The key to any good smoothie is the base. It will not only determine the texture and taste but also the nutrition – how healthy (or not) your smoothie will be. Smoothie bases are generally one or a combination of juice, milk, yogurt, sorbets and/or ice cream.

If I’m making a breakfast smoothie, I might opt for a juice or milk base. If I’m recovering from a bike ride, I might stick with juice. And if I’m making a treat for the kids on a summer weekend, I might go for sorbet or even a little ice cream. 

To give you a better idea of how to determine your base, here are a few tips for flavor, nutrition and texture:

Juice: Juice tends to add good sweetness and balance and can be used for almost any type of smoothie – whether to drink before or after a workout, for breakfast or even as a treat! Some of the most common juice bases are apple, orange and pineapple:

• Apple – good base to let fruit flavors come through more. Mixes really well with berries, banana, and most other fruits with the exception of tropical fruits (think papaya, mango, pineapple)

• Orange –a tart base that tends to dominate the flavor. Orange goes well with almost all mainstream fruits

• Pineapple – if you like tropical drinks, start with pineapple

Milk or Soymilk (for non-dairy alternative): Milks tend to dull the flavor. It is usually best to add a natural sweetener (like honey) or even a nut butter to give it a little something extra.

Yogurt: Yogurts (fresh or frozen) are great bases because they add thickness and provide probiotic benefits –great support for your immune and digestive systems. When choosing yogurts, I generally stick to vanilla for berry and tropical smoothies.

Sherbets, Sorbets, or even Ice Cream:  I don’t recommend using sherbets, sorbets and/or ice cream for daily smoothies. While they add a lot of flavor and a yummy icy texture, they can also load your smoothie with calories and sugar. These bases are best when making smoothie treats for fun summertime snacks or even as desserts.