What's the key to a smooth smoothie?

rawn

Decided to throw everything nutritious I had in my fridge into the blender to just chug it down. Big mistake. No matter how much I blended it, it had small lumpy, fibrous bits in it that made me feel queasy. Next time I will do it right! Here's what I had in it:

One small, skinless apple
One orange
1/2 avocado
About 1/2 a baby coconut, plus the juice
One large carrot
Handful of blueberries
Handful of spinach
One banana
Some water and a bit of fruit juice
2 big spoons of milled chia seeds

I realise the chia seeds are probably the culprit, but I don't want to omit it from my next recipe, maybe just put it down to one tblsp. What else should I omit/add to make it really creamy and smooth? Or is my blender the problem?

2xj3hplqgsbkym

Doubt you will get a smooth consistency with many blenders if you put carrot/ coconut or seeds in.
Maybe invest in a juicer?

thegreatiam

That recipe is a ton of ingredients, so maybe use less solids, strain it through a sieve, most blenders have a strainer built into the lid but its a pain to use.

or blend a little at a time not the whole lot at once, like do a bit of liquid with some fruit, then add more liquid.

Alternatively, MTFU and chew that drink. all smoothies made in a blender have bits, all its doing is chopping up the solids as small as possible.

shamrock55

Add some natural yogurt

Alf Veedersane

Force it through a sieve to get rid of those scurrilous solids or, as has been said, MTFU.

thegreatiam

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Force it through a sieve to get rid of those scurrilous solids or, as has been said, MTFU.

as my mother used to say when i was a kid, "stop being a little bitch and chew your gravy".

simonsays1

Hey,

Too many ingredients I reckon

2-3 cups of water, 2 handfuls of spinach, apple including skin, ginger, and half avocado (key ingredient) !

I don't use seeds, nuts or yoghurt or root veg (for digestion)
orange maybe but only the juice

Yum

j@utis

you might want to "invest" into one of those super powerful 2kwh blenders like vitamix? that raw foodists use to help them "chewing" their meals...

rawn

j@utis wrote: »

you might want to "invest" into one of those super powerful 2kwh blenders like vitamix? that raw foodists use to help them "chewing" their meals...

Yeah I am definitely planning on getting one of them, my blender is actually stuttering now. Pricey though.

rawn

simonsays1 wrote: »

Hey,

Too many ingredients I reckon

2-3 cups of water, 2 handfuls of spinach, apple including skin, ginger, and half avocado (key ingredient) !

I don't use seeds, nuts or yoghurt or root veg (for digestion)
orange maybe but only the juice

Yum

I always peel the apples. I find that when I don't then the smoothie gets a gritty texture, kind of like sand, so I just eat the skin as the smoothie blends :pac:

simonsays1

Interesting, I will try this out.
I just detest throwing food away but didn't think to actually eat the skin solo! I say, how brains operate! (or mine rather)
Thanks

john_cappa

shamrock55 wrote: »

Add some natural yogurt

Or double cream if calories are not an issue.

bogman

rawn wrote: »

Decided to throw everything nutritious I had in my fridge into the blender to just chug it down. Big mistake. No matter how much I blended it, it had small lumpy, fibrous bits in it that made me feel queasy.

Juice everything except the bananas and the seeds, throw the juice into the blender and blend in the bananas and the seeds, I have both, it works

Brian?

As a matter of interest, what's with a the smoothies?

thegreatiam

Brian? wrote: »

As a matter of interest, what's with a the smoothies?

people love blending stuff.

rawn

Basically getting as many nutrients as possible into my system in the least amount of time! It's handy for drinking on the way to college as I rarely have time to sit and eat

Brian?

rawn wrote: »

Basically getting as many nutrients as possible into my system in the least amount of time! It's handy for drinking on the way to college as I rarely have time to sit and eat

Fair enough. Personal preference and what not.

I much prefer to eat my food though. But then that's probably because you can't make a steak and eggs smoothie.

rubadub

You can put the harder stuff in first and blitz it. Otherwise it can all get diluted too much and move away from the blades easily while spinning and just not be processed at all.

Brian? wrote: »

I much prefer to eat my food though.

Its said by some to be more satisfying hunger wise to properly chew & eat food. I think your body recognised the signals.

On some TV program they gave one group fruit juice (maybe smoothies) and the other group had a proper fruit salad, both equal calories. Then they were let freely eat whatever they want afterwards and the fruit salad eaters ate less.

but soup is also said to be very filling. I think there is a limit of wateriness where the body thinks its "proper food" or not.

thegreatiam

Brian? wrote: »

Fair enough. Personal preference and what not.

I much prefer to eat my food though. But then that's probably because you can't make a steak and eggs smoothie.

You're not a real man if you don't eat steak and chase it down with a steak drink. Followed by steak ice-cream. before moving in to the parlor to discuss cattle farming over steak liquors.

RobAMerc

rubadub wrote: »

Its said by some to be more satisfying hunger wise to properly chew & eat food. I think your body recognised the signals.

On that note, do you not start digesting your food in the mouth with the chewing/saliva ?
Or does the fact it's all mushed up mean its already on its way to being digested ?

Alf Veedersane

RobAMerc wrote: »

On that note, do you not start digesting your food in the mouth with the chewing/saliva ?
Or does the fact it's all mushed up mean its already on its way to being digested ?

The fibres are broken down in the blending process so it doesn't take as long to digest it compared to eating the whole food.

hypersonic

Smoothie sighted as a health risk

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/07/smoothies-fruit-juices-new-health-risk

I'm not sure I buy it.