What is a Smoothie?
A smoothie is a thick liquid drink typically made from a liquid (milk, water or fruit juice), fruit, a protein, healthy fat and vegetables. Smoothies are already blended, making them quicker to digest than food. It can take the stomach up to 40 minutes to digest whole fruit.
When is the Best Time to Drink a Smoothie?
Smoothies can be used for meals, snacks or as a Recovery drink for your skater after a practice or game. If you plan to use a smoothie as a meal it will contain more calories and protein. A snack on the other hand needs protein, however not as much as a meal. A recovery smoothie is based on your skater’s weight.
How to Build A Protein Rich Smoothie
Step 1: Choose a Liquid
The milk you choose will also contain some calcium. Your growing youth ice hockey player needs 1300 mg of calcium a day. Here are the amounts of calcium in an 8 oz. glass (250 ml) of the following milks: Cow’s milk: 283 mg, Almond milk: 450 mg, Coconut milk: 30 mg, Soy milk: 57 mg and Oat milk: 350 mg.
Step 2: Choose Fruit
While fruits are not rich in protein, however they do provide a variety of nutrients to nourish your growing youth ice hockey player. Potassium is needed to help your skater’s muscles contract as they speed down the ice on a fast break, or when your goalie is defending the net as they push side to side and drop down and get back up.
Step 3: Choose a Healthy Fat
Fats are needed in your youth ice hockey players daily meal plan. Fats help their body absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, D,E and K. Too much fat consumed too close to ice time can have a negative impact on your skater’s speed.
Step 4: Choose a Vegetable
Vegetables are packed with nutrients. Spinach and kale are popular vegetables to add to a smoothie, and are bland in flavor. One disclaimer, adding spinach or kale may change the color of your skater’s smoothie, while adding extra nutrients to fuel their practices, games and hockey goals.
Step 5: Place The Ingredients in a Blender
I build my smoothies in this order: fruit, spinach and kale, flax seeds, peanut butter and then the milk. I measure out 8 oz. of almond milk and then add water to create the desired consistency. Blend and Enjoy!
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Here’s to your skater’s success year round!
