How to Make Tasty Smoothies that Also Support Athletic Performance

 

While June 21 is National Smoothie Day, every day can be a good day to have a smoothie! This is especially true for busy athletes, as smoothies can be easy to prepare and deliver nutrient-dense meals and snacks in an easy-to-drink and easy-to-digest format.

Whether your athlete struggles to make time for breakfast or finishes practice and immediately heads to a part-time job, smoothies can be a practical part of an athlete’s daily nutrition.

Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, is sharing a few tips for creating the optimal smoothie.

1. A Smoothie Should Be Constructed like a Meal

Think of a smoothie the same way that you would think of a whole balanced meal, says Ziesmer. This means breaking your smoothie down into core nutritional components:

• Protein: The cornerstone of every meal for young athletes should be protein, in order to rebuild and replenish muscles.
• Fruit and vegetables: A healthy meal also contains fruits or vegetables, which are packed with micronutrients as well as fiber.
• Simple Carbohydrates: For athletes on the go, adding simple carbohydrates in the form of honey, maple syrup, or even oatmeal can provide the sugars they need to fuel their training.
• Fat: A small amount of healthy fat in the form of nut butter or seeds adds satiety to a smoothie and helps keep your athlete fuller for longer.
• Liquid: Most smoothies will require additional liquid in order to blend. This can be water, milk, or fruit juice depending on your athlete’s preferences.

2. Make Prep Easy

If you have busy athletes and little time to mix up the perfect smoothie every morning, you can meal prep smoothie ingredients the same way you would any other meal. A single serve blender, especially one that comes with multiple blender containers, makes smoothie prep simple. You can combine any of your non-frozen elements in each of the blender containers and stash them in the fridge, then add your frozen elements in the morning, screw on the blender cap, and your smoothie is ready in seconds. You don’t even have to put it in a different drinking vessel for your athlete, since most individual blender jars now come with extra lids for drinking on the go.

3. Get the Right Amounts of Each Ingredient

The amount of each ingredient does matter, especially when it comes to protein, so measure out your first few smoothies until you can approximate how much Greek yogurt and other ingredients equal a full serving. The same applies to nut butters—check the serving size and scoop appropriately. If nut butter is your sole protein, then Ziesmer suggests a double serving.

As far as fruits and vegetables go, Ziesmer recommends only a handful in order to leave room for calorically dense nutrients. For sweeteners like honey and maple syrup, she recommends not exceeding a tablespoon, particularly if the smoothie already has sweeter fruits like bananas.