Licuado facts for kids
Licuados are yummy blended drinks from Latin America. They are a bit like smoothies, but usually made with milk, fruit, and ice. Sometimes people call them "batidos" or "preparados" (which means "prepared").
You can find licuados everywhere in Mexico. They are sold by street vendors, in special licuado shops, restaurants, and fruterias. Fruterias are places that specialize in fresh fruit.
Contents
What Makes a Licuado Special?
Licuados are part of a bigger group of fruit drinks. These include jugos (juice), vitaminas, and aguas frescas. Aguas frescas are juices mixed with sugar and water. Refrescos are non-alcoholic fizzy drinks.
Licuados vs. Smoothies
Licuados are always made fresh when you order them. They are different from aguas frescas, which are made ahead of time. The main difference between a licuado and an American-style smoothie is the base. Licuados use a milk base. Smoothies often use fruit juice, sometimes with sherbet or yogurt.
Because they use milk, licuados often have fewer calories than many smoothies. They also have more protein. This makes them a great way to get important nutrients. Licuados can also have nuts like almonds or walnuts. Sometimes, people add sugar or honey for extra sweetness. You might even find versions with granola or chocolate instead of fruit!
Different Names for Blended Drinks
Sometimes, "batidos" are said to always have milk. "Licuados" might be described as a version without milk. The word "batido" is often used in Cuba. Different flavors of licuados or batidos often have special names. These names usually come from their ingredients. For example, a "trigo" or "batido de trigo" has puffed wheat or other cooked grains blended in.
Licuados Beyond Latin America
Licuados became popular in the United States in the 1990s. This happened as more people from Latin American countries moved there. By 1996, the drink was being sold by street vendors in New York City.
They were already popular in border towns like Tijuana, where people often eat them for breakfast. The drink then spread across California. First, it became popular among Mexican-Americans and at Mexican restaurants and food trucks. In 2002, the California Milk Processor Board even spent money to help make the drink more popular. They wanted to encourage more people to drink milk, just like they did with their famous Got Milk? campaign.
Similar Drinks Around the World
A similar blended drink is popular in Southeast Asia, especially in Vietnam. It is called sinh tố.
See also
In Spanish: Licuado para niños
