Making a smoothie seems simple enough; you just add some fruit, leafy greens, and juice to a blender and like magic you get a delicious nutrient packed plant-based meal in a cup. In reality, making the perfect smoothie requires a sort of craft, as well as intuition. Does it need more yogurt? More berries? More nut butter? Are you going for frozen yogurt consistency or something less thick? 

Smoothies are a great way to fuel your body with nutrients that you may not be getting in your regular diet. Figuring out how to make a smoothie that meets your lifestyle and dietary needs takes some time and research, but once you find that perfect combination you will be making smoothies like a pro.

4 Tips to Make a Healthy Moringa Smoothie

When people first start making smoothies, they focus on trying to mask the bitter and unappetizing taste of leafy greens and other healthy boosters by using large quantities of fruit and juice. Although fruit is healthy, it is high in sugar, so try not to add too much. Adding superfoods like moringa can give your smoothie the extra advantage. Ultimately, it is all about finding a balance between tasting good and being healthy—and enjoying your creation, of course!

Triple Berry Moringa Smoothie

We regularly enjoy smoothies at Kuli Kuli, and are regularly offering each other tips and suggestions for how to make the healthiest, most delicious smoothie. 

Before getting to our top tips, let’s slow it down a bit and consider this: what do you want your smoothie to do?

There are so many different recipes and possible ingredients. It can be daunting or overwhelming to start. Do a little research and figure out your intenttion: are you looking for a post-exercise recovery smoothie, a morning “you got this” smoothie, or a smoothie that kids would love?

What Does Your Smoothie Need?

If you want a meal replacement look for ingredients that will give you the same nutritional benefits as a meal you may normally have. Same goes for any individual who may want to increase their protein, fiber, or iron intake in their diet. It’s also a great idea to change your ingredients from time to time, as a mixed veggie and fruit assortment is ideal.

We created this little table, based on top requests for smoothie additions.

The bottom line is this: personalize your smoothie, and think about what you want from it. Now that we’ve covered some key factors, let’s move into our four tried-and-true tips.

Tip #1 – Customize and build your smoothie.

It will take some trial and error to find your perfect and healthy recipe. You do not want to start off with a super potent smoothie. Your taste buds  may have not completely adapted to the flavor, and you want to give your body time to adapt and learn how to absorb all the new nutrients.

Adding ingredients little by little will make it easy on your body as well as taste buds and ultimately help you enjoy your perfect smoothie. Moringa is definitely a superfood you would want to build up to because of how nutrient dense it is. Everyone’s body reacts differently to it so figuring out how much of it you should use is completely up to listening to your body.

Tip #2 – Not All Blenders Are Created Equal

It’s a truth that all of us smoothie makers have to reconcile: blenders vary in quality. If you can, invest in a nice piece of machinery! It might be the difference between a smoothie with icy chunks, and a smoothe masterpiece. 

Supergreen Moringa Smoothie

Although there are so many blenders with different features at multiple price points, it is key to take these three main functions into consideration: the sharpness of the blades, the power of the motor, and the ability to control the speed. All these features will allow you to make smoothies without having to deal with all the problems that a faulty blender can pose.

Smoothies are suppose to be an easy alternative to cooking and meal prepping. So take some time reading consumer reviews online and doing your own research to help determine the right all blender.

Tip #3 –  Practice the Art of Listening (to your body)

Everyone’s body is different and it is important to pay attention to how your body reacts to the different ingredients that you use in your smoothies. What may be the recommended serving for one person may vary person to person.

Sometimes you may have to add more or less of an ingredient for your body to really take in all the health benefits. It’s all about experimenting and figuring out what works best for you.

Tip # 4 – Our Recommended Portions 

Now that we have the basics, it’s time to learn what it takes to make the perfect healthy smoothie. Here’s our insight when it comes to frozen fruit, thickeners, leafy greens, moringa and more!

• Limit to 1 cup of frozen fruit (per serving)

Anything greater than this just increases the amount of sugar in the smoothie. Adding fruits that are high in acid like pineapple or berries help mask any bitterness from added leafy greens. The frozen fruit will also make your smoothie slushie, without having to pour in extra ice.

This is a great factor during warmer months when you need something that feels fresh.

• Play with 1/2 – 1 cup of  a “thickener”

Typically you want to use something that is high in probiotics like Kefir or greek yogurt. Adding a thickener will give your smoothie a creamy consistency while also helping to promote a healthy gut. It is also a good opportunity to get an extra protein boost! If vegan, adding half an avocado will also create that same creamy consistency, and will also include healthy fats into your smoothie.

• Opt for 1 cup of leafy greens or 1 tablespoon of Organic Moringa Powder

Adding a cup of kale or spinach is great and they do add some nutritional value, but in comparison to moringa, they fall behind. Moringa is extremely nutrient dense and is packed with vitamins, minerals, and all 9 amino acids. It also adds things like iron and fiber to give you an extra boost.

Moringa smoothie with peanut butter and chia seeds

It is an efficient and convenient way to get all the nutrition you need, and also a way to help children get the nutrients they need too.

• Adjust with 1/2 – 1 cup of liquids

Look into healthier alternatives like coconut water, cashew milk, almond milk, or soy milk to add as a liquid to your smoothie. Adding juice increases the amount of sugar and displaces the healthy balance of the recommended sugar serving.

You want a nourishing snack, not a sugary one. Having too much of something will prevent you from truly gaining any  nutritional value from your smoothie.

• Personalize your smoothie with boosters

Boosters are a great way to personalize and customize your smoothie to your specific needs. Adding nutrient boosters like camu camu, almond butter, spirulina, or chlorophyll are great to improve and stimulate better health. It is crucial to not over do the amount of boosters you use. It is recommended to use 2-3 boosters.

Using too many, takes away and prevents your body from being able to absorb everything. No need to overload.

• Get Creative with Toppings

This is the fun part of making a smoothie. Once your done crafting your perfect healthy smoothie you can add toppings to make it your own.

Adding things like goji berries or seeds will really make a difference in your smoothie recipe. Chia seeds are a great example of a type of topping to add at the end, but unless they are soaked they provide little nutritional value.

If you add seeds as a topping and let them soak while you drink your smoothie, they will grow a gelatinous coating, and give you the maximum nutrients.

Closing Smoothie Thoughts

There you have it! All the tips and tricks to make the perfect healthy smoothie. What’s your perfect smoothie recipe? How do you incorporate moringa into it? Let us know in the comments!

Don’t forget to tag @kulikulifoods in any social media posts you share so we can see your beautiful creations!