What's the secret to making your fruit taste even better? You'd probably say there's no other way to do that. After all, fruits are already good in and of themselves. Think again. There's still a better way, and that's to put them all together in a smoothie maker and blend them into a refreshing smoothie!

Smoothies have been around for ages now. Not only are these drinks totally delicious, they are nutritious too. And because you get to make them yourself, you can control the fruits you mix, whether to add milk, soy, some nuts, veggies or yogurt into your mixture. Smoothies are a great way to make your kids eat their daily servings of fruits and veggies without having to threaten or force them into doing so. For those on the road to building muscle, protein powders can be mixed into the smoothie for an added nutritional boost. Meanwhile, those seeking to lose a few extra pounds find that a green smoothie taken in place of breakfast does wonders for the figure without dissipating energy.

Already whet your appetite? Here's how to make that perfect smoothie. Enjoy!

1. Get a smoothie maker if you don't have one yet. If you have an ordinary blender, this will do as well.

2. Prepare the fruits you will use for your smoothie. Fresh fruit tends to give you thinner, almost juice-like consistency. Frozen fruit gives a smoothie creamier consistency and generally makes it taste better. It's cheaper too. If you want the goodness of both, buy them fresh, cut and freeze them.

3. For smoothie preparations, bananas, apples, blackcurrants, blueberries, strawberries and cherries are always good choices. Frozen bananas make your smoothies thick and smooth. When buying frozen fruit, check the packaging to see that it has no added preservatives or sweeteners. You'll want to keep your smoothies as natural as possible. If you're making them for breakfast, consider adding some nuts like almonds or oats to your smoothie to slow down the sugar absorption from the fruit into your bloodstream. Besides, these nuts and cereals will give you more energy for longer.

4. Have your yogurt and other ingredients (soy milk and protein powders if you want them) ready. For green smoothies, cut the veggies beforehand. Note: If you're still new to green smoothies, put in more fruit than vegetables so your taste buds will develop a gradual liking for the drink. Perhaps you can start with 8 parts fruit to 2 parts vegetables, then make the ratio 6 parts fruit to 4 parts vegetables until you can go to an even ration of 5 parts fruit to 5 parts veggies. Even a 6:4 ratio, however, is good enough.

5. To make the concoction, put in the fruit and other ingredients, about a cup or two of water and a cup of ice into the smoothie maker or blender.

6. Put back the lid tightly in place. Plug the appliance and turn it on.

7. Once your smoothie is done, pour into a clear glass and sip with a straw or drink it straight up!