5 Healthy and Easy Smoothies Recipes

Filling, nutritious and tasty, there’s nothing that fills your tummy and nourishes your body like a smoothie.

Sadly, its hard to find a smoothie that is low in calories, fats and sugars. These days, many smoothie bars incorporate tons of sugar and artificial flavourings into their drinks. While they may be seemingly healthy, smoothies are packed with loads of sugars and trans-fats. They could actually lead to weight gain and indigestion if they are not drunk in moderation. In fact, some smoothies you find outside might even have more calories than a bag of chips!

Homemade smoothies, on the other hand, are a healthier alternative when you really need something cooling. When you can control the amount of sugar and type of ingredients that go into each blended beverage, you could actually get a hearty post-workout and pre-workout drink to replenish your body and accelerate muscle recovery.

Want to start making your own homemade smoothie? Read on for 5 healthy and easy smoothie recipes now.

1. Banana and Peanut Butter Smoothie

You will need:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender. Once smooth, sprinkle some chia seeds and arrange banana slices on top for a high-fibre smoothie.

This smoothie can be enjoyed before or after a workout.

2. Berry Delight

You will need:

1. ½ cup of fresh strawberries
2. ½ cup of fresh raspberries
3. ½ cup of fresh blueberries
4. ¾ cup of low-fat Greek yogurt
5. ½ cup of unsweetened cow’s milk or soy milk
6. Chopped berries of your choice

Combine all 5 ingredients in a blender. Top it off with some chopped berries.

Quench your thirst and get refreshed with this smoothie on a hot day!

3. Chocolate Lover’s Smoothie

You will need:

1. 1 ripe banana
2. ¼ cup of dark chocolate
3. ¾ cup of low-fat Greek yogurt
4. ½ cup of unsweetened cow’s milk or soy milk
5. Crushed ice cubes
6. Dark chocolate flakes

Blend first 7 ingredients in a smoothie blender. Sprinkle some dark chocolate flakes for an extra kick of cocoa.

Bet you didn’t see this coming – but dark chocolate can actually be healthy when consumed in moderation! Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats. It is also lower in sugars and calories. Make this smoothie on days where you crave milk or white chocolate.

4. Healthy Milo Dinosaur

You will need:

1. 3-in-1 Milo powder
2. ¾ cup of low-fat Greek yogurt
3. ½ cup of unsweetened cow’s milk or soy milk
4. 1 teaspoon of honey
5. Crushed ice cubes

Combine all in a blender and sprinkle some milo powder on top for a healthy milo dinosaur.

Luckily you don’t need to head to any coffee shop to enjoy a milo dinosaur. Best of all, when you make it at home, you can reduce the amount of sugar and calories!

Tip: if you really want to reduce your sugar intake, omit the honey.

5. Muscle Cramp Remedy

You will need:

1. ¼ cup of almonds
2. ¼ cup of peanuts
3. 1 ripe banana 
4. ¾ cup of low-fat Greek yogurt
5. 1 teaspoon of honey
6. ½ cup of unsweetened almond or soy milk
7. Crushed ice cubes
8. Crushed walnuts

Combine all except walnuts in a blender and blend until smooth. Sprinkle crushed walnuts on top.

Nuts are loaded with healthy fatty acids that can help to speed up muscle recovery and enhance joint health to prevent muscle cramps during your workout. Enjoy this smoothie after an intense workout to replenish your system.