If you're looking to cut calories and sugar from your diet, water is the perfect choice for liquid for smoothies. Not only is it calorie-free and sugar-free, but it's also money-free!
Liquid: Your choices include milk, non-dairy milk, coconut water, iced coffee or tea, and juice. If you want to punch up the protein, go for milk or pea protein milk, which contain 8 to 10 grams per cup. If you're getting ample protein from another source, coconut water or almond milk are lighter ways to go.
Start your smoothie with two mugfuls of a liquid base. This can be milk, or a dairy-free alternative such as soya or almond milk, natural or flavoured yogurt, fruit juice, or for a tropical flavoured smoothie, low-fat coconut milk or coconut water.
And if you're looking for some great ingredients to include in your smoothies, Gans recommends any type of berry, banana, spinach, kale, avocado, low-fat plain Greek yogurt, low-fat milk, non-dairy milk alternative that includes protein, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, and nut butter.
Unsweetened milk is the liquid of choice for the perfect smoothie. Use regular cow's milk or dairy-free alternatives such as: Yogurt adds creaminess and a slightly tangy bite. Plan, unsweetened yogurt or Greek yogurt is preferred.
If you're drinking smoothies for weight loss, water should always be your number one because drinking water helps you burn calories and stay hydrated. One study showed that participants who drank one extra liter of water per day burned 46 more calories.
Try not to mix acidic fruits, such as grapefruits and strawberries, or sub-acidic foods such as apples, pomegranates and peaches, with sweet fruits, such as bananas and raisins for a better digestion. However, you can mix acidic with sub-acidic fruits. For a similar reason, you should not mix guavas and bananas.
Smoothies can make a very healthy breakfast—it's all about the ingredients and keeping reasonable portions. When following these parameters, it is okay to have a smoothie for breakfast every day. Super healthy breakfast smoothies are quick and easy to make, and of course, they are delicious too!
Healthy fats
[*] They also help keep your body in fat-burning mode (when paired with low-carb intake). Healthy fats to add to your fat-burning smoothies include nuts, nut butters, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, avocado, coconut oil, and MCT oil.
Adding vegetables is a great way to get in more vitamins and minerals. They're loaded with fibre and a variety of nutrients for all sorts of health benefits. Vegetables like kale, spinach, beets, and carrots are commonly used in smoothies. For extra hydration, cucumbers or celery work wonders.
Cow's milk and soy milk both contain 8 grams of protein per cup. Using milk as the liquid in your smoothie rather than water or juice will help kick up your protein.
The final verdict is that both juicing and smoothies can be beneficial if done in moderation with a balanced diet. However, smoothies come out on top in terms of nutrients and fiber for weight loss and digestion.
There are a number of benefits from consuming smoothies, they increase fibre intake, contribute towards our 5 a day, boost our vitamin C levels and may help with conditions like high blood pressure.
The basic smoothie formula is: 2 to 3 parts fruit or vegetables (2 to 3 cups) 1 to 1 1/2 parts liquid (1 to 1 1/2 cups)
Spinach and other leafy green vegetables like kale, lettuce, etc. are great for burning belly fat and are very nutritious as well. There have been some studies done on the subject of the fat burning capabilities of spinach and the very healthy veggie has come out a winner in this category.
Smoothies rich in fiber and protein keep you full longer, while those made with fruits and vegetables increase your daily vegetable servings. As long as you are drinking smoothies made from a variety of fruits and vegetables and low in refined sugar, there would be no problem with consuming smoothies every day.
They are high in PotassiumBananas are very rich in potassium which means that it helps regulate blood pressure and heart rate in a natural way. This also means that a strawberry banana smoothie makes for an excellent post workout drink. Potassium is needed for healthy nerves, muscles, and bones.
Smoothies are high in sugar.
Free sugars include any added sugars (including honey and maple syrup) and are the kind we should all be cutting down on to protect our teeth as well as lower our energy intake to help maintain a healthy weight.
Yogurt is an ideal ingredient for smoothies because it adds a good amount of protein, which makes it a filling breakfast or snack. Greek yogurt adds a whopping 12 grams of protein per half cup. It also adds live probiotics, which can aid in gut health, as well as calcium and vitamin B-12 (source).
“Smoothie makers and juicers can degrade the quality of the food because they break down the bioavailability of the nutrients, fiber, fat and cell structure,” says Baldridge. “Satiety is also lower because the natural fiber in the fruits and vegetables is broken down.