Smoothies are blended beverages that are often mixed with fresh fruit, crushed or shaved ice, frozen fruit, or other fruit juices. Smoothies usually do not contain ice cream (that’s what milk shakes are for). Smoothies date back to the 1960s when they were offered as healthy alternatives to milk shakes but it wasn’t until the 1990s that they began to really catch on. Stephen Kuhnau, founder of Smoothie King, the second largest smoothie franchise in the US, claims to have coined the term “smoothie” in the late 1960s though a company named Waring made a blender in the 1940s that had an accompanying booklet publishing recipes for “smoothees”.

A Tradmark filed by Boweys Inc. in January 1936 give the name “old smoothie” and is described as a “chocolate syrup for food purposes.” And two years earlier in March 1934, there was a whiskey that also filed under the name “old smoothie”. Then there is a clothing company that filed the name “smoothie” in 1959 but cliams it used the term commercially in 1930. Who knows where the origin of the name “smoothie” actually came from, but I think it is clear that there are several people including Mr. Kuhnau that helped make the fruit smoothie industry what it is today.

One of the first of these pioneering ventures goes back to the 1920s when Julius Freed and Bill Hamlin invented the “Orange Julius” that was similar to many smoothies we have today. The drink became so popular that people in line would shout “Give me an orange, Julius!” And the name stuck.

What is in a Smoothie?

Smoothies get their thick, shake-like consistency through the use of frozen fruit, ice, or frozen yogurt. It is this “base” that often differentiates the different juice bars. Some use a frozen yogurt or sherbet base. Others use crushed ice. And some claim that special shaved ice is the secret.

One of the reasons Smoothies have caught on is due to the fact that they taste great and are relatively healthy for you, though you need to be careful of the high sugar content and free “boosts” or “add ons” that are offered with commercial smoothies. All-fruit smoothies usually provide the best options for a health-conscience person. Fruits like cranberries, pomegranates, and blueberries are packed with vitamins and antioxidants.

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