How Often Should You Drink Protein Shakes
How often you drink protein shakes depends on your goals. If you want to gain weight, you can have a protein-filled shake every time you do resistance training to help build muscle. For weight loss, you can reduce your calorie intake and ensure that you are still getting enough protein by maybe drinking two shakes a day.
But remember, the important thing is that the protein shake is not a protein replacement. You still need to get your requirements from other sources, too.
Sample Of Healthy Banana Smoothie Recipes For Weight Loss
Coming up with a healthy smoothie to help you slim down is not as straightforward as it seems. There is so much you need to learn about smoothies in addition to the ingredients you could use. You also will need information on the correct measurements, servings, preparation methods and so forth.
Similarly, you do not just settle on any recipe you find online, regardless if it has a million reviews. Before you settle on, for example, that banana and oatmeal smoothie for weight loss, you have to consider various elements.
As such, this concept becomes quite tricky for beginners. If you are just starting, consider the following banana weight loss smoothie recipes. They can help you get rid of excess weight. However, before that, ensure you do the following:
Freeze Your Bananas First
Making this smoothie with a frozen banana is key. The banana lends natural sweetness, and when frozen, does wonders for the texture.
Let your banana get good and ripemottled with black spots. Peel it, slice it and store in a resealable bag or covered container. Freeze overnight. When its smoothie time, add it to the blender. Bananas will keep well for several months in the freezer when properly sealed.
Thats just one pro tip for making the best smoothie possible! Here are a few more tips and tricks for making better smoothies.
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Weight Watchers Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
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Everyone loves a yummy smoothie for breakfast, and this Weight Watchers Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie is one of our family favorites. Not only does it satisfy that craving for something sweet, it packs a punch of vitamins and protein that are perfect for getting your day off to a good start. Since we got our Nutri Ninja back in January, smoothies have become a favorite breakfast item for all of us. Not only are they easy to drink while sitting at our desks working, they are super satisfying and seriously easy to throw together.
Related Reading: 8 Weight Watchers Yogurt Recipes
Banana Oatmeal Smoothie Ingredients
- Oats: Oatmeal offers various health benefits, including the fact that it is hearty healthy, rich in minerals, and aids digestion.
- Peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter adds a delicious nutty flavor, creamy consistency, and healthy source of fats. As always, I recommend using a natural variety that only lists peanuts in the ingredients.
- Banana: Be sure to use ripe bananas that have a yellow peel with brown spots. Peel the bananas, then store them inside a sealed bag in the freezer. Bananas can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you enjoy smoothies often, I suggest keeping a bag of them in the freezer at all times.
- Oat milk: I love sticking with the oatmeal theme by using oat milk in this smoothie. You can use any type of milk, like almond, coconut, or cashew.
- Maple syrup: Naturally sweeten this breakfast smoothie with real maple syrup. If desired, you can add sweetness by using medjool dates, honey, or agave nectar instead.
- Flaxseed: Ground flaxseed is high in omega-3 fatty acids and lignans. This ingredient is optional, but it has a mild flavor and a jam-packed nutrient profile. So, why not?
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract adds a warm, sweet flavor and gives it a dessert-like flavor.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is an anti-inflammatory spice and pairs well with the oats.
- Salt: Salt in a smoothie? It seems counterintuitive, but a pinch of salt brings out all of the other flavors. It makes a difference, so dont skip it unless you need to.
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Is A Chocolate Banana Protein Shake Good For Weight Loss
I think chocolate banana protein shakes are good for weight loss. Why? Because you are filling up with nutrients after exercise instead of reaching for that processed, empty of nutrition, calorie-laden protein bar.
BTW, looking for a healthy protein bar? See what makes a healthy protein bar and see my top 7 here.
Enjoying a shake made with power-packed protein powder can help you lose weight:
- The keeps you away from junk food
- Protein helps you lose weight slowly , maintaining lean muscle mass
- Protein helps beat belly fat
Heres What Youll Find In This Article:
- How to make Banana Smoothies
- Grown up Strawberry Banana Smoothies Recipe
- Blueberry Banana Smoothies Recipe
- Banana Smoothies Chocolate Lovers Recipe
- Banana Avocado Smoothies Recipe
- Peach and Banana Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe
- After Workout Banana Smoothie Recipe
- Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe
- Banana Yogurt Smoothie Recipe
I recommend working with frozen bananas. They help cool the smoothie without having to add ice, plus theyre a great way to use up bananas that have started to brown.
Below you will find basic directions on how to make banana smoothies, then below that 10 recipes to work with.
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How To Make A Protein Shake
Delicious shakes are made this way:
- Base: Add ice or fruit like a banana to thicken
- Protein source: In this case, peanut butter, almond milk and protein powder
- Sweetener: If required
- Liquid: I like milk such as almond, cashew or coconut
- Blend it: If the mixture is too thick, add a bit more milk until you reach the desired consistency
Peanut Butter Blueberry Smoothie For Weight Loss
Blueberries are not only rich in antioxidants, they may even help you lose belly fat.
According to this study, rats that consumed blueberries daily for 90 days had less abdominal fat. The results were even better for those who ate a low-fat diet.
Blueberries are also believed to lower blood pressure. In this study, obese people showed a notable reduction blood pressure after just consuming 2 ounces of blueberries daily.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp natural, organic peanut butter
Instructions:
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Why Are Smoothies Higher In Smartpoints
Since the addition of the SmartPoints system in the Beyond The Scale Program, Smoothies have become something that is much higher in points. In fact, they can be a bit frustrating for many to incorporate into their diet plan because the fruits are no longer free. However, you have to understand that behind this mentality is the fact that the action of chewing food helps signal your brain for the feeling of fullness while simply drinking often does not. When you are factoring in your meals for the day, a smoothie still can be a great option, even if the points calculated are higher.
Our original points calculations for this recipe were a mere 4 Points Plus. Having since joined the Weight Watchers Beyond The Scale Program, we have recalculated this and the points are reflected below for this recipe shown at 2 servings for the recipe above. This was calculated with the recipe tool within the Weight Watchers program.
Is This Smoothie Sweet
Not especially. Any sweetness in it comes from the bananas. So the riper they are, the sweeter your smoothie would be. We opted not to include any added sweetener, because we really wanted this to be more on the healthy side. All that being said, you can add in a tablespoon or two of maple syrup or honey to your smoothie if it isnt quite sweet enough for you!
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What Peanut Butter Can I Use In A Smoothie
Adding peanut butter to a smoothie is a great way to add flavor and good fats to your protein shake or smoothie.
When buying peanut butter, there are a few things to consider to make sure you are getting a quality, nutritious nut butter. Make sure to look for the following:
- The less ingredients the better! Ideally, a good quality nut butter should just have nuts and salt. The Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter pictured above has only peanuts and salt.
- Be warry of nut butters with added oils. Many popular peanut butter brands contain a significant amount of added oils from soybean oil, palm oil or vegetable oils. All of these oils are highly inflammatory in your body and are NOT good for you.
- Look for a nut butter WITHOUT added sugar. Check the nutrition label under sugars. If it lists added sugars, its likely not a great choice. Check the ingredient list if it contains ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, its not a good option. If you like a sweeter peanut butter, honey is a better option, however it will increase the calorie content.
Some other good choices for peanut butter that I like and use are the Kirkland Mixed Nut and Seed Butter, found at Costco. Check out my post for all of my favorite Costco Foods for Healthy Meals and Snacks.
Lakanto also makes a No Sugar Added Powdered Peanut Butter that is fantastic in smoothies. You can get it on Amazon here!
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Benefits
I often rely on Healthy Breakfast Smoothies to kick-start my day.
I bet youll also find it comforting knowing that youve made major progress with your requisite servings of fruits and veggies first thing in the A.M.
Or, if you are looking for a post-workout smoothie, this peanut butter banana version is one of my favorites.
Its a perfect option because banana smoothies like this recipe are good for you.
- Bananas are high in fiber, potassium, and vitamins B6 and C.
- Peanut butter has protein and healthy fats too .
Generally speaking, with the right ingredients a peanut butter smoothie can be good for weight loss. Smoothies with healthier foods like fruits, Greek yogurt, and peanut butter can be sufficiently filling with better nutrients than other breakfast options.
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Are Peanut Butter & Banana Good For You
Peanut Butter and banana are a classic combination, and with good reason. Not only do their flavors compliment each other well, they also have some potential health benefits!
- Bananas are a good source of fiber, so they are filling while being relatively low in calories. Bananas are also a good source of potassium, which is essential for kidney function, and may help to lower blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.
- Peanut Butter is about 25% protein, so it contributes 8 grams of protein to this dairy-free smoothie. Peanut butter is a good source of monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, as well as nutrients like magnesium, folate, and vitamin E.
If you dont mind your drink turning green in color, try adding a handful of fresh spinach to this peanut butter banana smoothie. It wont change the flavor at all, but youll get even more nutrients into your day!
Key Pointers Of Incorporating Bananas In Smoothies
Bananas are quite versatile and thanks to their sweetness, are the perfect fruit to use in smoothies. They enrich the taste of the beverage, regardless of the other ingredients used.
However, like any other food, you also need to be cautious when consuming bananas in liquid form. Here are some pointers you need to be cautious of when using bananas in these beverages:
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Bananas Role In Weight Loss
If you take a look at some weight loss diet plans, you will realize that the most commonly recommended ingredient is bananas. Whether eaten as a whole fruit or taken in shakes, these fruits are promoted to weight watchers. This brings about the question of the effectiveness or the role these fruits play in shedding fat.
Bananas are rich in fiber . A medium one has about 3.07 grams of fiber . Fiber is a crucial component when it comes to losing weight. They have a filling effect that keeps your appetite in check until your next meal. So bananas increase your satiety, helping you regulate your appetite.
When your satiety increases, you also tend to reduce any overeating behavior. When you do not overeat, you do not exceed your daily energy requirement. For this reason these fruits are usually suggested for anyone who wants to improve their eating habits and drop some pounds.
You can have them in various ways. You can either take them as a snack or drink them in a banana smoothie for weight loss.
Whats The Best Way To Sweeten A Smoothie
If you like your smoothie on the sweeter side, there are several healthier options to just adding refined sugar. Pictured above are some of my favorite no sugar added sweeteners :
If you would rather sweeten your smoothie with a liquid sweetener, good quality honey or maple syrup is a great option. These will increase the calorie content of your smoothie, so less is more.
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How Do I Freeze Bananas For Smoothies
Youll likely discover that bananas are an excellent ingredient in most smoothies. They offer fiber, potassium and vitamins B6 and C. They also help create a thick, creamy consistency when blending your smoothie.
Pictured above is the ideal way to freeze bananas for your smoothies. Heres how to do it:
- Start by slicing an individual banana. Bananas that are often a little spotty are great for freezing. These ripe bananas are sweeter and are great for blending into any smoothie.
- Add each sliced banana to a lined baking sheet. Parchment paper or waxed paper work well and prevent the banana slices from freezing to the pan.
- Once the banana slices are frozen, simply add to resealable bags to the freezer. Small snack-sized zip-top bags work well and fit one banana perfectly.
Did you know I wrote a cookbook all about smoothies! Yeah! The Protein Smoothie Bible has over 60 recipes, just like this one, for helping add some healthier breakfasts and snacks into your life.
Final Thoughts On Smoothies With Bananas
This article proved beyond a double that bananas are a great addition to any smoothie.
Next time you have browning bananas, slice them and freeze them to make recipes with frozen bananas.
Here at Lose Weight By Eating we love smoothies! Between the website recipes and the cookbook recipes Ive written over 100 smoothie recipes.
I couldnt do that without my trusty blender. Check out this article to find out what blenders are best for smoothies.
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Benefits Of Peanut Butter Weight Loss Smoothies
Peanut butter is rich in protein, and also contains essential minerals and vitamins, sich as zinc, potassium, and magnesium.
This comprehensive research compared the dietary lifestyle data for almost 400,000 people from 10 different countries over several years. People who ate more nuts weight less and had a lower risk of becoming obese.
One 2-tablespoon serving contains 7 grams of protein.
Protein may be the most important nutrient for a good-looking body and weight loss. It can help you gain muscle mass, boost your metabolism, as well as reduce appetite.
Severalstudies show that eating more protein can increase the amount of calories your body burns. A higher protein intake could easily make you burn an additional 100 calories per day.
Peanut Butter For Weight Loss:
Peanut butter will curb your appetite and makes you feel full for a longer time. Most of the people think that consuming peanuts or peanut butter will promote weight gain but the research says that intake of peanuts or peanut butter will reduce the saturated fat and thereby increases the healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats consuming.
It also reduces the risk of heart problems and enhances the functioning of cardio, liver, and kidneys. It raises good cholesterol levels without any increase in your total blood cholesterol.
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Raspberry Banana Smoothies Recipe
This simple smoothie recipe is packed full of healthy antioxidants!
If you want to swap out the blueberries for more raspberries, or even strawberries, it will be delicious.
Special Tip: Baby spinach has virtually no flavor, making it the best green to add to smoothies when you first start making green smoothies.
Variations For A Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Not only is a smoothie a fantastic vehicle for nutritious food during the day, but is also very adaptable to your liking. Here are easy variations for this recipe:
- Chocolate. Thinking of having a chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie to stave off the temptation of a less healthy dessert? Add a few teaspoons of cocoa powder or a scoop of chocolate protein powder, and this very well may replace your favorite milkshake.
- Protein Powder. This peanut butter banana smoothie has protein because of the peanut butter and Greek yogurt. But if you need an extra boost in your banana smoothie after a workout, add a ½ to 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder .
- Bowl Style. For a new twist, try a peanut butter banana smoothie bowl. Add extra banana or ice to thicken it further, then serve it in a bowl with toppings, such as granola, banana slices, or blueberries, and a drizzle of additional peanut butter.
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