I’m a big fan of yummy cold treats during the summer and since it’s bikini season, it should also be low in calories. A frozen fruit smoothie made from plenty of berries and banana and a little yogurt and skim milk fits that bill perfectly. Not only does it taste delicious, it’s actually quite healthy. Let’s take a look at why smoothies are a healthy snack option.

Let’s start with the frozen fruit. You know how healthy eating plenty of fruit is. It is full of fiber and of course vitamins. You may be surprised to find that it is actually better to use frozen fruit. By using frozen fruit, you make sure you get produce that still has the maximum amount of nutrition in it. Some experts say that consuming frozen fruits and vegetables is even better than fresh, since the fresh produce we pick up at the grocery store is already several days old. Remember it takes time to pick it, process it and ship it to your grocery store. In that time, many of the nutrients (and vitamins) start to go away. That’s why it’s even better to use frozen fruit in your smoothies.

The Dairy Products - The next two ingredients in our smoothie are also quite good for you. I am talking about skim milk and non-fat yogurt. Both of them have quite a bit of calcium that our bones need. As women we particularly benefit from this important mineral. As we age, calcium leeches out of our bones and we need to make a conscious effort to replace it to prevent osteoporosis later on in life. Kids can benefit from smoothies as well. Since their bones are growing, they need the extra calcium for sure.

Milk and yogurt also have plenty of protein which helps keep your muscles strong. It is very important to get plenty of protein when you are dieting or most of your weight loss will be in muscle instead of body fat.

Let’s Talk Hydration - Smoothies also help us stay well hydrated because of the liquid from both from the milk (or juice if you prefer) and from the fruit itself. Without plenty of water our bodies can not function and during a hot summer day we tend to lose even more than usual of the precious liquid. Smoothies are the perfect way to help us stay hydrated - of course you should still make sure you drink plenty of plain water as well.

The fact that they are frozen also helps our bodies cool down. And that’s just one of the many reasons why drinking a frozen fruit smoothie is a good idea. Another is that they are healthy, relatively low in calories and taste very very yummy. And that’s why this type of smoothie is such a wonderful treat.

Make the perfect fruit smoothie with this strawberry smoothie recipe. It’s fun and easy and you can find more instructions for making frozen fruit smoothie here.