There is a lot of press about the need for people to eat 5 portions of fruit or vegetables a day as part of a healthy diet. It is hoped that this will increase the amount of dietary fibre, vitamins and antioxidants in the body. Despite the adverts many people struggle to eat 1 piece of fresh fruit let alone 5 a day. Could the answer to consuming more fruit be in the humble smoothie ? And are smoothies necessarily good for you ?

First up, there are different types of smoothies.

A smoothie that is comprised of nothing but fruit is likely to be good for you and come close to hitting the 5 fruit a day mark. Smoothies of this sort generally include a fruit that can add a thick consistency to the drink. In this case the good old banana takes up the challenge. A banana can add thickness to the drink and a creamy taste and texture. They are also a good source of Potassium.Using bananas as a base fruit, a smoothie practitioner can experiment with nearly any type and amount of fruit imaginable. For example

· Take a handful of any fresh berry fruit – strawberry or raspberry
· Some freshly squeezed orange juice
· A couple of bananas

Cut the bananas in to smaller chunks or slices and blend all the ingredients until the mixture is a smooth, thick consistency. Pour into a glass and knock it back. Wonderful and so simple!

Of course half the fun is experimenting with the quantities and types of ingredients to get your own special recipe. Why not add fresh carrot juice in place of the berries ?

If the all-fruit smoothies are the halo wearing, harp playing angels hovering above your right shoulder then the guilt inducing, trident poking devils on your left shoulder are undoubtedly the smoothies that use dairy products.

I know, I know they taste pretty darn good. A huge dollop of extra creamy ice cream, a generous dash of milk and some kind of fruit. Blend it up and you have a delicious drink.

The classic is the banana smoothie, one banana, a dash of milk and your favorite vanilla ice cream. Blend it all together and serve. Add a bit of honey or syrup if you want it a bit sweeter.

As much as a drink like this tastes great you must remember that it is probably not that good for you. In fact, smoothies that incorporate cream, ice cream , milk, honey and yogurt are not really that good for you and should be taken in moderation.

Conclusion

An all-fruit smoothie is a great way to start the day and makes it easier to have 5 pieces of fruit a day. The dairy based smoothies are best seen as a treat or indulgence and should be taken in moderation.

Maurice Canwell is a writer on Food and Drink. He is a regular contributor to http://bestsmoothierecipe.info