The holiday season is the greatest time to enjoy smooth hot chocolate, peppermint mocha, caramel macchiato or several other types of beverages. In this post, we will introduce 3 healthy smoothies for winter that you and your family are going to love.
Even though it is common to take in a lot of sugar from the above drinks, it is definitely not healthy to add too much sugar to your diet. Especially when you are focusing on losing weight or maintaining weight. So, let’s begin with other leaner substitutions.
1. Which Ingredients Should We Use?
Source: Modern Parents Messy Kids
To make these healthy smoothies for winter, there are some essential ingredients which are all healthy and delicious. Significantly, they are also easy to find that you can grab at any local store or market. Holiday flavors include chocolate, pumpkin, apple, cinnamon and spices, and banana. You might also add several nuts and seeds such as chia seeds, hemp seed hearts or oats. These will give you more flavors, energy and nutrients. These following healthy smoothies for winter could be perfect for a light meal or snack that your family members and friends will love at the first taste.
2. The Big Apple
Source: Eat This
This smoothie is a combination of apple, pear, yogurt, hemp seeds and oats. These ingredients are blended with almond milk and sprinkled with some ground cinnamon. It’s full of flavors and natural sweetness, meanwhile being fruity and creamy enough for smoothie. This recipe is easy to like to any age, from children to the elderly.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup apple chunks
- 1 cup pear chunks
- ½ cup yogurt (vanilla yogurt or Greek yogurt)
- 1 cup bland almond milk (or oat milk, coconut milk)
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon oats
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
3. The Pumpkin Flavor
Source: Pinterest
Pumpkin has a light sweetness and so many nutrients like vitamins A, K, E, C, iron and potassium. When it is mixed with other ingredients such as kale, banana, the combination tastes a little thick, sweet and flavorful. This smoothie is also naturally creamy thanks to the pumpkin. It’s perfect for a snack or a booster during the day. With the nutrients there, you might feel a lot more energized after drinking a cup of this heavenly smoothie.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pure canned pumpkin
- 1 banana (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup kale (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup yogurt (vanilla yogurt or Greek yogurt)
- 1 cup bland almond milk (or oat milk, coconut milk)
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
4. Sugar-free Hot Cocoa
Source: Eat This
Hot cocoa is an essential drink for winter. However, since this is a list of healthy smoothies for winter, we are making this as a healthier and nutritious version. Therefore, whipped cream, whole milk, marshmallows… are excluded because they are high in sugar and calories.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 banana (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup yogurt (plain)
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
For easy and amazing healthy drink recipes, check out this category.
