Mixed Fruit Smoothie (No added Sugar)

A Mixed Fruit No Sugar Smoothie is what Scorching Summers demand! Cheers!

Mixed Fruit Smoothie (No added Sugar)

Summers testing our patience and how! I am not sure about your part of the world but my city is definitely feeling the heat. It is just March and we have another 3 months to go before monsoons cool us down which means the diet has to undergo a major change. Consumption of fruits and liquids will increase giving a break to the regular roti / rice / dal combos which are quite frankly cumbersome to cook in the heat.

Consuming juices means consuming sugar. I am not a very big fan of packed juice boxes. To be honest, ever since I turned 30, I gave up consuming juice from a box or bottle. Sometimes, when I travel, I make an exception as it is far better than eating the junk food / deep fried fries etc which I am anyways not very fond of. So, I stick to a sugar free juice when travelling especially in airports etc. Food is generally packed from home else I resort to nuts, foxnuts (makhana) and popcorn packs that are always light and handly snack otions to carry in my bag.

Back at home, while I am working out hard to lose weight and stay off carbs (mind you – I love my carbs and have them. It’s just the quantity is substantially low), I get obnoxiously hungry by 4pm in the evening inspite of having lunch. What I have learnt the most with weight loss journey is most of the hunger is just thirst but we end up reaching for food instead. So, I drink a glass of water and wait for the cravings to be in control. Since I cannot eat carbs post my lunch, I try to make this mixed fruit juice / smoothie and have a glass of it. Its not a daily thing, but sometimes, the humidity combined with my crazy hunger pangs just demands a tall glass of this.

I try and blend seasonal fruits. Since Mangoes are not yet here (sadly) and I usually wait until April to try mangoes as they are much sweeter, not to mention slightly economical too to buy, I make do with all the seasonal fruits, including melons which are best for hydration during summers.

Adding sugar is not advised if you are consuming as part of a meal or trying to lose weight. Besides this smoothie doesn’t really need any amount of sugar actually. Its just the natural sugars of fruits that help you fall in love with this.

These smoothies also remind me of the times when I lived alone in Mumbai city for a large part of my life, post my mothers death. Work demanded a lot of my time and making a healthy breakfast was a far off dream. I had to travel around 1.5 hours to reach my work place and needed something quick on my way and keep me energized. I always made a batch of smoothies and carried it in a bottle and on my way to work, sipped it cooly on a bus / train. Thankfully, post marriage I quit and have been living life on my terms and pursuing the things I have really missed out on earlier, including cooking food. Working hard since a very young age has both its ups and downs. While it makes you super strong and independent, it also deprives of you small pleasures of life, say for example – having a cup of tea without rushing for a meeting schedule. God Has been very kind to me, always say that and mean that every single day!

Here’s to having a healthy breakfast everyday and having your share of fruits and vegetables too. Most important, being happy and positive.  

Check out the super simple recipe of this smoothie and blend a batch soon.

Recipe for Mixed Fruit Smoothie (No added Sugar)

Makes 4 glasses

Ingredients

1. 2 nos. Bananas peeled and roughly chopped
2. ½ a medium sized Musk Melon cored and roughly chopped
3. 1 cup Black grapes
4. ½ cup strawberries cored and roughly chopped
5. 1 cup of Pineapple chunks
6. 1 tblsp of lemon juice

Method

1. Peel /Core & roughly chopped all the above ingredients.
2. Add the fruits in a blender and squeeze some lemon juice.
3. Blend them until nice and smooth. Some prefer to retain the chunky bits of fruits, like me so blend it accordingly.
4. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

• This juice is an excellent mid meal snack option as it has no sugar yet the benefits of mixed fruits.
• Especially in summers, when you eat less, this is a great way to include a lot of fruits in your diet. Add a lot of ice cubes, pack it in a sippy cup / bottle and carry it to work with you.
• You can chop the fruits at night – Store it in freezer and just blend it within minutes before leaving to work etc.
• Ideal for kids who don’t like to eat certain fruits. Blending a variety of fruits can easily mask the fruits they don’t like.
• Excellent exam time treat for the right sugar kick than the usual tea / coffee / energy drinks.
• If you feel that the fruits are not that sweet, you can add some honey as sweetner.

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Vidya Narayan