Savvy, time-strapped athletes and weekend warriors, always on the hunt for quick, nutritious fare, have helped make smoothies (also called shakes) the latest post-workout “it” food. But these days the craze doesn’t stop at the gym—malls, college campuses and uptown cafes are all offering cold blends in one form or another. Problem is, many are too liberal with calories, fat and sugar to be considered healthy additions to your diet. Solution: Make your own.
“Toss in the right ingredients, and shakes are fast, nutrient-dense meals or snacks that help you meet your protein, vitamin, calcium, healthy fat and fiber requirements—all with little clean-up,” says Monique Ryan, M.S., R.D., an Illinois-based sports dietitian and author of Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes. Smoothies, made with fruit and milk, provide an excellent way to add foods like berries, mango or pineapple into your diet—helping fulfill the Centers for Disease Control’s Five-a-Day recommendation. And with half a cup each of milk and yogurt thrown into the mix, you’ll also reach thirty percent of your daily bone-building calcium needs. But don’t just stick with standard ingredients. “Who says you can’t give tofu and peanut butter a whirl for a protein and good-for-you fat kick?” asks Ryan.
Smoothies also are excellent recovery drinks. Consumed as soon as possible after a workout, they have all the protein and carbs your muscles need to bounce back after sweating it out. Shakes can help “replace energy (glycogen) stores in one shot,” says Ryan. Plus, for those with poor appetites following exercise, “it can be a lot easier on your stomach to drink, rather than eat, your calories,” Ryan adds.
Guiltless Smoothies
Post workout, it might seem faster and easier to stop at your local smoothie store than make your own, but becoming a regular can thwart the benefits of your exercise routine. Not all smoothies are created equal—some are more decadent milkshake than healthy snack, like Smoothie King’s 32-ounce Hulk Chocolate that contains a whooping 1,269 calories and 44 grams of fat. To make your next juice bar experience a healthy one, make these smart, on-the-go selections:
