10 Super-Yummy Smoothies for Weight Loss and Energy

Weight loss smoothies have recently become an absolute hit on the Internet, even among dietitians. Just a tiny portion of a nutrient-packed smoothie can give you lots of energy, a longer feeling of satiety, vitamins, minerals, and everything else your body needs. This means you can have a smoothie as a meal replacement, helping you immensely on your weight loss journey.

If you're curious about the additional health benefits of smoothies for weight loss or are looking for simple smoothie ideas and recipes, keep reading – we'll try our best to give you all the answers you are looking for!

What Are the Best Weight Loss Smoothie Ingredients?

Considering you're supposed to have them instead of a meal, smoothies for weight loss should have the right blend of nutrients, such as healthy fats, healthy carbs, fiber, protein, antioxidants, and water. There are no hard and fast rules for making smoothies, but you should make sure to blend these essential ingredients:

#1: The Liquid Base

Unless you want to have a smoothie in a bowl and eat it with a spoon, you'll need some sort of liquid base to start with. Since these drinks are for weight loss, avoid sugary liquids and juices and go for unsweetened plant-based milk, yogurt, or plain water.

#2: Protein

Proteins are chains of amino acids that play a crucial role in repairing your body's cells and making new ones. To ensure you have enough protein in your smoothie, add a spoon of whey protein powder without any sugars or additives. Also, you can add protein-rich foods, like almonds, peanuts, chia seeds, tofu, and others.

#3: Healthy Fats

Just because you're trying to lose an extra pound doesn't mean you must run away from fats. Dietary fats are necessary to support cell function in your body, give you energy, and help with the assimilation of other nutrients, like vitamins and minerals. So add some healthy fats to your weight loss smoothie, like nut butters, avocados, nuts, and seeds. These should also keep you fuller for longer, as your body needs more time to digest them.

#4: Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh (or frozen) fruit and vegetables are the best sources of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers. Fiber-rich foods, like leafy greens, chia seeds, oats, and flaxseed, are vital if you want to lose weight as they speed up your metabolism and prevent your body from storing carbs as fat. Here are some of our favorite choices:

• Spinach: Besides being a low-carb food full of fibers, spinach is also chock-full of antioxidants, like vitamins A and K. Therefore, it can help you with weight loss but also reduce any inflammation in your body [source];
• Kale: Like spinach, kale is another highly nutritious vegetable rich in fibers and vitamin C. Research suggests that it speeds up lipids (or fat) metabolism, helping you lose weight;
• Blueberries: The winner among the fruits, blueberries perhaps contain the most significant amount of antioxidants. They also have many other health benefits, such as lowering bad cholesterol, reducing the risk of diabetes, and burning fat [source];
• Strawberries: Contain a minimum amount of sugar but are loaded with vitamin C – they have more vitamin C than oranges! They also have plenty of fiber, helping the blood absorb sugar and preventing weight gain and diabetes [source];
• Cucumbers: Since they're made almost entirely of water and fiber and have diuretic properties, cucumbers act as a powerful detoxifying ingredient. Besides kick-starting your digestion and metabolism, cucumbers also help with immunity and skin health [source];
• Lemons: Thanks to the high content of polyphenols, lemons can help with insulin resistance and body weight gain [source]. Plus, they improve digestion, immune system, and the look of your skin;
• Bananas: Perfect for breakfast smoothies, bananas reduce bloating and are good for digestion. Along with all the sweetness, they also give a prolonged feeling of satiety and contain a significant amount of potassium [source].

#5: Add-Ons

For extra flavor, additional proteins, healthy fats as well as anti-inflammatory effects, you can add various spices and other add-ons:

• Turmeric: Acts as an anti-inflammatory ingredient and gives a unique flavor to dishes and drinks;
• Cocoa: Full of nutrients, cocoa powder is good for our overall health. From reducing inflammation to managing glucose levels, a little cocoa can provide a whole lot of health benefits;
• Seeds: Chia seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds are excellent if your digestion needs a little push to get your bowels moving. Plus, these are filled with omega-3 fatty acids and fiber and make you feel fuller for longer;
• Oats: Another super-food full of proteins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it an ideal breakfast choice. Just like other fiber-rich foods, oats will also fill you up and get the bowels going;
• Ginger: Besides being a powerful digestive aid, this spice also boosts immune function and improves the flavor of your smoothies [source];
• Herbs: Fresh herbs like mint and parsley add more flavor to your drinks. They are also an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and iron, and parsley is a well-known diuretic [source].

10 Recipes for Weight Loss Smoothies

If you'd like to incorporate smoothies into your daily routine but aren't sure where to start, here are some of the best weight loss smoothie recipes that are easy to make, incredibly healthy, and a real treat for your taste buds.

All you need to make them is a blender – put all the ingredients in and blend until completely pulverized and smooth. If your smoothie turns out too thick, add some more water or plant-based milk. On the other hand, if it's too thin for your taste, add some more fruit to it.

What's the Best Time to Have a Smoothie for Weight Loss?

First of all, try to stick to one smoothie per day. Smoothies for weight loss are usually meant as a breakfast substitute. But, if you're having a smoothie instead of a meal, make sure it has all the nutrients one meal is supposed to have.

However, in general, this rule isn't carved in stone, and you can have your smoothie whenever you feel like your body needs it. Nevertheless, different times of consumption have various benefits:

• In the morning: People often have smoothies for weight loss first thing. Breakfast smoothies are also quick and easy to make, perfect for those in a hurry and too busy to have a full-blown breakfast. For breakfast, we'd recommend fruit-rich smoothies with higher caloric value, such as smoothies #5, #7, #9, and #10;
• Pre- or post-workout: Smoothies as a pre-workout meal can improve your performance in the gym. You will have more energy, exercise longer, and do higher-intensity exercises without feeling tired or sluggish. If you have it post-workout, make sure to add a scoop of whey protein to your smoothie to help recover and build muscle;
• As a mid-day snack: Whipping up a light but nutritious smoothie to bridge a gap between meals is super-practical, especially for busy moms. Plus, these are usually filling enough, and you won't have any trouble waiting for dinner. Perfect afternoon snacks would be smoothies #1 and #8;
• Before bed: A smoothie for weight loss can serve as your last meal of the day, and with certain ingredients, it can also help you sleep. You can add foods aiding restful sleep, including kiwi, milk, almonds, walnuts, and cherries. Veggie-based and low-calorie smoothies, like smoothies #2, #3, #4, and #6, are ideal dinner options as these are easier to digest.

Takeaway...

So, choose smoothies for weight loss that best suit your taste and try to incorporate them into your daily menu. Besides helping you rev up your metabolism, these also benefit your overall health. It's because they are easy to digest, and your body can absorb every single nutrient and transport it where it's most needed. Therefore, while helping you shape your figure, these smoothies will make your body stronger, healthier, and more resilient at the same time.

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