Many people are looking for healthy meal replacements, and if your kitchen has a blender you are in for a treat.
Blenders are not only good cooking tools that help you break down your ingredients quickly, but they are also great options for blending nutrient-rich and vitamin-loaded fruity beverages.
If you are wondering if a blender can effectively cut through hard frozen fruits, you have come to the right place.
Everyone knows that a well-balanced smoothie has a variety of different fruits, as they are often loaded with nutrients and minerals.
Fruits are exceptionally susceptible to rotting, though, especially if left out at room temperature for days on end.
Make sure to treat your equipment right and get the most health benefits out of your frozen fruit by following the tips below.
Does Frozen Fruit Need to Be Defrosted?
There you are, standing in your kitchen, holding the bag of frozen fruit as you are tempted to put them into your blender and whip up a smoothie with an incredible taste.
You are scratching your head wondering if it would be alright just to throw the solid frozen fruit in your preferred smoothie maker.
When making a fresh-tasting smoothie with frozen fruit, you may want to consider giving them enough time to thaw before throwing them in the juicing basket and whipping up your latest tasty invention.
While some blender owners claim that their blender “purees frozen fruit just fine,” consider the risks involved that may harm your smoothie making machine and limit its performance.
Processing a large amount of hard frozen food may chip or dull the blades on your blender, so it is best to take the time to thaw out your fruit before heavy usage.
Some heavy-duty blending machines may be able to process such harsh ingredients, but it is best to not take the risk if it is not specifically included in the features of your blender.
Can You Blend Frozen Fruit Without Liquid?
Novice smoothie makers may be curious as to how much liquid you are supposed to put into your smoothie blend if any at all.
When making a well-balanced fruit smoothie, you are going to want to add one to one and a half parts liquid to two or three parts fruit.
A basic recipe calls for a half part yogurt as well to thicken your smoothie and ensure the right consistency.
Getting your liquid to fruit ratio right is essential for a well-made smoothie because if you put too little liquid or no liquid at all in your smoothie, your product may end up lumpy and course.
Alternatively, if you have too much liquid in your smoothie, the blades in your machine will not have enough contact with the frozen fruit for consistent blending action, leaving your smoothie too runny in all the wrong places, and too chunky in others.
Most experienced smoothie makers use milk, juice, or coconut water in their recipe for a rich, standard flavor.
If you want healthier options to consider, you can alternatively use almond milk which has less fat while also giving you a great source of calcium and important vitamins that may put you on the right track to complete your reference daily intake of such minerals.
You can also use water as a healthy alternative which has no positive or negative value for your body, apart from keeping your body well hydrated.
If you are lactose intolerant, have no fear! In addition to almond milk, you can also use dairy-free milk so that you can keep your tummy happy while still committing to a great taste.
You can also use soy milk as a healthy alternative to milk, as it contains no lactose.
Are Frozen Berries Healthy?
Berries are often packed with antioxidants that may help boost your immune systems, such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol.
Another potential benefit you may gain when consuming frozen fruit is the improvement of your blood sugar and insulin levels.
Those suffering from type 2 diabetes may want to consider adding a healthy dose of fruit to their diet.
Berries are also a great source of fiber, a plant-based agent that resists breaking down and helps you unclog the pipes in your basement and promote healthy gastrointestinal flow.
Take a look at some of the benefits you may be able to receive by adding certain berries to your smoothie mix below:
- Blueberries
- One cup of berries contains 3.6 grams of fiber, 16% of your daily intake of vitamin C, and 23% of your daily intake of vitamin K.
- All these health benefits come in a tiny 86 calorie package.
- Raspberries
- One cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber, 36% of your daily intake of Vitamin C, and 36% of your daily intake of Manganese.
- If your intestines are feeling a little clogged, add a couple of raspberries to your smoothie mix for a high source of fiber.
- With only 64 calories in each cup, this will be the perfect ingredient to add to your low-calorie smoothie creations.
- Strawberries
- one cup of strawberries contains 3 grams of fiber, 97% of your daily intake of vitamin C, and 24% of your daily intake of Manganese.
- Throw a couple of extra strawberries into your smoothie blend when you need an immune system boost.
- There are only 46 calories in each cup, so it is less likely to break your calorie budget.
Many people are concerned that their fruit smoothie blend will lose its health benefits when you freeze your fruit instead of buying them fresh.
We are happy to tell you that eating frozen fruit can still give you a nutrient and vitamin-packed smoothie blend each time you decide to buy frozen fruit at your local food market.
Frozen fruit will retain the optimal number of essential vitamins and nutrients for up to one month after it is stored.
This means that no nutrients are decomposed, a risk that you may take when buying fresh fruit and leaving it out for long periods of time.
Is Frozen Fruit as Healthy as Fresh?
As you can see, fruits of any kind may help boost your immune system and provide you with the necessary vitamins and minerals you need for healthy digestion and correct blood sugar levels.
Frozen berries are also available year-round because they are easier to store and maintain, and most of the time they are less expensive than their fresh competitors.
With the evidence stacked against fresh fruit, it is time for you to transfer to a healthier food source and consider buying frozen fruit for your custom smoothie concoctions.
Optimize your body’s performance by getting your daily fill of vitamin-rich minerals in a delicious smoothie.
Find the Perfect Blend Of Frozen Fruits
Now that you know a little more about what health benefits are included when making smoothies with frozen fruit, you will never want to go back to using fresh fruit again.
While frozen fruit has to be dethawed to perform best in your blender, you will not regret the time investment required once you test out frozen berries and taste the difference for yourself.
Do not let whole foods markets fool you into buying fresh fruits that have probably been processed more heavily and have lost some of their nutritional value due to pesticides and fruit preservatives.
Do not be ashamed to go to the fruit aisle in the freezer section of your local grocery store and start experimenting with new, exciting recipes.
There is no better day than today to start taking your long-term health goals seriously, so go out there and find the perfect mix of frozen fruit for you.
I’m Chris Watson & the Founder of EatForLonger.com. I’m a food and wellbeing enthusiast researching and sharing foodstuffs and simple food-based concepts, such as fasting and clean eating.
I hope it inspires you to make tiny changes to what you eat and when you eat while optimizing your healthspan and all-around well-being.
Read more About Me here.