Dr Zac Turner reveals unhealthy side of smoothies

Most people make one big mistake when it comes to making a morning smoothie – but Dr Zac Turner has the perfect recipe.

Welcome to Ask Doctor Zac, a weekly column from news.com.au. This week, Dr Zac Turner reveals the best smoothie for every meal of the day.

QUESTION: Hi Dr Zac, what is the ultimate smoothie to have in the morning, lunchtime, and evening? I am on a health kick and have found smoothies really help me avoid junk food. – David, 38, Perth

ANSWER: That’s great to hear, David. Smoothies are a really easy way to get a lot of good fruits and vegetables. You can get a lot of nutrients packed into one little glass. But too much of a good thing can be unhealthy.

What is the ultimate smoothie to have in the morning, lunchtime, and evening?

There is such a thing as an unhealthy smoothie – one that is all fruit and not much else in it, as this means it is laden with sugar. A healthy smoothie is one with balance. So you want good carbohydrates, good proteins and good healthy fats.

It’s fine to have a smoothie every day. It can be a convenient meal replacement as long as you’re making sure that it really is replacing the meal. Not too few calories, but not too many calories. I do not recommend you switch all meals to smoothies unless directed by your GP or nutritionist.

Previously on Ask Doctor Zac, I’ve written about how to drink breakfast smoothies for weight loss but here’s what you need to do in order to have a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner smoothie.

For the perfect breakfast smoothie, you need to add in veggies such as spinach, kale, avocado, or even beetroots. Picture: iStock

Breakfast smoothie

In the morning you should be using healthy fats such as nut butter, coconut milk or chia seeds. This will help you feel satisfied for longer. Also add in protein with either Greek yoghurt or protein powder. Fibre can be included with oats. Of course you can add fruits such as berries, bananas or mangoes, but you also need to add in veggies such as spinach, kale, avocado, or even beetroots.

The liquid you add in can be unsweetened plant based milks, normal milk, coconut water or even plain water.

Plant-based milks are good options for smoothies, as is dairy milk, coconut water and even plain water. Picture: iStock

Lunchtime smoothie

Lunchtime smoothies are a great way to keep energy levels up for the second half of the day. You need to focus more on protein and nutrients than sugar. This means more veggies, dairy, grains and nutrient powders than fruit.

Your lunchtime smoothie should look green, brown or even black. It should not be a bright colour. You should be adding in superfoods like spirulina, matcha or acai. There should be a ratio of 2:1 for veggies over fruit. Don’t forget your grains and protein too.

There should be a ratio of 2:1 for veggies over fruit. Picture: iStock

Dinner smoothie

I would recommend that you have your dinner smoothie with a handful of nuts like pistachios or pecans. A dinner smoothie should be focusing on improving your sleep. This means having warm milk as it contains the amino acid tryptophan, which is converted to the feel-good hormone serotonin, which is then converted into sleep-triggering melatonin.

Even dark chocolate is a good addition to an evening smoothie as it increases serotonin levels. Picture: iStock

Do not choose anything with caffeine or too much sugar. A fruit you could use is cherries as they contain melatonin. Dark chocolate is another good addition to an evening smoothie as it increases serotonin levels. Add in chocolate with 70 per cent or more cocoa to encourage a good night’s sleep.

To sum up, here are some supercharged smoothie ideas that can suit your body’s needs at specific times of the day. These smoothies are packed with nutrients and designed to provide energy, support your metabolism, and help you meet your daily nutritional goals:

Brain Boost smoothie

Ingredients

½ cup chopped fresh spinach

½ cup chopped fresh kale

1 orange

½ cup frozen raspberries

1 small banana

½ cup chopped carrot

1 tbsp hemp or chia seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

½ cup water or ice (for consistency)

Method

Combine all ingredients in a blender with ice crushing ability, until smooth.

Antioxidants Galore smoothie

Ingredients

1 green tea bag

2 tsp honey

1½ cup frozen blueberries

½ medium banana

¾ cup calcium-fortified light vanilla soy milk

Method

Microwave the water on high until steaming hot in a small bowl. Add the tea bag and allow three minutes of brewing. Remove the tea bag. Stir the honey into the tea until it dissolves. Combine the berries, banana and milk in a blender with ice crushing ability. Add the tea to the blender. Blend ingredients on ice crush or highest setting until smooth.

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Dr Zac Turner has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Sydney. He is both a medical practitioner and a co-owner of telehealth service, Concierge Doctors. He was also a registered nurse and is a qualified and experienced biomedical scientist along with being a PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering.

Originally published as Dr Zac Turner reveals unhealthy side of smoothies