5 Good smoothies for weight loss. You can make these at home.
This blog post is about good smoothies for weight loss. In this, you are going to learn whether smoothies are actually good for weight loss. You will also be able to learn about the different types of smoothies you can make if you would like to lose weight.
Good smoothies for weight loss should ideally have healthy carbs, fiber, protein for muscle building, and fullness. They should also have good fats for food and also help hydrate the body.
Banana peanut butter smoothie, green sunrise smoothie, berry chia seed smoothie, coconut cashew protein, and tropical morning smoothies are all good smoothies for weight loss.
Are smoothies good for weight loss?
Smoothies are only good for weight loss if the ingredients are put together carefully. This can be done by following the criteria mentioned above. Good smoothies for weight loss must have;
- Healthy carbs
- Good fiber for fullness and easy digestion
- Protein for muscle building and fullness
- Good fats for fuel
These are the things you should ideally look out for when making good smoothies for weight loss.
The downside of smoothies; let’s look at a few.
When most fruits are blended, they don’t provide the satiety level that whole fruits are supposed to provide. This is why it is important to make sure that the above criteria is followed.
Adding a protein to your smoothie (ideally plant-based protein) will ensure you remain fuller for longer. This is how your weight loss goals can be supported.
The other issue is that; you may consume too much of everything in a smoothie without knowing. You may not be able to eat a whole pineapple and 5 bananas, however, once blended, you can actually drink them.
For this reason, you will need to take good care when making smoothies at home. Adding the right proportions of everything will help your weight loss goals.
5 Good smoothies for weight loss. You can actually make these at home.
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1. Banana – peanut butter smoothie.
This smoothie contains a banana, peanut butter, milk, and honey (optional). The Banana has a Fair amount of fiber and carbs, Peanut butter has fiber and good fat, milk has the proteins. Honey is better than sugar.
Ingredients (*for one serving)
- 1 banana
- 1 tbsp. peanut butter
- 10 oz. almond milk (you can use milk of your choice)
2. Green sunrise smoothie
This smoothie can be made customized to your preferences, especially when it comes to green vegetables. You can also add protein powder and ground flaxseed to make it a good smoothie for weight loss.
Ingredients (*for one serving)
- 3 tbsp. protein powder
- 2 cups of spinach leaves, 1/2 avocado (medium size)
- 1 cup cashew milk / Water
- 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed
3. Blueberry chia seed smoothie
This smoothie is nutrient-dense and will keep you full for such a long time.
Ingredients (*for one serving)
- 1/2 cup of blueberries (can be frozen or you can add ice instead)
- 1/2 cup of strawberries
- 1 banana
- 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp. chia seeds
4. Coconut cashew protein smoothie
Ingredients (*for one serving)
- 2 cups of spinach leaves
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- 1 of almond milk or water
- 10 cashews
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean powder
- 3 tbsp. protein powder
- Honey to taste
5. The tropical morning smoothie
This smoothie provides good energy to start your day.
Ingredients (*for one serving)
- 1/2 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 chopped mango
- 1/4 fresh pineapple (chopped)
- 1/2 banana (can be frozen)
- 2 tbsp. flaxseed (ground)
What smoothies are good for weight loss breakfast?
Smoothies good for weight loss breakfast should have protein, fiber, good carbs
Smoothies that are good for weight loss breakfast should be able to keep you fuller for longer. They should also be able to give you a good burst of energy.
Another important component that cannot be left out is fiber as it will help you ease digestion through your day. These aspects are very important for anyone on their weight loss journey.
Smoothies good for breakfast for weight loss
1. Berry Banana Smoothie
How to make this smoothie:
Blend the following ingredients together until they are fine to drink.
- 1 banana
- ½ cup strawberries
- Half cup blueberries
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 apple cored and sliced
- One cup of almond milk (or other milk of choice)
- Honey to sweeten. (optional)
Ingredients *for one serving
2. Skinny Orange Dream Smoothie
How to make this smoothie:
Blend the following ingredients together until they are fine to drink.
- 1 orange fruit (peeled)
- One tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. honey (optional)
- 1/4 cup Almond milk
- Half cup Greek yogurt
- Add ice – 1/2 cup will do.
Ingredients *for one serving
3. Chocolate Banana Almond Butter Smoothie
This smoothie might seem lighter depending on the size of the banana you use. Feel free to add extra pieces for extra thickness.
To make this smoothie, add ingredients to blender and blend until they are fine.
- 1 cup of almond milk
- One banana (frozen)
- 1 tbsp. cacao powder
- One tbsp. almond butter
- Add ice – 1/4 cup will do
Ingredients *for one serving
4. Chocolate Banana Smoothies
- 1 cup milk dairy or non-dairy
- 2 bananas frozen
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Ingredients *for one serving
5. Berry Green Breakfast Smoothie Recipe
- 1 cup spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons old fashioned oats
- 1 tablespoon sugar, or more, to taste
Ingredients *for one serving
6. Banana oatmeal smoothie
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
- 1 banana cut into thirds
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon honey optional
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ingredients *for one serving
Pros/advantages of good smoothies for weight loss
Many advantages are associated with good smoothies for weight loss. Smoothies are either good or bad because of ingredients and basically how much nutrients they have.
Let’s explore some of the pros of these smoothies;
1. They will help you stay fuller for longer.
Not all smoothies out there will help you achieve high satiety levels but the ones stated above will do. This is because most (if not all) contain proteins that help you stay full.
2. Improved fruit intake
Smoothies will help you achieve the recommended fruit intakes easily. Blending different ingredients together to add amazing flavor helps ease the intake of smoothies. These have good amounts of fruits and green vegetables which are essential for health and weight loss.
3. Improved fiber intake
Most of the fruits in these smoothies have good fiber which is essential in easing digestion. Fibre also helps you to stay full for longer which is essential when starting your day.
4. The added protein also helps muscle building
Proteins are an essential part of any weight-loss strategy. They help in the formation of muscle which is very important while you lose the fat.
5. They are easy to eat (drink)
Eating the same amount of food values in their whole form is quite hard for many. Smoothies are much easier as the blend of ingredients together makes good taste and makes all these drinkable in one go.
Cons/disadvantages of smoothies for weight loss
1. Risk of consuming too much
It is very easy to consume too much of certain ingredients if you don’t pay attention to the quantities in recipes. For example; while you may not eat a whole pineapple, you can actually drink it very easily.
This can sometimes cause you to consume more calories or other food values in bigger quantities than is necessary.
2. Smoothies may contain too much-added sugar
This is very common for store-bought smoothies. It is always better to make these smoothies at home using whole fruits and other fresh ingredients.
3. Risk of increased calorie intake
Some smoothies might get you to consume more calories than you need to. This is common because fruits naturally have sugars. Adding sugar or honey to these smoothies might some times throw your weight loss goals in the toilet.
4. Reduced fiber
Blending refines fiber in these fruits which makes it less effective when it comes to it’s benefits to weight loss. Whole fruits are always a better option.
6. Reduced satiety in some cases
Since smoothies have blended ingredients, these don’t work as well as whole Ingredients would when helping you to remain fuller for longer.
Whole fruits will always take longer to digest than blended ones. Adding protein can help add satiety to your smoothie experience.
Bottom line:
Good smoothies for weight loss can only be efficient if they are carefully put together. Key ingredients like fiber, protein, good fat, and healthy carbs are a must-have for them to do better than other smoothies out there.
Always pay attention to the quantities so that not too much or too little is consumed. Also, consider making smoothies yourself rather than buying them from supermarkets. This is the only way you will be sure of the ingredients.