With the hustle and bustle of daily life, many people today tend to prefer convenient, on-the-go meals and snacks like smoothies and shakes. These are thick, filling beverages that anyone can make by just blending fruits or veggies in juicer or blender machines. These meal replacements can prevent hunger pangs and snacking urges caused by missed meals.
If you are planning to start a juice bar or a concession stand, then you might want to give it a twist and concentrate on recipes that focus on specific diets, like a Ketogenic diet.
What is a Ketogenic Diet?
This consists of food that is high in fat, but low in carbs. This diet plan allows people to avoid the negative effects of carbs and sugar to their body, such as increasing blood sugar levels, intensifying insulin response, and affecting cognitive function.
What Ingredients Do You Need?
Here are various low-carb smoothie and shake recipes that are perfect for keto dieters:
Fruits
Although a majority of fruits are high in carbs and sugar, there are some keto-friendly options that consist of low carbs but high in fiber.
- Strawberries: These have vitamin C, manganese, potassium, and vitamin B9. They are also rich in antioxidants that help fight free radicals. A cup of strawberries contains only eight grams of net carbs.
- Avocado: A cup of avocado has only two grams of net carbs. It is filled with nutrients, such as folate, potassium, and vitamins C, K, E, B5, and B6.
- Watermelon: A cup of watermelon only contains 10.5 grams of net carbs. It contains iron, calcium, and vitamins C and A.
Vegetables
Opt for leafy greens and other vegetables high in water content. Avoid colorful vegetables, as they tend to be high in carbs.
- Cucumber: These are low in calories and arbs. It is also a rich source of potassium, fiber, and vitamin C.
- Spinach: This green is filled with minerals, such as potassium, iron, and calcium. It also contains vitamins A, C, and B12. It boosts energy levels, lowers risks of cancer, and reduces inflammation.
Base
One of the biggest fitness mistakes is disregarding the carbs and calories of beverages. To ensure that you are not adding unnecessary carbs and sugar, go for keto-friendly liquids like water, green tea, black tea, and unsweetened non-dairy milk.
What Smoothie and Shake Ideas Can You Offer?
- Green Tea Smoothie: Mash the flesh of one avocado. Use an eight-ounce glass of green tea as your base. Blend these with half a teaspoon of stevia powder, a teaspoon of lemon juice, a cup of sliced cucumber, and a pinch of ground black pepper.
- Watermelon shake: Blend half a cup of watermelon with a glass of unsweetened sparkling water, a 1/4 cup of crushed ice, and half a teaspoon of powdered erythritol.
- Strawberry Milkshake: Blend together 1/4 cup of raspberries, a cup of unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream, a 1/4 cup of crushed ice, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of powdered erythritol, and half a teaspoon of vanilla.
To make sure that your smoothies and shakes will have good consistency, invest in a high-quality commercial blender or juicer machines. It is also essential to remember that although the fruits in these recipes are low in net carbs, adding more than what is indicated will increase the carb and sugar content of your smoothies and shakes. Lower the amounts if you wish to alter the recipes and use more types of fruits.