Savory Weight Loss Smoothies
A smoothie can be a lot of things: a pre- or post-workout boost, a cold and refreshing thirst quencher, a thick and creamy dessert, a perfectly balanced breakfast. But one thing most of us never think of when we think of smoothies: comfort food.
These recipes, from the book Zero Belly Smoothies, stake out a new territory in the smoothie landscape, a culinary point of departure into a taste realm you might not have considered. While these smoothies are still cold and refreshing, they’re going to taste more like a savory soup than a bright pick-me-up.
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 scoop plant-based plain protein powder
- 3 ice cubes
- Water to blend
NUTRITION: 232 calories / 2 g fat / 28 g carbs / 3.5 g fiber / 10 g sugar / 26 g protein
Oatmeal Banana And Strawberry Smoothie
If theres one food item you must have in your house, its oatmeal! Why? Whole oats are great for any weight loss plan. They are high in soluble fiber and are nutritious.
Strawberries are not only mouthwatering but are high on nutrients and treat gout and arthritis.
This is one of those healthy smoothies for dinner that allows you to sleep better without the feeling of hunger. This is because oats and bananas are filling making a good substitute for a heavy dinner.
Ingredients:
S To Turn A Green Smoothie Into A Meal
The key to replacing meals with green smoothies is including healthy fats AND proteins. Healthy fats and proteins are the way to go if you want to power up with a green smoothie meal replacement. This combo will keep you feeling full and give you the energy you need to cruise right through til your next snack or meal. Below are our favorite options for green smoothie meal replacement boosters:
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Fall Version Glowing Green Smoothie
Total Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Organic romaine lettuce
- Organic pear
This recipe uses fresh kale as its main ingredient. It is an ideal recipe for breakfast and snacks. It can also serve as a meal replacement for individuals on a diet.
The inclusion of pear and apples add great texture and fruity taste. The banana makes the fruit blend creamy and complements the tangy lemon juice to mask kales taste.
Kale in this recipe works with other elements to enhance the production of detox enzymes. It cleanses the body, prevents the accumulation of fat, and aids weight loss. The combination of these ingredients helps you to stay energized, refreshed, and vibrant.
You can get the full recipe at kimberlysnyder
Kale Detox Smoothie Recipes
Kale is what some would call a superfood, which means it packed with large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. In fact, its considered to be one of the most nutritious plants in existence.
Kale doesnt always taste the best because it can be rather strong for some, but if you combine it with the right ingredients it can be a delicious and healthy addition to any green detox smoothie recipe. Also make sure you use only the leaves and discard the stems, this will remove most of the bitter flavor.
Try some of these yummy weight loss smoothies, just one a day can help jump start your smoothie diet.
For more delicious Kale Smoothie recipes, be sure to check out my other post: 11 Kale Smoothie Recipes for Fast Weight Loss.
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The Best Green Smoothie
Okay, lets be real. We all want to add a little more green into our lives. However, sometimes it can be hard to gag down. Change all of that with this 5-star smoothie recipe. Not only is this smoothie incredibly delicious, but its also packed with nutrients. Chug those greens the easy way!
Pineapple Banana Detox Smoothie
I love detox smoothie recipes that include strawberries! This pineapple and strawberry smoothie recipe is a great way to get in your greens, while tricking your tastebuds!
This is one of the best smoothies for weight loss as you cant taste anything except all the yummy fruit! Try it with your favorite green smoothie detox plan.
Read Also: Best Protein Powder For Green Smoothies
You Also Get To Benefit By Consuming The Fiber Which Is Also Important For A Healthy Gut
Milk, ice cream and yogurt are ingredients that people like to add to their smoothies.
However, these are ingredients that could leave you adding even more weight.
They contain increased amounts of calories which does very little to support your weight loss goals.
If you want to add dairy ingredients to your smoothies, stick to raw milk, and plain or Greek yogurt.
These two have lower calories and supply you with important proteins.
Not to mention that most protein powders and supplements are bad, most of them really are.
Many of these powders and supplements have ingredients that may prove detrimental in your weight loss journey.
There are also, many superb sources of natural protein that are safe for someone whos trying to lose weight.
Such sources include:
gelatin, seeds, butter, and nuts.
Smoothie diets are rapidly increasing in popularity among weight watchers.
Lastly, taking smoothies alone and eliminating other normal foods can be dangerous to your health.
You will lose all the weight you are looking to lose but you will leave your body vulnerable to diseases and infections.
Smoothies alone cannot supply your body with the required nutrients to stay healthy.
On the other hand, taking a healthy smoothie for breakfast, eating a healthy lunch and dinner is the right way to go.
Finally, you have different sources of nutrients, healthy fats among other important components that are sure to keep you healthy and more importantly your weight in check.
Greens To Add To Your Shakes
Always make sure youre adding in some greens such as a big handful spinach to every smoothie.
This will help to give your body a lot of powerful nutrients by simply adding in these superfood greens. It also helps to keep your stomach feeling fuller for longer so you dont get any hunger pains.
Make sure you add in a healthy fat such as coconut oil or avocados to your smoothies to make them a true meal replacement.
You can check out more of my favorite healthy fats that actually help you burn fat .
I love adding frozen berries to my smoothies to help sweeten things up. Theyll also give your body a good dose of powerful antioxidants.
Ill usually pick up some organic blueberries at the grocery store and stick them in the freezer. Theyll last a lot longer than buying them fresh.
Then Ill mix up the berries into my smoothies. Since they are frozen they all help to make your meal replacement smoothie colder.
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Kale And Apple Green Detox Smoothie
This detox smoothie recipe is not quite like the ones before kale has a stronger flavor than spinach . Thankfully almond milk helps in this smoothie for weight loss.
When on a smoothie diet, its important to switch up your greens, so you ingest more nutrients and kale smoothie recipes for weight loss can help you do that.
Green Smoothies For Weight Loss And Fat Burning
The following green smoothie recipes for weight loss are rich in plant-based nutrients, include natural sugar only , and are balanced with healthy fats.
Replace one or two meals per day with one of these green smoothies, and youll feel and look fantastic. Research for my book The Green Smoothies Diet showed that the top 5 results from a daily green smoothie habit are: more energy, weight loss, better digestion, brighter skin, and decreased cravings.
Green smoothies are also super simple and inexpensive to make. Take advantage of the frozen produce section, and buy fresh produce thats in season to make the most of your smoothie dollar. Feel free to amp up the protein content with clean, no-additive protein powder.
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Are Smoothies A Good Way To Lose Weight
Simple smoothies can be a way to lose weight, if you incorporate them into your diet correctly.
One common mistake that causes some people to not successfully lose weight is to not pay attention to portions or what ingredients they are putting in their smoothies.
And because smoothies are drinks that are easy to down rather than meals you sit down and chew, its not hard to overlook the amount of food thats in your blended beverage.
If you do plan to lose weight with smoothies, as with any food or diet, you need to take in fewer calories than you are currently eating to shed those pounds. This is done by combining ingredients that are low-calorie, nutrient-dense, and leave you feeling fuller.
Homemade weight loss smoothies are the best way to control the quality of the ingredients that go into your blended beverage. And remember, never put your health at risk or leave you feeling starved.
As always, check with your health practitioner to make sure that you are embarking on a diet that is suitable for your situation.
Dark Chocolate Banana Nut
If you want your weight loss smoothies to taste like dessert, this recipe should be your go-to. Four words that combine to sound like a jam session at Ben & Jerry’s house. The density of the banana will have you convinced you’re drinking a milkshake, while the omega-3s in the walnuts will keep your mind sharp and your belly lean.
- ½ banana
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- cup plant-based chocolate protein powder
- Water to blend
NUTRITION: 280 calories / 3 g fat / 31 g carbs / 7 g fiber / 9 g sugar / 31 g protein”
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Transitional Day Fast Aka Smoothie Day For The 17 Day Diet
If you havent heard by now, the 17 Day Diet was updated back in 2014 and to include several additions for fat-burning and optimal weight loss.
One of those changes includes an optional Transitional Day Fast or better known as the smoothie day
In a nutshell, the Transitional Day Fast is a special day of fat-burning smoothies in place of your regular three meals.
You can read more about the Transitional Day Fast for the 17 Day Diet.
What Are The Best Smoothie Ingredients For Shedding Weight
All the ingredients in a smoothie are healthy and great for maintaining the right body weight.
However, if you are looking to dump a few pounds, some ingredients will work better than others.
Here is a run-down of ingredients that you can include in your smoothie to help with weight loss.
Chili peppers Chili peppers contain certain compounds that help reduce appetite. Cayenne pepper, for instance, contains capsaicin which if added as an ingredient to your smoothie will help limit your food intake throughout the day.
Lemon Adding lemon juice to your smoothie will not only give your smoothie an amazingly distinct taste but also serves other purposes.
Lemon helps to boost metabolism to burn more calories in the body. In addition, lemon contains no calories which means you take something that has no calories yet helps burn excess calories in your body.
Cocoa powder is a one-stop solution for almost all the problems people struggle with whether overweight or not. Cocoa powder makes your smoothie taste heavenly.
But aside from that, there are numerous health benefits you gift your body by consuming cocoa.
Such benefits include:
Natural detoxification to remove unwanted harmful substances from the body
Antioxidants which lowers chances of acquiring infections and protects against heart disease and cancer
Fiber-rich for reduced appetite and regulation of blood sugar Curcumin.
If you are wondering what curcumin is, dont worry, you are not on your own.
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Fruit Smoothies For Weight Loss: Do They Work
Some people reach for smoothies to satisfy their fruit flavor cravings. Others choose smoothies as substitutes for other foods that they believe can lead to weight gain. Therefore, most people do not truly view fruit smoothies as weight loss ingredients.
It is believed that some fruit smoothies can aid in weight loss. Knowing this, if you cannot exercise for medical reasons, then you really should consider grabbing yourself some weight loss smoothie recipes. Again, ensure you consult with your nutritionist or doctor.
This consultation will help in determining which smoothies could work for you as well as how often to drink them. Since most people miss this step, they often gain weight because, like food, overconsumption of smoothies can lead to dangerous weight gain. Weight gain resulting from too many calories and excessive sugar intake. High-calorie intake will only jeopardize your weight loss journey. Similarly, although the sugar is a natural material, too much of it can aggravate health conditions like diabetes .
Is Raw Kale In Smoothies Good For You
Raw kale is one of the healthiest things you can eat in smoothies aside from spinach which can be healthier on some levels.
However, there are a lot of benefits that you can only get from kale or other cruciferous vegetables over any other vegetables.
The compound that is only present in kale, and not spinach is called sulforaphane and it has been proven by science to actually improve your DNA.
So is it important to eat raw kale?
It is important to eat raw kale because sulforaphane is only active when the cruciferous vegetable is raw. Although I did hear Dr. Michael Gregor mention that you can significantly increase the amount of sulforaphane in cooked cruciferous veggies by adding mustard powder to it.
But were hardly likely to want mustard in our smoothies, are we?
So lets just keep the kale raw and keep these amazing benefits active.
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Top 10 Kale Smoothie Recipes For Weight Loss
Kale is a very versatile superfood and considered the king of greens. Sometimes it appears like the benefit of kale for weight loss and other health benefits are hyped. The truth is that the green leafy vegetable is worth the hype.
Some people dont know the health benefits of kale. Others know the benefits but dont know how to include these magical greens in their diet.
Regardless of your belief, smoothies are the best media to include kale in your diet. It is also one of the valuable ways to get the maximum nutrient from kale.
Kale allows you to include other ingredients that can enhance its effect. These ingredients can also help you to improve and generate taste variations. There are several options of kale smoothie recipes you can explore.
Do you know some recipes but wish to know more? Are you seeking a convenient way to start with these super-rich greens? Or you seek a natural, safe, and passive way to lose weight? Keep reading this article to find out.
Below are some of the best kale smoothie recipes for weight loss.
Avocado Detox Smoothie Recipe
When it comes to healthy foods, avocados are among the top super foods. Avocados are full of healthy nutrients, including Vitamins B, C, K. folate, potassium, and more.
For more information about my green smoothie cleanse and green smoothie recipes, check out my Green Smoothie Recipes article.
Studies have shown that avocados can help improve cardiovascular health, relieve joint inflammation, promote eye health, strengthen bones, and even help with weight loss.
An avocado smoothie provides the health benefits of avocados while hiding the taste of the avocado a little.
Read Also: 10 Day Detox Smoothie Diet
What Makes A Smoothie Recipe Fat Loss Friendly Or Fat Burning
- The ingredients you include in it be sure to include a good amount of protein as well as these ingredients
- The ingredients you avoid including in it stay away from these ingredients
- Low fat: a green vegetable smoothie is by nature low-fat, though as far as taste goes, you can use the tips and techniques in the guide to make it taste exactly as you love it. Having said that, including healthy fats in your smoothie would actually help with fat loss! My favorites are flaxseed, chia, and cold-pressed coconut oil.
- Timing: breakfast, snack, or meal replacement consuming a smoothie as your breakfast is a proven way to feel fuller for longer, avoiding hunger pangs, avoiding snacking and larger lunch portions. Replacing one other meal with a healthy smoothie would also mean youre getting a nutrient-rich meal but without the extra calories.
Do you want to get ALL my original smoothie recipes for weight loss? Click the button below to download them .
Almond & Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie
This is definitely a smoothie for chocolate lovers, yet is only 300 calories and provides 9 grams of fiber, says Gans.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup frozen strawberries or mixed berries, if you prefer
- 3-6 ice cubes I use 5, depending on how thick you like your shakes
Steps:Starting with the almond milk, place all the ingredients into a blender. Depending on your blenders settings, first start by chopping up the ice and frozen strawberries, followed by pureeing the mixture to create a smooth, even consistency. In order to get your preferred consistency, you can also start by not adding any ice, following the other steps above. Once all other ingredients are mixed together, slowly add the ice, mix and then test. Continue to add more ice cubes until the desired consistency is met. If too thick, you can add some more almond milk, little by little. If not sweet enough, add a little more honey.
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Is It Easy To Follow A Whole Food Diet
Once youve got your head around having ingredients rather than ready-to-eat things in your kitchen cupboards, its actually very easy. The only issue is the lifestyle and habit changes that come along with it.
It is very likely that for many people, following a totally, religiously whole food diet may be unattainable at least some of the time. For example, there are days where you dont get time to make your lunch or if you want to enjoy social eating. Similarly, people who have young children or who are working more than one job are unlikely to be able to follow a whole food diet all of the time.
Sometimes, we put ourselves under pressure to be as perfect as we can with diets like this, which can lead to an eating disorder called Orthorexia, which is a preoccupation with healthy eating.
This means that following a whole food diet, in principle, can be healthy and accessible for some people but not for everyone. It also means that those with previous disordered eating, as always, need to avoid any form of dietary restriction or rules around their diet.