had told me about. After about an hour, the shakes subsided and I didn't think about them again.

This time around, with a scheduled c-section on the books, I braced myself for some postpartum shaking prior to entering the operating room. My body, however, seemed to have something else in mind. After receiving my spinal block, and laying down on the table, I began to feel cold. I asked them to raise the heat in the room, at which point my husband told me that the room was already very warm. Before long, the shakes set in and try as I might, I could not control them! Whether it was nerves or a side effect of the painkillers, I will never know. But, thanks to a wonderful anesthesiologist, my upper body was covered with an air warming blanket that provided some comfort and heat throughout the surgery. Before long, a baby was in my arms and the shakes were the last thing on my mind.

Did you have the shakes during your delivery?

Bobby Flay Shares Suggestions For Making Supreme Burgers

YumSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:49 PDT

Although he'd just given President Obama a lesson on grilling steaks, Bobby Flay was back on the burger track at his seminar in Aspen, where, like fellow Iron Chef Michael Symon, he had plenty of his own venting to do. "I've never met a vegetarian burger that I like," he declared, as he wowed the crowd with a Cheyenne burger (barbecue sauce, bacon, cheddar, and onion rings), garlic-parsley bistro fries, and a chocolate milkshake. "And I can't stand a cheeseburger that's not fully melted." To right all the world's burger wrongs, Bobby offered plenty of pointers for plating the perfect burger patty. Be burger-equipped for the holiday weekend when you read more

Everyday Nutrition Shakes

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 10:00:00 PST

Dr. Jana Klauer, author of the new book How the Rich Get Thin: Park Avenue's Top Diet Doctor Reveals the Secrets to Losing Weight and Feeling Great has created ready-to-drink Everyday Nutrition shakes.

Everyday Nutrition shakes are supposed to be a tool for weight loss because they contain high quality whey protein and calcium - two proven ingredients for weight loss and with only 180 calories, 20 grams of protein and 400 mg of calcium, the 11 ounce drink packs a powerful punch. One reason why I actually like this product is because the shakes contain omega-3 fatty acids which has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and depression. The shakes are available in rich (no pun intended) cocoa and vanilla bean.

I am also pleased that the shakes do not contain artificial appetite suppressants, which is common in 'diet' shakes. Dr. Klauer's site says, "Everyday Nutrition shakes will supply nutrients your body needs to lose weight safely and efficiently, but they are not designed to replace food entirely." Giving the shakes another bonus point in my book.

Sounds like something you want to try? Buy the shakes from Janeklauermd.com, but buyer beware: These shakes are not your typical protein shake as a pack of 24 will set you back $114.00.

I guess if you live on Park Avenue, $114 is just a drop in the hat.