Smoothie additions:
Nut butter or avocado: Add 1 tablespoon for a healthy fat addition.
Leafy greens: A handful of baby spinach or kale.
Sweetener: Don’t add anything until you taste, since fruit already contains natural sugars. However, if you need more sweetness, maple syrup is Merker’s go-to, but you can also add honey or agave.
Spices, citrus zest, herbs, extracts, or even a pinch of salt: Smoothies don’t have to be boring. I love adding cinnamon, lemon zest, mint, or vanilla extract to jazz up the flavor of my smoothies. You can really get creative here.
Good Housekeeping/Philip Friedman
The ingredients we use for our standardized smoothie recipe for testing all blenders
And don’t forget to balance your blend.
According to Stefani Sassos, the director of the Nutrition Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a registered dietitian, “I aim to make my smoothies both balanced and satisfying. I always start with a base of antioxidant-rich fruit, but make a point to include vegetables too, like a handful of spinach or some frozen riced cauliflower.” She notes that by adding leafy greens or riced veg, she’s adding additional fiber and nutrients to her smoothie. Sassos also likes to switch up the fruits and veggies so that she’s getting a varied range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in her beverage.
