Pack in the vitamins this month with healthy smoothies

Skipping a meal is tempting, especially when you're on a bit of a health kick.

However, extensive research suggests it can have a negative impact on weight-loss and metabolism over longer periods of time.

One great way to keep the calorie count at a healthy level, while still watching what you eat, is to switch in a smoothie, in place of either breakfast or lunch.

To be honest, a smoothie is a great option any time of the day, even for a a mid-morning pick-me-up.

Power of the blender

Yes, as cliche as it sounds, the power is all yours.

With the simple push of a button, you can blend up smoothies that turn your body into a fat-burning machine.

The best thing is you can use almost anything left in that fruit basket or bowl. Don't disregard anything.

You can also juice any fruits with a peel first, before you throw them in.

A few key ingredients

Smoothies can make a healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner, as long as they're filled with a good balance of nutrients, including protein, carbs, and healthy quantity of fruit, and or vegetables.

1. Protein powder: These powders are low in sugar or other sweeteners, low in calories, and rich in high-quality protein that, in combination with strength exercises, will help build metabolism-boosting muscle mass.
2. Healthy fats: Things like nut butters, avocado, and MCT oil will help to slow digestion to keep you fuller longer to prevent overeating.
3. Fibre: consuming fibre-rich ingredients like chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, leafy greens, and oats can help prevent spikes in blood sugar that can lead to the storage of carbs as fat.
4. Low sugar: Fruit is the base of all smoothies, and because fruit naturally contains sugar, there's no need to add extra sweeteners like honey, orange juice, or frozen yoghurt as they only serve to add empty calories.

Have fun and experiment with colour, texture and flavour.