Smoothies are the new age health food.

The easiest way to gulp down fruits & vegetables which one does not

like. Smoothies are a dieter’s delight as it’s a comfortable way to reduce calorie intake and at the same time one

does not feel starved or hungry. It is a lifestyle choice for the health conscious people worldwide. Though there

are a lot of health benefits of drinking smoothies there are some dos and don’ts, we need to keep in mind before

blending our next glass .

1. Keep the recipe simple-mixing more than two fruits or vegetables could be a nutritional disaster. Some

fruits are alkaline where as some are acidic. Both need separate enzymes for their digestion and

assimilation. Eating complicated meals only slows down the process of digestion and hinders the full

utilization of nutrients.

2. Skip Milk- According to ayurveda (ancient Indian science) milk should not be mixed with any other fruit

or vegetable as it could lead to skin allergies. The fruit in milk smoothie gets digested much before the

milk , whereas curd and fruits get assimilated simultaneously.

3. Sip it slowly- have you ever felt bloated and heavy after gulping down your health smoothie? Saliva the

first and the most important enzyme is the key to start the process of digestion. If you sip your drink

slowly it mixes with saliva which instigates the stomach juices to be secreted.It is best to semi blend

your smoothie so that you chew the chunks left unblended.

4. Avoid the leafy greens- sipping on to spinach or kale smoothies could be very taxing on our digestive

tract as these leafy vegetables are a little difficult to digest. Vitamin A present in these leafy vegetables

are left unabsorbed due to absence of fats. Therefore gulping down these tasteless drinks is worthless.

5. Refrain from ice smoothies-drinking chilled smoothies could irritate the tonsils leading to a sour throat

and cough. On the other hand cold drinks lower the temperature of the stomach which hinders the

digestion process.

6. Plan your smoothies in between the meals- avoid drinking smoothies along with meals. Raw fruits or

vegetables should not be combined with proteins present in our main meals.

7. Duck the sour berries- using very sour berries or fruits in smoothies, provokes you to add sweeteners to

improve the taste of your drink. This results in a higher calorie intake.

8. Shun raw goiterogenic vegetables- if you are suffering from thyroid avoid mixing raw goiterogenic

vegetables like Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, and Mustard greens in your drink as

they inhibit the absorption of the thyroid medicine.

9. Check the hygiene- ensure the source of healthy greens like wheat grass or spirulina powder often used

in smoothies. Though they are rich in nutrients and antioxidants if not handled hygienically then can

cause fatal intestinal infections.

Smoothies or health drinks are the best portable, convenient and healthy snack for weight loss,

especially for those who often skip meals due to a very busy schedule. Mindless following of

smoothie recipes which suits the taste buds does not necessarily be healthy. These simple tips will

help to make your drink healthier.