How To Choose The Best Protein Powder
As you scan labels, Jennifer McDaniel, M.S., R.D.N., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, recommends choosing options that include their specific type of protein as the first ingredient then, its best to go for ones that dont use artificial sweeteners, keep their ingredient lists short, and have neutral flavors like vanilla or unflavored. Now, its time to pick the right kind of protein for you.
Know your diet. Theres a protein powder out there for every diet imaginable plant-based eaters can enjoy soy and pea protein, for example, while paleo adherents can reach for egg white protein. And if youre dairy-free, avoid whey or casein and reach for hemp or soy. Before you settle on one, make sure youre clear on your eating plan.
Understand PDCAAS.One of the more recent, accepted ways to assess the protein quality and bioavailability is the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score , McDaniel explains. PDCAAS ranks proteins on a quality scale of zero to one. The closer to one, the better whey, casein, and egg white score 1.0, collagen scores 0.0, and plant-based options score in the middle.
Ready to explore some new options or learn more about your favorite? These are the best protein powders to try, according to dietitians and reviewers.
Vegan Berry Beet Smoothie
Why we love it: A true superfood smoothie with noticeable detoxing effects! Beets contain antioxidants like betaine and pectin, which help remove and clear toxins from the liver and body. There are so many delicious fruits and veggies here that provide vitamins and minerals for a healthy boost.
Key benefits: detox/cleansing
Are High Protein Fruit Smoothies Healthy
Crave-worthy fruit smoothies are indeed healthy if you mix them right! Be sure to follow these pointers and youll end up with a good-for-you smoothie.
- Dont add juice from the grocery store shelf to your smoothie. Choose liquids like coconut water and unsweetened almond milk like we did for the 5 High Protein Fruit Smoothies for Weight Loss found in this post. Other good choices are hemp milk and soy milk.
- Add healthy fats like Greek yogurt and avocado. That way, along with the fat, youll get extra protein from the yogurt and vitamins and antioxidants from the avocado.
- If you think you need a sweetener, add cinnamon or a dash of pure maple syrup. Dont add artificial sweeteners.
- Dont forget your greens. They add extra nutrients and blend in well with fruits like bananas and strawberries.
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What Types Of Smoothies Should You Avoid
This all depends on what your goals are. As a general rule of thumb, Mitsios says that you should steer clear of smoothies that contain excessive sugar due to frozen yogurt, sugary yogurt, or high-glycemic-index fruit . Smoothies with these bases cause sugar levels to spike, which can lead to a blood sugar spike and quickly becomes a recurring pattern, causing even more sugar cravings throughout the day.
Maeng adds to this, noting that store-bought smoothies can be too high in carbs or fat. “Sometimes it has added sugar which is totally not necessary,” she adds. “In order for you to fuel yourself properly, balanced macronutrients are the key.”
The 7 Best Protein Powders For Weight Loss
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Protein powders have long appealed to people who want to build muscle and become stronger.
But they can also help those who want to shed weight.
As a convenient and tasty way to increase your protein intake, these powders offer many weight loss benefits such as appetite control.
Theyre highly concentrated dairy- or plant-based sources of protein that may contain added ingredients to aid weight loss as well.
Here are the 7 best protein powders for weight loss.
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Extra Breakfast Smoothie Ingredients
If youre looking to add in some protein powder, or superfood ingredients to your smoothie recipes, check out a list of my personal favorites:
The best smoothie add ins:
I like to add the protein, collagen, Maca, and flax seeds to the blender and blend them into the weight loss smoothies. As for the chia and hemp seeds, both go well on top, or inside your healthy breakfast smoothies for weight loss.
Get creative with your add ins, as long as youre not adding in sugar or processed foods, youll likely be making good choices.
If youre looking for Kid Friendly Smoothie Recipes, check out my article on Healthy Smoothies for Kids here:
Chocolate Banana Protein Shake
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, for Breakfast, is Dairy-Free, Vegan, Chocolate, No Protein Powder
This frosty chocolate shake recipe is only sweetened with fruit and has a milkshake-like texture thanks to frozen bananas.
Protein-rich hemp hearts provide 10 grams of protein per serving and the cinnamon will help balance your blood sugar.
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Benefits Of A Weight Loss Cleanse
A weight loss cleanse can be slightly different from a smoothie cleanse, and we will explore the differences here.
Often a weight loss cleanse will incorporate more than just smoothies but you guessed it, you will typically consume weight loss smoothies while on a weight loss cleanse.
A weight loss cleanse will, however, also incorporate salads, detox water recipes, even a bit of exercise. But because it heavy leans on help from smoothies to lose weight, weve included it here.
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Alternative For Smoothies: Pre Workout Meals
Sugar has a poor connotation, but it isnt always harmful to our health. The human body, on the other hand, is designed to run on sugar.
Excessive intake of refined sugar or other sweeteners, such as stevia, is unquestionably unhealthy. Stevia, for example, may cause weight gain!
Above all, eating fruits one hour prior to an exercise is recommended. You can also consume a high-carbohydrate meal before a workout.
A pre-workout meal can consist of oats, bread, rice, or pasta. Depending on the meal, eat them at least 1-2 hours before exercising.
Moreover, nitrates appear to improve the bodys ability to deliver blood and oxygen to muscles. What foods naturally contain a lot of nitrates?
Nitrate levels are particularly high in spinach, beets, and lettuce.
For instance, if you want to run faster, include nitrate-rich foods in your pre-workout drink recipes.Spinach, lettuce, and beetroot also have pretty high nitrate content.
Furthermore, beet juice has the highest nitrate content out of any beverage.
Beetroot juice is also popular among long-distance runners because of its high nitrate content.
After knowing about pre-workout meals, you might be interested in some post-workout smoothies or protein shakes as well. So, we have got that covered too.
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Protein Shakes May Help With Weight Management
Proteins effect on metabolism, appetite, and muscle mass may also keep you from regaining weight once youve successfully lost it.
A study from 2005 found that when participants who had lost weight from a specific diet program were given 30 grams of protein in addition to their regular diet during a weight management period of 6 months, they regained less weight than participants who didnt have the supplemented protein .
A 2015 literature review suggests that higher protein intakes appears to improve both weight loss and weight management. Yet, researchers caution that full adherence to a higher-protein diet and other lifestyle factors are usually required for this improvement .
Summary
Additional protein, whether from shakes or whole foods, can help minimize the amount of weight you regain after weight loss.
Are Smoothies Good For Weight Loss
The FIRST ruleThe second ruleprovenHow to Make a Healthy Smoothie
The third rule of weight loss smoothie: Remember that losing weight is a symptom of greater LIFESTYLE changes. No weight loss plan is complete without holistic changes, including addressing mental health issues, increasing exercise, getting enough sleep and overall intentional eating, not just drinking smoothies.
A smoothie subscription CAN be a great way to eat healthy and help lose weight…but the key word there is ‘help.’ Simply relying on smoothies to lose weight without making overall lifestyle adjustments is probably going to leave you pretty frustrated. Read on to learn about the best weight loss smoothie!
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May Help Manage Blood Sugar Levels
Peanut butter is filled with protein, and heart-healthy fats, but doesnt contain much sugar or carbs, as long as you dont go for the added sugar varieties.
Natural peanut butter doesnt have much impact on your blood sugar levels. It can be a good option for people with diabetes as well.
Keeping your blood sugar in balance is key to losing weight!
Your blood sugar controls how much energy you have. It even dictates how hungry you feel. We feel and look our best when our blood sugar is balanced.
The glycemic index is a ranking of foods according on how they affect your blood sugar levels. Anything below a GI value of 55 is considered low. The GI of peanut butter is only 14!
Eating foods that are low on the GI may help you to stabilize your blood sugar, feel better, and ultimately lose weight.
Smoothies can be healthy, but this shouldnt be used as an excuse to add extra sugar or a spoonful of Nutella in it.
Choosing the right kind of ingredients is key. Its best to choose natural and organic ingredients that are low on the GI whenever possible.
High Calorie Weight Gain Smoothies Recipes
Heres a secret: smoothies are better for a weight-gain diet than a weight-loss diet.
Today were looking through the best weight gain smoothies recipes for building muscle and supporting a calorie surplus diet.
Well be looking at what great smoothies for weight gain need, some of the best examples to get started with, and the real-world stuff you need to remember to make them work for you.
Lets take a look at what goes into making great high calorie smoothies for weight gain and how you can get the best out of them
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Green Tea Junction Smoothie
We all know that green tea is the magic potion in the weight-loss universe. And you can easily make one of the best smoothies for weight loss just with this ingredient.
All you need is to add a few fruits to make it tasty.
Ingredients:
- Protein powder: 1 Scoop
- Almond milk: 1 ½ cup
- Ice cubes: According to your preference
Instructions:
Nutrition Facts: 31g carbs, 8g protein, 13g fat, 8g fiber, 15g sugar
Best Smoothies For Weight Loss And Burning Fat
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Most people associate a weight-loss diet with bad tasting food, dont they?
And who doesnt know about the legendary stories of Hollywood actors living on just cucumbers and juices to maintain their weight?
It seems almost impossible to satisfy your tongue if you want to control your weight.
But now, it is even possible to have a better-tasting diet with some of the best smoothies for weight loss.
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 49.1% of the adult population in the United States tried to lose weight in the course of the last 12 months.
Another 2019 study on obesity revealed that around 35% of people in 9 states of the USA are obese. Alarming fact, isnt it? But yes, there are still ways for you to become fit again if you have weight-related issues.
There are several things that we can incorporate into our eating habits to lose weight. From spinach to pineapple, there are many things that can accelerate our weight-loss program.
But most of us are reluctant to include those in our diet as they are not very good to taste.
However, you can use those healthy things to make some of the best smoothies for weight loss.
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Strawberry Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
Who doesnt love the combination of strawberries and banana? This smoothie not only tastes so delicious, its healthy as well!
Berries are among the healthiest foods you can choose. Theyre full of nutrients and antioxidants that are good for you.
Replacing fattening foods with healthy smoothies is the perfect way to cut calories and fill your body with nutrients it desperately craves.
Theres no magic food or pill that can melt fat overnight, but a healthy diet supplemented with smoothies can speed up your weight loss journey and help you live a healthier life.
Ingredients:
Best Oatmeal Smoothie Recipes For Weight Loss
If youre looking to lose weight, oatmeal smoothies can be a great addition to your diet. Theyre incredibly nutritious and rich in fiber, protein, and complex carbs. Oats are filling and have everything youll need to lose weight in a healthy way.
Oatmeal smoothies may help you achieve your weight loss goals quickly by incorporating more healthy foods into your diet. Its best to rotate the ingredients youll use in your smoothies to give yourself the full spectrum of goodness.
A little down below Ill show you my favorite oatmeal smoothie recipes for weight loss. But first, lets examine why I love oatmeal smoothies to lose weight.
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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie
Oatmeal is one of the best options for breakfast if youre trying to shed pounds.
Oatmeal is loaded with fiber and comes with a number of nutritional benefits.
Eaten in moderation, it wont send your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster. The fiber can also help you feel full longer and make you less prone to snacking in between meals.
Try to avoid flavored oatmeal as they are full with added sugars and chemicals. Its better to choose unflavored oats and blend them together with fruits in this delicious peanut butter oatmeal smoothie.
Ingredients:
Cinnamon Roll Protein Smoothie
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, for Breakfast, Includes Yogurt and Protein Powder
If you loved Cinnabon growing up we think you will enjoy this protein smoothie that actually tastes like a cinnamon roll.
If you like smoothies without bananas, you can substitute the banana with 1/2 cup raw cashews instead.
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, for Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Includes Protein Powder
Indulge in this dessert-like carrot cake protein smoothie as a meal replacement or post-workout pick-me-up.
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, for Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Includes Protein Powder and Chocolate
This vegan chunky monkey protein shake is a great pre-workout or post-workout shake.
You can make this a kid-friendly recipe by replacing the protein powder with a non-dairy yogurt or greek yogurt.
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Includes Protein Powder
Only three ingredients make this refreshing mango protein smoothie.
Perfect post-workout or as a snack.
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, for Breakfast, Includes Yogurt and Protein Powder
The perfect fall smoothie recipe, make this protein shake dairy-free and vegan by using a non-dairy yogurt.
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Skinny Orange Dream Smoothie Recipe
Do you remember the Orange Creamsicle® Bar you used to have as a kid? This Skinny Orange Dream Smoothie recipe tastes very similar, but is actually good for you, too.
This weight loss breakfast smoothie is packed with lots of Vitamin C as well as other metabolism boosting ingredients.
This copycat smoothie recipe is easy and oh so delicious, plus theres added protein with the Greek Yogurt!
We love weight loss smoothies with metabolism boosting ingredients, and thats why this detox smoothie made it on our list of the best weight loss breakfast smoothies.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, for Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Includes Protein Powder, Chocolate
This healthy breakfast may require a spoon instead of a straw and it tastes more like a milkshake than a smoothie.
The combination of peanut butter and chocolate make this protein smoothie recipe decadently delicious.
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, for Breakfast, Includes Yogurt and Protein Powder
This creamy high-protein banana cream pie smoothie is full of healthy and good-for-you ingredients.
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, for Breakfast, Includes Yogurt, Protein Powder and Chocolate
This mexican chocolate smoothie is creamy and thick like something you might find at Dairy Queen.
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, for Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Includes Protein Powder
This green protein smoothie hides the taste of vegetables like carrots and leafy greens well.
It can be a meal replacement smoothie or 2 snack sized smoothies.
This Protein Smoothie Is for Weight Loss, for Breakfast, Includes Protein Powder and Chocolate
This cold brew mocha smoothie is also high in fiber by using dates as a natural sweetener.
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Tips For A Metabolism Boosting Breakfast Smoothie
- I keep bananas, grapefruit, oranges, pineapple, and berries in my freezer at all times so I can always make a delicious smoothie. I also like to freeze greens like spinach, so I can always have them on hand.
- Remember to buy your bananas green and freeze them before they ripen for the lowest sugar content and highest resistant starch content.
- I love Biochem Natural Whey Protein Powder. Its grass-fed whey, and its unflavored, meaning to artificial flavors or sweeteners. Keeping chemicals OUT of your diet is as important to your metabolism as what you keep IN your diet! Sub this whey with any vegan or paleo protein supplement if you have those dietary needs.
- Other ideas to boost the protein, if youd prefer not to use a protein supplement, are hemp seeds and chia seeds. Both are great vegan sources of protein, are easily digested, and add protein and fiber, in addition to omega 3s.