In the search for a quick nutritious breakfast or a sweet dessert, nothing fits the warm weather better than a cold refreshing smoothie. Although smoothies seem to be healthy, some contain added sugars and carbs that make them unsafe for weight loss. This leaves us with no option but to make our own low carb smoothies at home.

In this article, we are going to look at the various low-carb smoothies and how we can quickly make them from the comfort of our homes. 

The low carb smoothies include; low-carb green smoothie, low-carb strawberry smoothie, red velvet smoothie, chocolate peanut butter, mint green protein smoothie, tropical raspberry smoothie, avocado gazpacho smoothie, vegan almond-raspberry smoothie, peach pea protein smoothie, and blueberry and spinach smoothie.

We shall look at these smoothies in detail in the next section.

What are the best low carb smoothies for weight loss? 

1. Low-carb green smoothie

This smoothie gets its color from the addition of greens for example spinach, which is one of the healthiest and nutrient-dense vegetables. The smoothie also contains avocado, flaxseed, and almond milk. 

2. Low-carb strawberry smoothie

This easy smoothie incorporates strawberries, almonds, and cinnamon. Cinnamon in this recipe helps to regulate blood sugar levels.     

3. The red velvet smoothie

This smoothie gets the beautiful red color from the addition of beets. The beets are nutrient-dense with nutrients like vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron. Avocado is usually added to make the smoothie smooth and filling.

4. Low-carb chocolate peanut butter smoothie

Chocolate peanut butter incorporates peanut butter (creamy and natural), cocoa powder, heavy cream, unsweetened almond milk, and uses stevia as a sweetener instead of traditional sugar. Stevia is an artificial sweetener from the stevia plant and it’s very good for weight management according to the mayo clinic. It further warns that it should be used in moderation.

5. The mint green protein smoothie

Mint green smoothie is a blend of refresh peppermint extract, almond milk, avocado, and spinach. The smoothie does not contain sugar and dairy but rather rich in healthy fats and fiber. Fresh mint acts as an artificial sweetener instead of stevia. 

6. Tropical Raspberry Smoothie

The tropical raspberry smoothie is a tasty low carb fruit smoothie made of unsweetened coconut milk, tofu, fresh raspberries, granular sugar substitute, and coconut extract. The smoothie is delicious with close to 8-grams of protein which is enough for a filling breakfast.

7. Avocado Gazpacho Smoothie

This low-carb avocado smoothie will excite your taste buds. It incorporates avocado, goat cheese, heavy cream, lime juice, fresh chives, and salt. It consists of about 4.5g carbs and will take you just a few minutes to prepare.  

8. Vegan Almond-Raspberry Smoothie

This vegan low carb fruit smoothie consists of four ingredients namely; unsweetened almond milk, soy protein powder, fresh raspberries, and whole almonds. It totals up to 6.3g net carbs and only 291 calories.

9. Peach pea protein smoothie

A peach pea protein smoothie is a blend of peaches, high-protein Greek yogurt, cinnamon, and protein powder. In this smoothie, almond or coconut milk is substituted for dairy milk to make it a low-calorie drink.  

10. Blueberry and spinach smoothie

This filling and delicious low-carb smoothie is a mixture of frozen blueberries, spinach, almond milk, and Greek yogurt.

How do you make low carb smoothies at home? 

To make low-carb smoothies at home, make a selection of fruits that are low in carbs and greens that are nutrient-dense and high in fiber. Fiber keeps you full longer and it’s good for digestion.

The fruits may include; 

• Berries
• Watermelon
• Cantaloupe
• Avocados
• Honeydew
• Peaches

Low-carb vegetables may include;

• Cucumber
• Iceberg lettuce
• Celery
• White mushrooms
• Spinach
• Asparagus
• Broccoli

Load the ingredients (fruits and greens) in a high-powered blender and blend to make your smoothie as smooth and creamy as you can. 

For the liquids to add to the blend, you can either use water, milk, and ice.

Adding Greek yogurt or milk increases the protein content in your smoothie.

How many carbs should you have a day to lose weight? 

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that carbs provide 45–65% of your daily calorie intake for all age groups and sexes

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the Daily Value (DV) for carbs is 300 grams per day when eating a 2,000-calorie diet 

For effective weight loss, you can reduce the daily carb intake by cutting down to around 50–150 grams per day.

What food is low in carbs and low in calories? 

As a matter of fact, foods that are low in carbohydrates aren’t necessarily low in calories as well. However, there are some food groups that fit both categories.

For foods that are low in both calories and carbs, our best choice is nonstarchy vegetables that have high water and fiber content, meaning that they are low calories per gram. You can eat large portions of these foods and fill up without going over your daily calories.

The vegetables include; lettuce, kale, cucumbers, cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms, asparagus, celery, summer squash, okra, snap beans, and radishes.

According to the USDA, fruits tend to be higher in carbohydrates and calories than vegetables, but still lower in calories than many other low-carb foods 

Fruit choices with fewer than 15 grams of carbs and 75 calories include a cup of sliced peaches, apple, raspberries, cantaloupe, blackberries, strawberries, watermelon, casaba melon, and water-packed canned apricots.

What are the health benefits of low carb diets?

The advantages of low-carb diets include;

1. Reducing appetite

Hunger is normally the worst side effect of dieting. It is why most people give up on diets. However, studies indicate that when people reduce carb intake and eat more protein and fat, they end up eating fewer calories.  

2. Low-carb diets lead to weight loss

Reduction of carbs intake reduces appetite and eventually weight loss without needing to count calories. Studies show that people on low-carb diets lose more weight, faster, than those on low-fat diets.

3. Low carb diets reduce the risk to heart disease

The main cause of elevated triglycerides is the consumption of foods high in carbs, especially sugars. When we cut down on carbs, we tend to experience dramatic reductions in blood triglycerides. This reduces the risk of heart disease.

4. Reduction in blood sugar and insulin levels

Low carb diets are very important to people with diabetes and insulin resistance. Studies show that cutting carbs lowers blood sugar and insulin levels drastically. It is believed that diabetic people who begin a low-carb diet end up reducing their insulin dosage by 50% almost immediately.

5. Improve blood pressure

High blood pressure is one of the risk factors of heart disease. Lowering blood pressure definitely lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. Studies show that low-carb diets lower blood pressure in individuals with overweight or obesity.

6. HDL Cholesterol Will Improve

HDL cholesterol is inversely related to both coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular disease mortality in both men and women. This means that low levels of HDL-cholesterol are associated with the risk of heart disease. Carbohydrate restriction has been shown to increase blood levels of HDL-cholesterol.

we have an interesting article about low-carb foods for weight loss. Get it here and learn what to include and to avoid on your low carb diet.

What are the disadvantages of low-carb diets?

you can have the following side effects as a result of Low-carb diets.  

• Muscle weakness 
• Confusion 
• Dizziness 
• Tiredness
• Dehydration

Bottom line

Low-carb smoothies have a wide range of health benefits. They improve your cholesterol and blood pressure. They also reduce blood sugar and your appetite which boosts weight loss. These low-carb smoothies can be quick fixes to mineral and nutrient deficiencies. plus they only take a few minutes to prepare.

Diets alone cannot solve overweight or obesity challenges. Regular body exercise and healthy eating is the way to go. lookout for the best exercise for weight loss from our article here.     

 

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