(HealthDay News) -- While a smoothie can be a nutritious alternative to a regular meal, many smoothies are loaded with sugar and lack sufficient protein.
The American Council on Exercise suggests how to make a smoothie that's more nutritious:
- Start with a heaping portion of romaine, chard, kale, parsley, mint or any other green leafy vegetable.
- Add fruit to sweeten the smoothie instead of added sugar. But ensure that the mix of greens is twice as much as fruit to keep calories down.
- Add protein in the form of protein powder, non-fat milk, Greek yogurt, nuts, nut butter or hemp seeds.
- Add a liquid to make it easier to blend, such as coconut water, water or unsweetened nut milk.