My mother-in-law came to stay a few weeks ago (don’t worry, I’m nearly recovered now!). She always has a habit of saying the most stressful things at the wrong time and this visit was no exception!
Early one morning, as I was juggling a million different things, trying to see to my emails, sort her breakfast and organize my husband for work I absentmindedly grabbed my usual breakfast smoothie out the fridge (having prepared it the night before) and poured it into a glass.
“Gasp!”
I looked up in horror, sure I had spilled it or knocked something over. My mother-in-law was sitting there glaring at the unspilled smoothie with a disgusted look on her face.
“Don’t you know that smoothies lose all their nutrients when stored in the fridge overnight!” she hissed at me, still looking as horrified as if I were about to consume toxic waste.
I was pretty sure, this fact couldn’t be true but that comment did leave a funny taste in my mouth. The moment I had some free time I was straight onto Google to disprove this awful claim. The initial results shocked me.
Smoothies do lose some of their nutritional value when left for long periods of time. Oxygen and sunlight degrade vitamins and antioxidants over time but the actual effect on the nutritional value is minimal is the smoothie is stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
I’ve delved deep into how and why this happens and how you can avoid losing any health benefits from your next, delicious, pre-made smoothie.
In This Article
Oxidation Is The Culprit…
I know what you’re thinking, how is it possible that nutrients disappear from a smoothie (or any food for that matter!).
Well, the answer isn’t a simple one.
Food doesn’t last forever, especially fresh produce like fruits and veggies. You’ll be familiar with this if you’ve ever sliced an apple and let it sit for a while. The flesh turns a funny brown color. Not very inviting to eat!
The effect is similar if the apple is dropped and bruised. You end up with that nasty, mucky brown patch.
The reason for this change in color is that when the fruit is damaged it is exposed to oxygen. The oxygen in the environment reacts with the cells in a process called oxidation.
The brown patch is still edible (despite not tasting as fresh) but (as you may have noticed from your own fruit bowl) bruised apples tend to spoil faster than fresh. Oxidation is the start of the spoiling process and the apple gradually loses its delicious taste and good looks.
The process of blending your fruit and veg to make a delicious smoothie speeds up the oxidation process so it will spoil quicker compared to whole foods.
Although spoiled fruit does lose some of its nutritional value it isn’t as dramatic as it seems. A small reduction in antioxidants is typical but generally, the fruit maintains most of its goodness until it’s well past its best.
So basically, you don’t have to worry that your smoothie will lose all of its nutritional value overnight. Fresh is best but leaving it correctly stored for 12-24 hours won’t significantly impact the goodness you get from it.
How To Store A Smoothie In The Fridge
So you’ve just finished making a double batch of your favorite green smoothie and now you’re at a loss of how to safely store it? No worries, it’s actually quite straightforward!
The important thing to remember is it’s the oxygen in the air that is causing the kale to go off. If you minimize the oxygen exposure you reduce the chances of spoilage. To do this you’ll need is an airtight container.
This could be a mason jar (or any glass container with an airtight lid), Tupperware, plastic wrap over the smoothie glass, or a drinks bottle with a screw-on lid. The combination of keeping your smoothie in the refrigerator and the lack of oxygen in the container allows the smoothie to stay safe to drink for up to 24 hours.
If the smoothie looks brown in color or the smell is a bit off then best discard it. Bacteria grows fast on spoiled food and you don’t want to end up getting sick.
Another good point to mention about the fridge is the darkness it provides. A lot of vitamins (like vitamin C) get degraded by sunlight. If you want to maximize the goodness in your smoothie then don’t leave it sitting in the sun!
How To Store A Smoothie In The Freezer
I know the pain all too well, of thinking you’ve bought enough fruit to make one or two smoothies until you chop it up and realize there’s enough to feed a hungry army or two!
Bulk buying fresh produce can end up a lot cheaper and meal prep certainly saves time on those busy mornings!
Freezing fresh fruit and veggies is a sure-fire way to prevent oxidation and spoilage. The storage time goes up dramatically when frozen (up to 3 months) so you can enjoy those health benefits weeks after buying the fresh produce.
There are two ways I like to do smoothies in the freezer.
The first is to blend up a big batch of smoothie and freeze it in individual portions. This allows me to grab one when I’m busy in the morning or in need of a quick meal replacement. You can eat them frozen like a popsicle on hot days but the downside is that you do need to get it out the freezer a while before you plan to drink it. I pop one in the fridge at nighttime and it’s good to go the next day.
The second way is to package smoothie ingredients into individual containers or sandwich bags and freeze the whole fruit. This means you have ready to go, healthy smoothie packs that can be thrown straight into the Vitamix. Just add a little almond milk (which you can freeze) (or whichever liquid base you’re keen on) and that’s it! This method is great if you hate watered down smoothie as you can leave out the ice cubes and still enjoy the cool, fresh effect they give.
Are There Any Other Ways To Extend The Life Of My Smoothie?
Any food that contains citric acid will lower the pH of the smoothie. This slows the enzymes that lead to the spoiling. Citrus fruits and pineapple are good examples of this.
Adding some lemon juice, lime juice (or other citrus fruit juice) can help extend the shelf life of your smoothie. Be wary though that acidic foods can be harsh when taken on an empty stomach.
Smoothie Recipes
Here are some great smoothie recipe ideas to help kickstart those healthy habits.
Leafy Greens
- 2 cups raw or steamed Kale
- 1 cup frozen Spinach
- 1 frozen Banana
- 1 cup Pineapple chunks
- 1/2 an Avocado
- 1/2 squeezed Lime
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend on high for 60 seconds. Tamper ingredients and blend again for a furthur 45 seconds.
Vegan Power
- 1 ripe Banana
- 2 tablespoons Peanut Butter
- 1 cup Almond Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Maple Syrup (to taste)
- 1 scoop Vegan Protein Powder (ideally vanilla flavored)
- Sprinkle of Chia Seeds
Add to the blender in the order listed and blend on high for 60 seconds. Tamper ingredients and blend for another 45 seconds. If you like it cool, feel free to add ice or freeze the banana first.
Weight Loss Aid
- 1/2 cup Blueberries
- 1 frozen Banana
- 1 cup frozen Spinach
- Sprinkle of Chia Seeds
- 1 cup low fat Coconut Milk
- Pinch of Cinnamon
The ingredients in this recipe are carefully selected to help detox your system and aid weight loss when used as part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle.
Add to the blender in the order listed and blend on high for 60 seconds. Tamper ingredients and blend for another 45 seconds. If you like it cool, feel free to add ice or freeze the banana first.
Take Home
My take home for anyone who is worried that their smoothie will waste away overnight is don’t panic! If stored correctly a smoothie will maintain plenty of goodness for 24 hours in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer. Although some nutritional goodness is lost there’s still enough packed in there to make the smoothie and health and worthwhile choice!
Related Articles
Best Cheap Juicer Under $100 – An Inexpensive Expert Buyer’s Guide
What Are The Best Apples For Juicing? – Everything You Need To Know
Leave a Reply