I don’t know about you, but for me, my daily dose of smoothies is a must. Waking up every morning and trying to decide what concoction I will create has become my daily routine. However, have you ever wondered about the history of smoothies? I know I do, so I thought it would be a good idea to tell our readers about some fun, random, interesting facts about smoothies. Happy reading!
1. What is the Largest Smoothie?
Did you know the largest smoothie created in the world was 1064.61 US gallons (4030 litres or 886 UK gal). It was created by Stichting Jaarmarkt who is from the Netherlands.
So, I am sure you are curious, what in the world did he put in this smoothie? Well the ingredients were strawberries, honey, orange juice, bananas, yogurt, sugar and ice.
2. History of Smoothies
Smoothies started to gain a foothold in the US with the invention of the blender in the 1930’s.
The early version of smoothies was simply fruit, fruit juice and ice. The blender didn’t start to become mainstream in the USA until the mid 1960’s when they started to be used on the beaches of California to produce cool drinks for beach goers.
The smoothie drink also started to gain popularity in the 1960’s and 1970’s with the advent of the vegetarianism movement, and the rise of the flower power movement and hippies.
The smoothie was also further popularized by people like Jack Lalanne and fitness and nutrition expert and smoothie advocate and the founder of the Smoothie King franchise Steve Khunau.
Over the next few decades as smoothie king bars spread across the count the term “smoothie” became a household word.
As the popularity of smoothies started to increase the introduction of pre-bottled smoothies started to become popular with the advent of such brands as Naked Juice and Odwalla.
Today with the increasing popularity you can find smoothie recipes made with a myriad of ingredients to suit any taste.
3. Other Countries that have Smoothies
Blending fruits with ice and other ingredients is common in many other countries.
For example in Latin America and South America be prepared to try a variety of fruit juice concoctions with exotic fruits.
In India a drink called lassi readily comes to mind. The lassi is known as the ancient smoothie and originated somewhere around 1000 BC.
This drink is made with yogurt, water or milk and various seasonings. A popular variation of this drink is the mango lassi which consists of mango, crushed ice, yogurt and sugar.
The Sharbat is an Iranian drink that is popular in South Asia, Caucasus, Turkey and the Balkans. It is made from fruit or flower petals and usually served chilled.
This drink can be served in its concentrated from and eaten with a spoon or diluted with water to make a drink.
4. Evolution of Smoothies
Have you ever wondered how the smoothie has evolved over time. Here is a brief overview:
1915 – First domestic freezer and frigeration
1922 – Patent filed for a drink mixer
1926 – Orange Juice stand mixer Julius Freed and Bill Hamlin blend orange juice with a few choice ingredients and creating the first popular smoothie drink in the US.
1938 – Fred Osius improved upon the mixer making blenders available for home use
1960 – Due to the macrobiotic and health food movement fruit drinks become a staple of health food stores and juice bars.
1973 – Steve kuhnau – Opens a smoothie shop and juice bar that will eventually become Smoothie King.
1990 – Smoothie shops begin to open across the world creating a multi-billion dollar industry.
2004- Green Smoothies gain popularity and begin a new national trend of veggie based drinks.
2019 – Smoothie King rolled out the clean blends initiative. They expanded the menu to include blends with 0g of sugar, while incorporating more whole fruits, organic vegetables into existing and future blends.
At the same time elimination, artificial colors, flavours and preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, gmo ingredients, hormones, NSF-banned substances, hydrogenated oils, gluten and trans fat.
Today – The smoothie industry is stronger than ever, with new recipes designed to help people stay fit, slim down, improve overall health and wellness, or simply take a break and enjoy their favorite flavors.
5. Benefits of drinking smoothies
There are numerous benefits of drinking homemade smoothies. Have a look at our list below:
- It’s a great way to increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables. I don’t know about you but I am not a lover of vegetables. Smoothies are a great way to get your daily dose.
- If you use the right ingredients a smoothie can be a meal replacement option.
- It’s a great way to increase your fiber uptake.
- Have you recognized that most healthy stuff tastes really bad. For example turmeric is good for you, however it tastes awful. Now if you add it to a smoothie you don’t taste it at all.
6. The smoothie Industry today
When doing research we were amazed about how far the smoothie industry had evolved over the years. Did you know the following:
- The smoothie industry is a 5 billion dollar business.
- They are a meal replacement for millions of people today.
- The smoothie industry is expected to grow 10.1% over the next five years.
7. Ingredients of a Green Smoothie
The ingredients of a green smoothie usually consist of fruits, vegetables, and some type of liquid. If you want to disguise the taste try to stick to a 60/40 ratio.
8. Smoothie vs Milkshake
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a milkshake is defined as a thoroughly shaken or blended drink made of milk, a flavoring syrup and often ice cream.
A smoothie on the other hand is defined as a creamy beverage made of fruit blended with juice, milk, or yogurt.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the first smoothie created?
Smoothies first started to gain popularity in the US with the invention of the blender in 1934.
However, drinks such as the lassi, which can be described as the ancient smoothie is thought to have originated around 1000 BC.
How old are smoothies and who invented smoothies ?
Smoothies gained popularity in the US in the 1930’s. However, versions of the smoothies such as the Lassi drink in India have been in existence since 1000BC.
What are advantages of smoothies?
Smoothies are a good way to increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables, they can act as a meal replacement and they can help you to increase your fiber intake.
Do smoothies make you gain weight?
Like most recipes it depends on what type of ingredients you use in your smoothies.
Do smoothies have to be cold?
No, smoothies don’t have to be cold. However, the cold, smooth taste makes it more appealing.
Why are smoothies so popular?
Smoothies are popular because people are more health conscious. Smoothies are a fast, easy way to increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Are homemade smoothies healthy?
It depends on what type of ingredients you use in your smoothie.
Is a smoothie a meal?
If you use the correct ingredients smoothies can be a meal replacement option.
In Conclusion, Fun, Random, Interesting Facts About Smoothies
When we started this article we weren’t sure about the topic. However, who knew smoothies could be so interesting. I hope you enjoyed our list of fun, random, interesting facts about smoothies.
Welcome!
Hi, I am Charms, a self-confessed smoothie fanatic! Here I will share some of my favorite smoothie recipes, tips and guides and gear reviews. Learn more .
