Why Smoothies Rock

Since I have been on the go since 8am today and I didn't manage to fit in a smoothie, I thought today might be a great day to write about Why Smoothies Rock.

Firstly I'd like to thank everyone who has been following, supporting and commenting on this blog, whether on facebook, twitter, or wherever. The support has been overwhelming, especially hearing about people's experiences with my recipes, and how they have been inspired to smoothie on and to eat healthier. From the first day that I started writing this blog, it has been a wonderful spiral - inspiring me to keep my creative juices flowing and come up with fun, tasty concoctions every day. Thanks, all!

So what's so great about smoothies? Well, if quick, easy, and nutritious isn't enough, I have some more reasons to add. There is one thing I'd like to be clear on, so that there aren't any misunderstandings here. I for one ADORE cooking. I mean, I am passionate about my food, and I won't hesitate to toil all afternoon chopping and preparing for a Thai meal or a home-made pasta dish. I don't mind spending time cooking, in fact, I relish it (hehe, no pun intended) (yes, that was me laughing at my own unintended pun). So although smoothies are quick and easy, I don't use them as a way to cheat out of cooking, but they most certainly are a fantastic way to ensure that I'm getting all the fresh/raw fruits and veg that I require into my daily diet.

Another thing that's great about smoothies, is that some things are actually nutritionally best for us in the form of a smoothie. Leafy, green vegetables such as kale can actually be difficult for human beings to digest raw, and pulverizing them in a smoothie makes the nutrients more readily digestible.

Smoothie vs. Juice - the final word. Honestly, I used to be a juicing fanatic. And there are still many fabulous things about juicing. A beautiful, rich fruit and vegetable juice can be hard to beat. The reason why the smoothie gets my vote most of the time is that when you juice you lose most of the fiber. This is negative in a few ways: (a) most of us don't get enough fiber in our diets to begin with, now we're chucking it out instead of getting it in our system, (b) fiber helps fill us up, so when we don't eat it we feel hungrier sooner, even if our nutritional requirements are met by the juice, and (c) unless you have a bunch of eager horses or chickens, you're wasting a lot of good, wholesome food by juicing.

Finally, and this might just be me, creating new, fun, exciting smoothies is a blast. I never tire of it. Just when you think you've thrown everything you could think of into a blender together (and believe me, I have had that thought), you get inspiration from the oddest source. And to tell you the truth, I haven't made too many gross smoothies... yet...