Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss

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Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss

Everything you Need to Know About Smoothies

Doesn’t everyone love a smoothie?

I know I do.

Chocolate protein powder. Raspberries. A bit of spinach. It’s more like pudding.

I love them.

But are they actually good for you? And, can they help with weight loss?

As with anything, it depends what goes into them.

If you’re packing them full of sugars and artificial flavourings, then no, they are not going to be healthy and they certainly won’t help your weight loss efforts.

But, they can indeed be a great way to pack your diet full of fruit and vegetables. They can be a meal replacement. And they can help you lose inches.

So, what should go in them?Doesn’t everyone love a smoothie?

I know I do.

Chocolate protein powder. Raspberries. A bit of spinach. It’s more like pudding.

I love them.

But are they actually good for you? And, can they help with weight loss?

As with anything, it depends what goes into them.

If you’re packing them full of sugars and artificial flavourings, then no, they are not going to be healthy and they certainly won’t help your weight loss efforts.

But, they can indeed be a great way to pack your diet full of fruit and vegetables. They can be a meal replacement. And they can help you lose inches.

So, what should go in them?

What your Smoothie Should Include

A smoothie should be treated as you would any healthy meal or snack. It should be balanced. Yes, it should be tasty, why would you want to eat anything that isn’t, but it should be balanced.

Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss - Protein

Every meal you eat should have a portion of lean, healthy protein, and smoothies are not different. It will help you feel fuller for longer. It will help you recover after a strenuous workout. And keep your hair and nails strong.

But, let’s face it, no-one fancies the idea of drinking pureed steak.

So, what kind of protein can you put in a smoothie. The obvious, for me anyway, is some kind of protein powder. They come in all different flovours, most of which are really tasty. Just make sure they are not packed with sugar. You should be looking for one with very few carbs.

If protein powder is not your thing, you could try yogurt, milk, nuts, seeds. Just be careful with portions, because nuts and seeds can also be high in fat.

Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss - Fruits and Vegetables

You can basically choose what you want.

But remember, smoothies are great ways to get your 5 a day, so pack them full.

Berries, mangos, bananas, avocado. They’re all really great. And the great thing about smoothies, you can opt for frozen fruit, which makes it cost effective.

Vegetables wise, I opt for leafy greens mostly as they tend to blitz down better than any other vegetable. Although that’s not to say you can’t use any other, it might just take a bit more work. Cooking them slightly first, or sieving out the pulp.

I also opt for leafy greens as I don’t tend to eat that many with meals. Not because I have an aversion to them, they just don’t form a huge part of our diet. So, for me, smoothies are a great way to get some leafy greens. I tend to pick spinach for ease, but you could choose kale, bok choy, swiss chard. Whatever floats your boat.

Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss - Flavour

Here’s where it gets a bit tricky. Because you could start packing it with sugar laden flavours.

But, think about what you’ve already got in there.

The fruit, the protein. They are already full of flavour, so you don’t want to over power it.

Stick to natural flavours to keep it healthier.

A bit of honey wouldn’t do too much harm. But you could also hit the herbs spices. Cinammon, ginger, mint would al be great and full of health-giving properties.

Or perhaps a bit of vanilla extract. And let’s not forget about cocoa powder, for chocolatey goodness. I love adding cocoa powder, especially when I’m using chocolate flavoured protein powder. It gives it a real depth. So, yummy.

Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss - Base

This is where you decide what to whiz it all up with.

Milk, plant-based milk. Or coconut water, or even just water.

It really depends on how thick and creamy you want it.

I tend to opt for water or coconut water as I prefer a thinner smoothie where you can taste the individual ingredients. I also prefer to save the calories for the ingredients. But, that’s just me.