Spring is a Time for Smoothies

Podcast Transcript

Announcer:

Welcome to Love Your Heart, brought to you by Cleveland Clinic's Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute. These podcasts will help you learn more about your heart, thoracic and vascular systems, ways to stay healthy and information about diseases and treatment options. Enjoy.

Julia Zumpano, RD, LD:

Hello, my name is Julia Zumpano. I'm a registered dietician at the Cleveland Clinic in the Department of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation. Today, I'm going to talk to you about the benefits of smoothies. Smoothies are great. You can make them ahead of time. They serve great as a meal replacement and you can pack in a ton of nutrition.

Julia Zumpano, RD, LD:

Four main components I like to include in my smoothies are a liquid or a base, a fruit, a vegetable, and a protein. We'll talk about each one of those.

Julia Zumpano, RD, LD:

Start with the base. The base could be water, it can be ice, and it also can be a low fat milk or dairy alternative. I tend to find dairy alternatives work the best because they are lowest in calories, they have calcium, and they add a nice creaminess to the smoothie. I do caution, make sure if you are going to choose a dairy alternatives, such as almond milk, make sure it's unsweetened. So you don't add any extra calories.

Julia Zumpano, RD, LD:

Next would be a vegetable. So the vegetables add a variety of vitamins and minerals, a ton of fiber, and they also add more bulkiness to that smoothie. So you can add a variety of different vegetables. Greens are a good way to go. I like to choose my greens frozen, because again, they tend to blend better, and I add less ice. So greens, celery, even Asparagus or cucumbers. Those are all great vegetables to try it in a smoothie.

Julia Zumpano, RD, LD:

Third, fruit. So I do tend to use lower sugar fruits, such as berries, mixed berries. Again, they can be fresh or frozen, either way, but berries have a tremendous amount of antioxidants and soluble fiber, all very good for your heart.

Julia Zumpano, RD, LD:

And then finally adding a source of protein to your smoothie. Protein's very important because it keeps you more full, keeps you satisfied. That's really the key important note here because we're having a liquid snack or meal, and without that protein, it may not sustain you long enough. So you really need that protein component in your smoothie. And the protein can come from various sources. It can come from a protein powder. It can come from a plain yogurt or a Greek yogurt, it can come from chia seeds, flax seeds, from walnuts, or a variety of mixed nuts. So the protein source is essential. And it can also come from your low fat milk if that's what you choose to blend in as your base.

Julia Zumpano, RD, LD:

So those are the four basic components. You can add in things that can enhance the consistency and the flavor, such as avocados or even some herbs or spices like turmeric or ginger or Cumin, even garlic if you want more of a savory smoothie. Those can all have many anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits as well.

Julia Zumpano, RD, LD:

So, enjoy and have fun with it.

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