Many people are becoming more and more health conscious these days. The habit of drinking smoothies every day can be a better option for a better and healthier lifestyle. However, many have emphasized that smoothies and juices should be consumed right after the preparation in order to get the whole nutrients of the ingredients. What happens if you want to store your smoothies for a while – may cross your mind. Can you leave a smoothie in the fridge overnight? Do smoothies lose nutrients overnight? Read on to find the answers to these common questions.
First, let’s find out the benefits of drinking smoothies regularly.
Do Smoothies Help You Absorb Nutrients?
Many researchers claim that drinking a smoothie is better than eating solids and you can actually drink smoothies as a substitute for a traditional meal. It is because while blending a smoothie, you get all the fibers and nutrients in a single drink and it’s easy to digest too.
Smoothies play a trick on our stomachs where you take all your foods in a blended form and you won’t feel overfull. Additionally, this increases your capacity to absorb more nutrients from fruits and vegetables.
While you blend solid foods, the cell walls of the complicated properties break down and release the nutrients that were trapped inside. This floods your body with healthy vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
However, above all else, do smoothies lose nutrients overnight? They might lose nutrients after a while.
Do Smoothies Lose Nutrients Overnight?
Yes, do smoothies lose nutrients overnight. Smoothies made with fruits and veggies, do lose nutrients overnight. It is because the spoilage process of the food items begins if you leave them open overnight.
Smoothies are indeed the best drink to include in your diet, yet what’s the point if you lose nutritional value?
Smoothies are usually prepared by pureeing two or more ingredients in a blender. When you use fresh fruits and vegetables for smoothies, the cell walls of the foods break open in the blender and they react with oxygen. This process of oxidation – where oxygen works as a catalyst, causes smoothies to lose vitamins and nutrients.
When you keep your leftover smoothie in fridge or freezer open overnight, it again reacts with oxygen and the spoilage process begins. However, not always do fruit smoothies lose nutrients overnight if you store them properly.
How to Store Smoothies the Right Way: Tips to Lessen Nutrient Loss
The key is to slow down the oxidation of fresh ingredients. Having said that, here are some tips to keep the nutrients level maximum in your smoothies, so you don’t have to worry about drinking unhealthy smoothies:
- The Container is a Crucial Element
Oxidation occurs when the food is exposed to oxygen for a long time. So, if you want to know, “do smoothies lose nutrients overnight,” you need to pay attention to the container you use. To do smoothies lose nutrients overnight, you will need a container with an airtight lid so you can prolong the shelf life of fruits and veggies.
A transparent glass container or mason jar would be ideal to store smoothies overnight. The glass container preserves the freshness of foods and keeps the nutrition level optimal. Another benefit of using transparent glass jars is that you will be able to monitor the state of your smoothies anytime. Do smoothies lose nutrients overnight? With a glass container, you can minimize nutrient loss and enjoy your smoothies with peace of mind.
Furthermore, make sure to fill the airtight container with smoothies up to the brim. This will leave no room for oxygen to be trapped inside and reduce the chances of oxidation.
- Refrigerate Properly
The next important tip is to keep the airtight container filled with smoothies in a refrigerator. This will hold back the spoilage from occurring and preserve the nutritional content of the smoothie.
- Avoid Blender Pitcher to Store Smoothies
Many people make the mistake of storing their smoothies in a blender pitcher. This makes it hard to clean the blender pitcher later on.
- Add More Citrus in Smoothies
Adding some antioxidants and vitamin C to your smoothies can help prevent oxidation. For this, you can include lemon or lime juice in your smoothie as it is high in citric acid.
How Long Before a Smoothie Lose Nutrients?
There’s a common myth that this blended smoothie contains zero to no nutrients. But that’s not wholly true.
On average the nutritional content of smoothies will degrade after a while. However, if you follow the mentioned tips above to store your smoothies you can get the most nutrition from them even after 24 hours. You can still drink it after this time duration but it won’t be as fresh as before.
Can You Freeze Smoothies: Do Smoothies Get Rid of Nutrients in the Fridge
So, you’ve made a double batch of fresh fruit smoothies. You want to save the leftover drink for later in the fridge. But you may be wondering, “Do smoothies get rid of nutrients in the fridge?”. You will be surprised to know that smoothies do not particularly get rid of nutrients in the freezer but rather freezing them can actually preserve the nutrition and vitamins of fruits and vegetables. Here’s why:
Enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables can cause them to lose nutrients and freshness if you leave them to sit for a long time. Blending them into smoothies and then freezing the smoothies can counterbalance the drawbacks.
How Long Do Smoothies Last In the Fridge: Can You Keep in the Fridge Overnight?
We all know that fruits don’t last long. If you have abundant fruits in the fridge like many people and are thinking of ways you can put them to use, we suggest you make smoothies with them. This will be a delicious treat for all your family members and if you can’t finish all the smoothies you can store them in the fridge. How long do homemade fruit smoothies last in the fridge – may wonder you. Here’s your answer:
Smoothies made with fresh fruits may last for about 2-3 days in the fridge. Additionally, if you make them with frozen fruits, they will last less than that (about 1-2 days). Furthermore, frozen smoothies will last for about three months in the freezer.
Do Smoothies Lose Nutrients When Frozen?
The question “do smoothies lose nutrients overnight” may arise when considering the freezing process. Yes, frozen smoothies do lack some nutritional value than others. No worries, it’s almost negligible. Think of it this way – by not drinking a smoothie at all you get no nutrition. However, make sure you let the frozen smoothie defrost for some time. Stir the beverage before drinking to mix all the ingredients. You can store frozen smoothies even for months.
How Long Does Smoothie Last Unrefrigerated: Will it Lose Any Nutrient?
There’s no denying that smoothies last longer in a fridge. But what if you forgot to keep them in a freezer?
There’s no correct answer to how long your smoothie will remain fresh after preparation. It basically depends on what type of ingredients you use in your smoothies and what storage method you use for storing them later.
It’s always a good idea to drink the smoothie right away. Yet, your smoothie will remain fresh for about three to four hours outside the fridge. During this period, the nutritional value will be maximum and the taste will be better. Moreover, the oxidation process will start after this time. This will ruin the taste and decrease the nutrition content.
The smoothie will lose all of its precious nutrients if you keep it outside of the fridge for more than 6 hours. Use your sense of smell to judge whether it’s edible or not. We strongly recommend you never drink a spoiled smoothie as it may be harmful to your health.
How to Keep Smoothies Cold Overnight Without a Freezer
Sometimes making one fresh smoothie can be a time-consuming matter. If you’re a person who is always on the go then you wouldn’t want to make one every day. So, as a solution, you might think about making your smoothie the night before and keeping it in the fridge. But what if you don’t have access to a refrigerator? Here are some smoothie preparation tips to keep them cold and chilly overnight even without a freezer:
- Add Frozen Ingredients and Ice: Make your smoothie with frozen fruits and add sufficient ice to it. You can cut the fresh fruits into pieces and keep them in a freezer. When they are frozen enough, you can add them with other content so you can get the thick creamy consistency in your smoothies. Make sure that your blender is capable of blending ice otherwise, this can jam the blades of the blender.
- Use a Thermos Container: These containers are specially built to keep liquids hot or cold for a long time. Thermoses are the perfect alternative to freezers as they keep elements properly sealed and sufficiently cold for extended periods.
- Make Smoothie Cubes: Another amazing way to enjoy an icy cold smoothie after the night without a freezer is to make smoothie cubes. Just make a fresh smoothie whenever you can and pour it into the ice trays. Then keep them in the refrigerator and blend them in a blender. This will keep your smoothie cold for about 12 hours.
Conclusion – Do Smoothies Lose Nutrients Overnight?
So, to give you the answer to the question “Do smoothies lose nutrients overnight?” is a firm yes – we are not denying it. But there’s still some more to that. Your smoothies do not become worthless if you drink them after the night of storing them. However, if you want to make smoothies before night you can keep them in the fridge and drink them in the morning. Surely it will lose some nutrients (it’s inevitable anyway), but it’s still healthy for you to drink.
