Fruits with seeds can affect the consistency of a smoothie.
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Smoothies, particularly the ones made with coarse greens such as kale and collards, have a less than smooth consistency. Even when making smoothies with fruit, yogurt and other ingredients, the smoothie may not turn out smooth if it isn't blended long enough or in the proper manner. Understanding what ingredients to use and how to properly blend the smoothie are the keys to achieving a perfectly smooth smoothie.
Step 1
Choose softer greens such as lettuce or spinach to add to a smoothie instead of the coarser greens such as kale.
Step 2
Add fresh fruit instead of frozen fruit to the smoothie, or use more fresh fruit and only a few pieces of frozen fruit. If all you have on hand is frozen fruit, set the fruit out at least 15 minutes; this will allow the fruit to thaw completely.
Step 3
Blend the smoothie ingredients in steps to ensure each ingredient is blended completely before adding the next ingredient. Add the liquid to the blender first, then the fruits or vegetables one at a time. Add ice or frozen fruit to the blender last.
Step 4
Operate the blender on high speed. Run the blender for about one minute, turn it off and scrape any pieces of food from the sides with a rubber spatula. Turn the blender back on and run it in one-minute increments. After each increment, check the consistency of the smoothie and scrape any pieces off of the blender sides. Continue blending the smoothie using this same process until the mixture is smooth.
Things You'll Need
Soft greens
Fresh or frozen fruit
Vegetables
Blender
Rubber spatula
FAQs
Too gritty: If your smoothie is gritty, your powder just needs more blender time. If you're sensitive to fibrous textures, stay away from fibrous veggies like banana and use ice or frozen berries instead. It's all about you, my friend. Start with one cup of liquid.
What to put in a smoothie to make it smooth? ›
How do you make smoothies thick and creamy?
- Choose high-fiber fruit + veg. Fruits like bananas, mangos, pineapples, and peaches have a thicker flesh and result in an incredibly smooth consistency. ...
- Slice your fruit + veg. ...
- Use less liquid. ...
- Add greek yogurt. ...
- Add avocados. ...
- Blend protein powder or greens first.
Too gritty: If your smoothie is gritty, your powder just needs more blender time. If you're sensitive to fibrous textures, stay away from fibrous veggies like banana and use ice or frozen berries instead. It's all about you, my friend. Start with one cup of liquid.
How to make a smoothie less lumpy? ›
If you're blending but finding the texture is still lumpy or thick for your liking, you can try the pulse and pause technique. This is where you pulse or blend in short bursts rather than continually have on one high speed blending. This helps to prevent food from clumping and forming small lumps.
Why isn't my smoothie smooth? ›
Alton Brown recommends you add the liquid first, towards the bottom (to get the blade whirring smoothly and quickly). To the liquids, add leafy greens, then heavier items like chunks of frozen fruit. Start the blender on low speed, gradually increasing to higher speed, to make sure a vortex forms.
What not to do when making a smoothie? ›
5 Common Mistakes That Make Your Smoothie Less Healthy
- Mistake 1: Adding Too Much Fruit.
- Mistake 2: Forgoing Portion Control.
- Mistake 3: Overdoing the Sugar.
- Mistake 4: Forgetting Your Food Groups.
- Mistake 5: Storing Too Long.
How to Build a Better Smoothie
- Use frozen fruit. ...
- Use hefty ingredients to make a thick smoothie. ...
- But don't make it too thick. ...
- Sweetness is key. ...
- Use plenty of add-ins. ...
- Remember this ratio: ...
- Don't forget salt. ...
- Go green (if you want).
It could be the ingredients. Or how long it takes to get from blender to mouth. If you make your healthy smoothies ahead of time, they can start to separate as the heavier particles sink toward the bottom. Your quick fix is a to give it a healthy shake or stir, or a re-blend if you can.
Why do I feel weird after drinking a smoothie? ›
Hard To Digest Ingredients
Some fruits and vegetables are harder to digest than others and cause more gas and bloating. Common culprits include baby spinach, mango, peaches, pears and night shade vegetables.
How to fix a chalky smoothie? ›
When the “smooth” in smoothie isn't coming through and all you're left with is a chalky, gritty drink, it's time to call in the rich and creamy ingredients, like avocados and bananas. “After removing its skin and pit, you can add a whole avocado to your smoothie or save some for the next day,” Wilson says.
To stir ingredients in a blender, start with a low, slow speed and gradually increase it to a medium speed. Blend until ingredients are completely combined. This technique can create a uniform consistency for thick, sticky foods and help you combine liquids.
How to make a smoothie less creamy? ›
- Add more liquid ingredients such as coconut water or almond milk; this will help thin out your smoothie without affecting the flavor too much. - Don't forget about fruits like berries that are known for being on the thinner side! They're perfect for helping balance out thicker ingredients like nuts and seeds.
How do you blend smoothies smooth? ›
Layering foods properly helps your blender thoroughly emulsify everything so you get a more cohesive, undeniably smooth smoothie. Basically, you want the liquids on the bottom, to create the vortex that pulls solids down into the blade, and the heavy stuff higher up to push everything down.
What should the texture of a smoothie be? ›
A key characteristic of a smoothie is its wonderfully smooth texture and thick consistency – but this is not always as easy to achieve as first meets the eye. You might find that your smoothies are a tad watery sometimes, besides being underwhelming, this can also leave you hungry again in less than a couple hours!
How do you make a smoothie less creamy? ›
- Add more liquid ingredients such as coconut water or almond milk; this will help thin out your smoothie without affecting the flavor too much. - Don't forget about fruits like berries that are known for being on the thinner side! They're perfect for helping balance out thicker ingredients like nuts and seeds.
How to blend until smooth? ›
Here are some tips to help you achieve smooth blends every time:
- Start with Room Temperature Ingredients. ...
- Cut Ingredients into Even Pieces. ...
- Add Liquid Gradually. ...
- Blend in Small Batches. ...
- Use the Pulse Function. ...
- Scrape Down the Sides. ...
- Use the Right Blender. ...
- Gradually Add Liquid.
