Shake up your smoothie

Experiment with these unusual ingredients the next time you whizz up a healthy drink

We’re all familiar with the typical smoothie blends – greens, mixed berries or tropical fruits. But your nourishing on-the-go snack is about to get shaken and stirred with some unexpected additions.

“People are realising you can add anything healthy and tasty to smoothies to increase their nutritional value,” says fitness, wellness and nutrition expert Penny Weston. “It’s all about creating a mix that’s nutritious, full of fibre and packed with minerals.”

On the smoothies vs juice debate, Penny says, “Both are beneficial if done in moderation, with a balanced diet, but smoothies contain more fibre, which is good for digestion and leaves you feeling fuller.”

Her one warning? “Don’t drink a smoothie faster than it would take you to eat the raw ingredients – your body needs time to break it down. Drink it in two minutes flat, and you might get some discomfort later.”

Penny’s smoothie no-nos are ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate syrup, but she also steers clear of canned fruit in syrup. “It’s full of sugar. I avoid flavoured yoghurt in smoothies for the same reason,” she adds.

“But the worst smoothie I’ve ever had was a very heavy vegetable-based one. It just felt like I was drinking pure vegetables! You really need to add some flavour, otherwise it just won’t taste good. Try sprinkling in cocoa powder, cinnamon, turmeric or ginger, which in particular can bring great health benefits.”

Here are some of the unusual ingredients making the list.