What’s the best time to drink a smoothie or juice?

On Instagram I receive messages with the question when is the best time to drink a smoothie or juice. Or people ask why I have my green drinks always in the morning. So today will be all about the ''when'' and ''why'' of smoothies and juices. What's the best time to drink a smoothie or juice?

My response to the best time to drink a smoothie or juice is: anytime! There is not a real ”bad” moment of the day to drink a smoothie or juice that is delicious, and that will truly nourish you. That being said, there is an optimal moment in the day when a smoothie or juice would be best. The moment when it allows you to absorb all nutrition and will give you the most energy: the morning.

You really can’t go wrong with a smoothie or juice in the morning.

However, a smoothie or juice can include a pretty wide variety of ingredients. We all know the green smoothies loaded with leafy greens, but there are, for example, also smoothies with bananas and dates. Although both are perfect in the morning, if you decide to (also) have a smoothie/juice later in the day, you might want to select the ingredients differently, so the ingredients match the moment of the day.

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before/after a work out

A great smoothie would for example be one with bananas, almond milk, dates and hemp seeds. These ingredients make good pre- and post-workout smoothies.

in the morning 

As I mentioned before, you can’t go wrong with a smoothie/juice in the morning. Green leafy greens such as kale and spinach, higher carbohydrate smoothies, protein, and healthy fats are good ideas.

Mornings are also great for fruit, so it is excellent to create smoothies that are high(er) in fruit, with some nuts or seeds. And try to add in some antioxidant-rich foods such as acai powder, goji berries, or wheat grass powder.

in the middle of the day or as a snack

This is a great time to have a green smoothie. Several handfuls of kale, spinach, romaine, and healthy fats, and maybe some extras such as coconut water or hemp seeds (healthy fats, minerals, and protein) or sweet blueberries are a good choice.

after dinner

Yes, a smoothie can be a dessert as well. There are many great options. Berries (frozen) make a great dessert, I like this smoothie a lot! But also some oatmeal, almond milk and bananas will curb the cravings and will give you a good night of rest as well. Or what about a chocolate smoothie or chocolate mousse?

Whatever you do, know that a smoothie or juice is always a good choice. The mornings are the best and it is that time of the day that you can pile up your smoothie with fruits and lots of greens.

Why is a smoothie or juice best for breakfast?

Especially if you are having only one smoothie or juice a day, the morning is by far the best time of the day to have one. There are a couple of (personal) reasons for this.

If I’m having a smoothie or juice as a breakfast (meal), I make sure to have a smoothie that will contain enough calories/energy. A juice is not a suitable meal replacement.

With a green smoothie I start my day off on a healthy note. If I make a large green smoothie for breakfast, I should be satisfied until lunch, with sufficient protein and calories.

And lastly, in the a.m. I will have covered a large part of my daily fruits and veggies intake before noon.

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A night of ”fasting”  (an empty stomach) makes it easy for me to digest my smoothie, but it will also give me energy. There is little digestion involved when you drinking a smoothie, and digestion requires energy from the body.

After a night of fasting and detoxing, I find it is best for my body do its work and not to interrupt it too much with heavy foods. So for optimal energy and absorption, the mornings are the best for me.

These are personal recommendations. For health or diet advice , please visit a doctor.

When do you have your smoothie or juice?

photos by the green creator (c) (copyright)

 

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