What Is Mct Oil
If you stay up-to-date on the latest superfoods to hit the market , you’ve probably been hearing the buzz about MCT oil. Yet, even with all this buzz, you may be wonderingwhat is MCT oil? And how would I benefit from adding it to my diet? I’m here to give you the skinny on this healthy fat.
What Youll Find In This Article:
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Green Banana Chocolate Shake
Miss your favorite fast food shake? This blend tastes just like it, but minus all of the junk, Lax says. This recipe is perfect for a sweet fix without the sweets, and the absorbable protein will help build lean muscles which can rev your metabolism, helping you lose more weight over time, she adds. Why the green banana? It’s a great source of resistant starch, another nutrient shown to help with weight loss.
Recipe: Blend 1/2 cup milk of choice, 1/2 green banana, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1 tablespoon almond butter, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
Nutrition: 330 calories, 31 g carbohydrates, 26 g protein, 13 g fat
Read Also: What Fruits To Make Smoothies
Not Based On Evidence
One of the biggest flaws of the 21-Day Smoothie Diet is that there is no research to back it up.
While smoothies can be a great addition to a well-rounded diet, theres no evidence to show that eating smoothies in place of other nutrient-dense foods can improve your skin, gut health, or immune function, as the diet claims.
Furthermore, the diets official website is filled with testimonials from customers claiming to lose large amounts of weight very quickly.
Not only is this unrealistic and unsustainable, but it could also be harmful to health .
summary
The 21-Day Smoothie Diet is not based on evidence and may be associated with an increased risk of nutritional deficiencies. It is also relatively high in carbs and sugar.
Meal Replacement Green Smoothie
Shalek isn’t super big on replacing meals. But if you’re going to do it, make sure you’re limiting the meal that’s being replaced to just one a day. “I have a bunch of clients that work a night shift or work crazy hours, so in some instances it’s appropriate,” she says. And smoothies like this green smoothie from Simple Green Smoothies will load you up on good-for-you foods. Oats for example, have fiber that can help keep you feeling fuller, longer, not to mention it will also keep your blood sugar stable, Jessica Cording, RD previously told WH.
Recipe: Blend 2 cups fresh kale, 2 cups almond milk , 2 cups berries, 1 banana, 2 tablespoons almond butter + ¼ cup rolled oats.
Nutrition: 320 calories, 8.3 g fiber, 8.6 g protein, 12.6 g fat
Read Also: Vegetable Smoothies For Weight Loss
What Can I Put In My Smoothie To Lose Weight
The best things to put in healthy weight loss smoothies are ingredients that provide high quality calories. This means healthy fats, proteins, complex carbs, and foods rich in vitamins and minerals.
Here are some specific weight loss smoothie ingredients that are good for you:Almond butter*: energy booster with good fats and proteins
Avocado: healthy source of fats, fiber, and vitamins that helps counter belly fat
Berries: a high-fiber, high-antioxidant, low-glycemic fruit that helps you burn fat
Celery: a negative calorie food, meaning it takes more energy for your body to digest than which it provides
Coconut oil*: healthy fat that is easy to digest and provides a quick source of energy
Ginger: boosts metabolism
Grapefruit: high-water content fruit that stimulate the hormone that helps the body break down fat
Green tea*: metabolism booster that gives you energy that can help you stay active and burn even more calories.
Leafy green vegetables: low-calorie foods abundant in vitamins, minerals, and fiber
Lemon: aids in digestion and weight loss
Nuts and seeds: contain healthy fats that help you feel satiated or suppress hunger, and can also be a good source of fiber.
Rolled oats* and other whole grains: A fiber-rich food that keep you full longer
Tofu: helps reduce fat storage in the body with substantial protein
How To Use Mct Oil
There are so many ways, yet the key is to start with a SUPER small amount! This stuff is potent and can cause some serious diarrhea if you take too much. Yep, I just said that. When it comes to using it, here are my personal favs:
- Put it in your coffee: I put 1 teaspoon in my coffee every morning. Combined with 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, this Rawkstar Coffee keeps me full + energized until my mid-morning green smoothie.
- Add it to your smoothies: MCT oil benefits that smoothie in SO many ways. Don’t like the taste of coconut oil? Then try this out instead!
- Add it to salad dressing: When making an olive oil-based salad dressing, swap out some of the olive oil for MCT oil. It also works great in salad dressings that have apple cider vinegar in them .
Pro tip: If you add in 1 teaspoon of MCT oil and 2 tbs chia seeds to any of our classic green smoothie recipes, you can instantly transform it into a meal replacement green smoothie. If you’re looking for a starter smoothie to soak up those MCT benefits, then try out this digestion boost smoothie below.
Recommended Reading: What Goes In A Banana Smoothie
Does It Aid Weight Loss
According to the 21-Day Smoothie Diet creator, the plan provides a total of around 1,500 calories per day.
Consuming 1,500 calories per day will lead to weight loss for many people. However, this may vary based on many different factors, including your age, body size, health status, and activity level .
The diet also encourages a variety of nutrient-dense foods, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, all of which are high in fiber.
Fiber moves through the digestive tract slowly, helping to keep you feeling fuller for longer, which could support weight loss .
However, despite being low in calories and high in fiber, the 21-Day Smoothie is also very restrictive and can be difficult to follow.
Furthermore, research suggests that liquids, such as smoothies, are less filling than solid foods, meaning you may feel more hungry drinking mostly smoothies each day .
Not only that, but some studies show that weight loss programs that use meal replacements may be associated with a higher risk of weight regain once a typical diet is resumed .
Therefore, while swapping some of your meals for smoothies may lead to short-term weight loss, its unlikely to be effective long-term.
summary
The 21-Day Smoothie Diet is low in calories, plus high in fiber, which may lead to short-term weight loss. However, studies suggests that smoothies may be less filling than solid foods. Additionally, the plan may be difficult to follow and could increase the risk of weight regain.
Metabolism Boosting Blueberry Smoothie
This healthy, Metabolism Boosting Blueberry Smoothie is the perfect way to start your day. It’s easy, quick, tasty, and full of antioxidants and fat-burning goodness! It contains blueberries, bananas, and spinach and is a great weight-loss smoothie!
Other nutritious and fruity breakfast smoothies to try are a sweet Strawberry Kale Smoothie, a yummy Blueberry Lemon Smoothie, and this Cherry Almond Smoothie that tastes like cherry pie.
When it comes to kitchen cleanup, we like to do the minimum.
We minimally want to do dishes! Dishes in the morning are not fun! That’s why we start our day with a healthy breakfast smoothie like this delicious Blueberry Smoothie with spinach or this Cherry Almond Smoothie almost every morning!
Smoothies high in protein and fiber like this one may even aid weight loss by keeping you full.
Not only do you get the nutritional benefits of the antioxidant blueberries, but you have one, just one, kitchen appliance to clean!
Yippee!
If you like blueberry, you’ll definitely want to try this Blueberry Lemon Smoothie, or another fruity option is a Strawberry Kale Smoothie !
Things can be hectic in the morning, so whether you’re a busy mom or want to eat healthy and clean, starting your day with a breakfast smoothie is the optimal way to keep your metabolism running smoothly.
Recommended Reading: Best Smoothie At Tropical Smoothie
Below You Will Find These 10 Best Green Smoothies For Weight Loss:
The below 10 smoothie recipes for weight loss go great with the green smoothie diet plans below
Keep scrolling for recipes, and for information on how to make a weight loss smoothie DIY.
Smoothie Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
Can you taste the spinach in a green smoothie?
You won’t be able to taste the spinach if you use the proper ratio of fruit to spinach. This green smoothie tastes like a mango pineapple smoothie with a hint of banana flavor.
Are green smoothies healthy?
Blending spinach into a smoothie is a great way to boost your immune system and increase fiber intake, as well as naturally energize you. A kale or spinach smoothie has incredible health benefits with additional phytonutrients. What we eat can truly transform our bodies and our lives in powerful ways.Most smoothies you buy or find online are made with just fruit and fruit juice. This makes them crazy high in sugar, which can cause inflammation and consuming excess calories. A green smoothie, on the other hand, is made with fruit, plant-based liquidsand leafy greens, typically spinach or kale. They’re loaded with iron, potassium, fiber and vitamins galore. If you’re not sure which leafy greens to use in your smoothie, check out my Ultimate Leafy Greens Guide for Smoothies.
What blender do I need to make a spinach smoothie?
Any blender will work, yet to get the creamiest green smoothie you’ll need a high speed blender. Check out The Ultimate Blender Guide, where I reviewed countless blenders to find the best ones for green smoothies. The key is to get rid of leafy chunks, blend quickly and provide tons of value for the price. Hint: not all of them cost $400.
Can I make a green smoothie ahead of time
Recommended Reading: Tropical Smoothie Cafe Order Online
How To Blend The Best Smoothie
Though calorie needs vary depending on age, weight, hormones, activity levels, and more, as a rule of thumb, most of us do well with snacks that contain fewer than 200 calories a 300- to 450-calorie breakfast would cover most adults needs. Heres how to get the most nutrition without driving the calories sky high.
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
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How Are Meal Replacement Shakes Different From Protein Shakes
The main difference between meal replacement shakes and protein shakes are the ingredients. Typically, a protein shake consists of mostly whey protein, without including the vitamins and minerals that are needed to make a well-rounded meal. This is due to the fact that protein shakes are designed to be taken as a supplement to a balanced meal, not a replacement.
Protein powder also doesnt include enough carbohydrates or fiber to maintain your energy in the way that a meal can. They typically just have a high protein content , while meal replacement powders can have varying levels of protein content, ranging from 10 grams to 40 grams per serving.
Whole Foods And The Brain
The brain is a really hungry organ, and it uses 25% of the total energy you consume from your food. Everything it needs to function at its best isyou guessed ita whole, unprocessed food.
In fact, the best diet recommended for brain health is the MIND Diet. In one study, it was shown that people who follow the MIND diet closely had a 53% reduced rate of developing Alzheimers.
Some of the best whole foods for the brain are:
Also Check: Fruit Smoothie In A Bottle
How To Make Meal Replacement Shakes:
Special Tip: You can find these directions, along with measurements, nutrition and more in the sharable recipe card in the next section!
Up next, a sharable recipe card for the best meal replacement smoothie for weight loss
What Makes The Best Weight Loss Smoothie
Before we get into the recipes, we should probably clarify: weight loss smoothies are not magic potions that make fat disappear!
If you want to drink smoothies to lose belly fat fast, you will need to drink them as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
The reason we talk about losing weight with smoothies is that drinking healthy weight loss smoothies for breakfast or a snack is a great thing to incorporate into your diet at any time.
Especially if you are trying to lose weight!
This is because good weight loss smoothies should have lots of filling fibre, be generally low in fat, contain energising natural sugars, lots of nutrients and vitamins, and high protein levels.
Read Also: Frozen Fruit Smoothie For Weight Loss
How To Build Muscle To Burn Fat
I’m a big proponent of eating healthy as much as possible and participating in a regular exercise routine. That looks different for all of us with our varied interests, schedules, time constraints and lifestyles. There’s nothing that helps boost your metabolism more than exercising to build muscle.
More muscle means more fat-burning capabilities.
For me, that’s running 3-5 times a week and lifting weights three times a week. When it comes to boosting your metabolism, exercise goes hand-in-hand with healthy eating. Certain foods have fat-burning and metabolism-boosting abilities. Adding them into your diet can help magnify weight loss efforts. I’m a huge fan of smoothies, especially when I can use natural ingredients to transform them into a weight loss smoothie.
Give your body energy to power it through a workout. The workout helps build muscle, which burns more calories the rest of the time. See how nicely that works? It’s a beautiful thing!
/7advantages Of Consuming Meal Replacement Shakes
1.These smoothies are full of nutrients and are save time for those who have a busy schedule.
2.When trying to lose weight, these shakes are a good addition to your diet. They are very low in calories and good for health.
3.They have added fibre that keeps the stomach full for a longer duration. They are also good for digestion and prevent the body from bloating or constipation.
Don’t Miss: Superfoods To Add To Smoothies
Smoothie Ingredients That Can Help With Weight Loss
Blueberries, Raspberries and Strawberries:
Blueberries are hands-down the #1 fat-busting food you NEED to be eating. Blueberries been shown to literally switch on the genes that torch belly fat. In one animal study at the University of Michigan, researchers found that rats that ate a blueberry-rich diet for only three months had significantly reduced belly fat than the control group.
Strawberries and raspberries are also great for weight loss as well: All these delicious little powerhouses are rich in polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that can help stop fat from forming in the first place. A great option for wallet-friendly berries are actually frozen fruit! Frozen berries have just as many nutrients, and they’re actually more blender-friendly and create a more creamy, cool smoothie. Frozen blueberries and frozen strawberries are excellent additions to a breakfast smoothie.
Spinach
This leafy green might not sound like it would be very tasty in green smoothies – but think again! If your goal is fat burning, spinach is one of the best things you can add to green smoothies to burn fat. There’s a reason green smoothies are so popular! In our opinion, the best healthy green smoothies contain spinach for the extra nutrients and overall health benefits.
Side note: did you know that baby spinach is just the smaller, younger leaves of regular spinach? Baby spinach brings a sweeter, less earthy flavor than regular spinach, so feel free to use it when that’s your goal!
Theyre Great For Breakfast Or An Afternoon Pick
The Spruce
Smoothies are a convenient and colorful way to start your day, but some recipes can be filled with added sugar and fat. For a healthy meal or snack, stick to the basics: fruit and veggies.
Every successful smoothie contains two main ingredients: fruit and/or vegetables and a liquid, such as fruit juice, vegetable juice, or milk. Other possible ingredients include yogurt, nut butter, seeds, spices, herbs, and more. Many smoothies also include a few ice cubes to keep the mixture nice and cold. Often, recipes can be tweaked to meet different dietary requirements or tastesfeel free to swap out dairy products for non-dairy ones or change up the spices and juices.
All of these smoothies recipes are loaded with good-for-you vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and protein. Theyre made with only natural ingredients and range in flavors from mango to chocolate to veggie. Youre sure to find a breakfast smoothie for every day of the week.
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