Everyone loves a good smoothie, and they are a popular drink choice. They are refreshing and hit right at the spot. Millions of tons of smoothies are consumed every day in the world. And among the variety of flavors consumed with delight, fruit smoothies are the most famous ones. There are various smoothie shops down the market that sell your beloved drink at various price points.
If you ever have a smoothie craving, you could have the store-bought smoothie. But it undoubtedly would not be a healthy choice with all those artificial sweeteners and extracts. But what if you make it at home with all the handpicked ingredients and without any dangerous additives and preservatives? Now that would be a healthier option!
In this article, we try to break down your favorite strawberry banana smoothie and tell you how many calories are in a strawberry banana smoothie. Then we also embark on to explain the facts, based on which, you could make the decision to choose to have a smoothie or not. We also tell you alternative ways of turning it into a healthier version and lowering your calorie count as well as increasing it.
How to Make a Delicious Strawberry Banana Smoothie?
Starting from the basics, let us explain to you how to make the most basic and easiest strawberry banana smoothie. The recipe time for this recipe is 5 minutes and is a piece of cake even if you are an amateur in the kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1 (frozen or fresh) banana
- 1 cup milk (of your choice)
- 1\2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- and honey (optional).
Add all your fruits into the juicer with a splash of milk. Pulse until the fruits are blended into a smooth paste. Scrape side with a spatula if necessary. Add the remaining ingredients (the remaining milk, and yogurt) and blend to perfection! You can also add honey or other syrups to make your smoothie sweeter. Using this typical recipe, you end up with 24 ounces of banana smoothie that make up two servings.
One serving of Strawberry Banana Smoothie: Calories and Nutritional Value Breakdown
Now let’s scrutinize one serving of a classic strawberry banana smoothie made with the most ingredients basic found in every kitchen. One recommended 12 ounce serving of the smoothie mentioned above has a calorie count of 119 kcal.
These smoothies consist of 26 grams of carbohydrates which are the main source of energy for the human body. Breaking down further, 2 grams of proteins are present in one serving. Additionally, there are only 2 grams of fat.
The daily calorie requirement for humans is 2500 kcal for men and 2000 kcal for women. So, if you drink approximately one glass of strawberry banana milkshake, you could fulfill 6 percent of your day’s calorie requirement.
Furthermore, this smoothie consists of 5g of fiber, 15g of sugar, and an abundance of vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin C. It also has 87mg of sodium fulfilling 3.8 percent of your (less than) 2300 milligrams of daily intake. Strawberries are also a great source of antioxidants and have more vitamin C than an orange! Bananas, full of fiber help your digestive system and heart stay healthy! They also help to fill you up quickly helping in weight reduction.
Customize your Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Still not satisfied with this calorie count? Want to bring it even lower? Don’t worry there are ways to reduce the calories even further! First and foremost, use low-fat or fat-free milk to bring down the fats.
Secondly, you can make it rich in protein by adding nut butter such as peanut butter or almond butter. They also enhance the taste. You can even add cashews and other sorts of nuts to increase the protein content. Some even add raw eggs to a smoothie for a protein and Omega-3 boost. And if you’re lactose intolerant, just drop the yogurt and add dairy-free milk alternatives such as almond milk and soy milk.
Moreover, you could also increase mineral intake from a banana strawberry smoothie by adding different healthy ingredients. These include different flax seeds, chia seeds as well as fruits, and other ingredients.
You can even add a dash of vanilla extract or cinnamon to adjust the taste to your liking. The options of the customization when it comes to smoothies are endless.
You can enhance your smoothies’ texture by adding fruits chunks or seeds, and oats, taking it to the next level. Occasionally, people add marshmallows and sprinkle to make it sweeter. But we wouldn’t recommend that if you’re watching your weight since that increases the calorie count.
Conclusion
Strawberry banana smoothie is a fan-favorite when it comes to fruit smoothies. They are creamy, and a perfectly delicious, quick fix, and healthy snack to fill you up. Their immense health benefits make them a perfect snack.
Now you not only know how to make a quick smoothie within only 5 minutes with commonplace ingredients, but you also know the calorie intake of that smoothie. You also know how to adjust the smoothie according to your preference, altering the taste and even reducing or increasing calories. This helps in monitoring what is in your meals, making sure you have a balanced diet.
Please note that the nutritional value mentioned above was calculated through an online calculator for a fixed quantity of ingredients stated clearly in the article. If you fluctuate the quantity, the nutritional value may vary. So, there you have it! The answer to the question, how many calories are in a strawberry banana smoothie. Now you can easily enjoy your favorite drink without worrying about the calories and how it will affect your body. Because life is too short for worrying about such trivial things!