How to stop smoothies from separating

Smoothies are a fabulous way to start a day, and I often have them when I want to have a quick but healthy breakfast.

I usually make the smoothie and drink it straight away. I have noticed that if I don’t drink it immediately the smoothie sometimes separates and doesn’t look as great as when it’s first made.

A quick stir with a spoon usually brings the whole smoothie back together. I think this simple solution only works if you have a fairly thick smoothie with high fibre and fat content. If your smoothie is mainly fruit or vegetables, you might find that it separates a lot more.

What causes smoothie separation?

Generally speaking, mixing ingredients with a different consistency, amount of fibre, and fat causes the smoothies to separate with time. The longer you leave your smoothie, the more of a chance you have of, the heavier ingredients dropping down to the bottom of the smoothie glass and the water, juice or milk staying on the top.

Which types of smoothies separate most?

If you make your smoothie mainly from fruit, vegetables and juice or water, you’ll most likely end up with a separation in your smoothie. It’s nothing to worry about, just mix the smoothie with a spoon and drink it before it separates again.

Pure vegetable smoothies might sometimes go brown if left for too long, but you can slow down this process by adding lemon or lime juice to your smoothie.

SMOOTHIE RECIPES

So, here are few tips on how to stop smoothies from separating.

Choose the right ingredients

Ingredients causing separation

• oranges, raspberries, blueberries, apples, celery, beets, leafy greens
• too much water
• cucumber, carrots

Ingredients preventing separation

• bananas, mangoes, peaches pears, avocado
• yoghurt, tofu, cream cheese, cottage cheese
• oats, rice or rice flakes
• milk – dairy or plant based, dairy free milk
• Ground flaxseeds, ground mixed seeds
• Peanut, almond or cashew nut butter
• Honey, agave, date, syrup
• Dark chocolate

Drink your smoothie straight away

This is probably the easiest solution to smoothies separating, but it’s not always the most practical. You might like to prepare your smoothie for the journey to work or keep it for later.

Although making a smoothie sounds like a quick job, it actually takes a surprisingly long time, especially if you are already running late in the morning. I try to prepare as much as I can the night before to make the smoothie making a bit quicker in the morning.

If you can’t drink your smoothie straight away, keep it in a securely tight container (like a beaker or coffee flask). Shake the container vigorously before you want to drink your smoothie to bring all the ingredients back together.

Get the consistency right

Depending on the type of smoothie you want to create, make sure that you add enough ingredients to end up with a thicker smoothie.

Too much water or fruit juice will make the smoothie separate.

On most days, my smoothie includes something like:

• Oats
• Water
• Plant-based yoghurt
• Almond Butter
• Milled flaxseed
• Raspberries
• Agave syrup
• Pinch of salt
• Cinnamon

The almond butter, oats, flaxseed, agave syrup and yoghurt all help to keep the smoothie nice and thick.

Make sure you blend your smoothie well

Ideally, you want to use a high-speed blender, juicer or food mixer. I tend to use just a regular stick blender that submerges into a plastic beaker or large measuring jug. The smoother and finer your ingredients are, the better they stick together and keep together without separating.