Just a few decades ago going out for s smoothie was almost impossible, so the only real choice available to you was to buy or pick a handful of fresh fruit, toss it all in a blender, maybe add some ice, and then mix it all together. These days however it seems like practically every city block has a different smoothie company, independent or major nation-wide chain, vying for your attention, convincing you that they, and they alone have the ultimate snack for your on-the-go healthy lifestyle. If anything, though, something important about the classic fresh fruit smoothie has been lost. What was once a simple, wholesome drink has become a wildly complicated concoction of additives, blended flavors, artificial sweeteners and other ingredients that are almost impossible to pronounce without a chemistry degree. In many ways, if you want to enjoy the healthiest pure fruit drink possible, you must go back to the basics: in your own kitchen with a blender, ice, fresh fruit or 100% real fruit smoothie mix.

 

 

The Right Stuff

 

Nature has its way of packing an astonishing amount of nutritious goodness into convenient, compact, efficient packages. These packages have names you’d probably recognize: banana, mango, pineapple and the list goes on. A single piece of fresh fruit contains a huge number of vitamins and nutrients essential for healthy living. In fact, nutrition experts recommend that most adults consume at least 5-13 servings of fruits, or vegetables, every single day. Fresh fruit is both delicious and perfectly nutritious on its own. Want to make healthy eating choices? Starting with a piece of fresh fruit is a great way to go. Alternatively, some smoothie mix brands out there offer certified Non-GMO 100% real fruit purees with no added sugar or additives, which can be a nutritious and convenient alternative.

 

 

What is a Smoothie Mix Clean Label?

 

Smoothie mixes come in many shapes and forms. Some contain added sugars, artificial colors, and preservatives, but contain low levels or no fruit at all. Make sure to read the label. The principle of "less is more” works well here. Avoid phonetically challenging ingredients. Make sure your smoothie mix contain 100% pure fruit or 100% fruit juice with no added sugars, preservatives or colorants. If the label has a non-GMO or organic certifications, that’s a plus. Make sure the sugar content is not ridiculously high and that the directions are easy and clear. Remember that smoothie mix or fruit purees shouldn’t be mistaken for syrups. They are different in terms of fruit content, nutritional values and concentration.