Smoothies, yes or no?
Smoothies are a great way to get in the vitamins and minerals from different fruits and vegetables. You just need to put different varieties in a blender.
Don't expect the extra pounds to just start dropping off. Yes to lose weight we need to make sure we are eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Don't let your smoothies be loaded with more calories and carbohydrates than expected.
Smoothies can be loaded with calories. These will help prevent smoothie-making mistakes a lot of people make.
You need enough protein to balance your smoothie. While you might be packing in handfuls of greens and vegetables into your smoothie, without protein , you are not going to have the energy to keep you throughout the day and keep your hunger away. Add in protein sources such as protein powder, low-fat Greek yogurt, some flaxseeds, chia seeds, other seeds or nuts.
Fiber helps to prevent hunger and will keep you feeling full longer. When you do not get enough fiber you are likely to eat more throughout the day.
When you eat a combination of soluble fiber, sugars and fats enter your bloodstream at a slower rate, so you have a steady supply of energy. Eating foods that lack or are low in fiber, makes your blood sugar to spike quickly. Then it crashes, which causes hunger and over-eating. Always add vegetables and foods into your smoothies that are high in fiber. Good choices are: Spinach, kale, berries, avocados, kiwi, half of an apple, flax seeds, hemp seeds, or chia seeds.
Watch the fruit though full of fiber, too much of certain fruits will quickly add in the calories. Fruits are also full of natural Sugars, fructose which your body metabolizes quickly, leaving you with hunger pangs within an hour. So always better to pair your fruit with a protein.
To reduce the sugar in your smoothies avoid flavored yogurts, honey, maple syrup, dates, or other sweeteners. In order to make your smoothie tasty, you end up packing in many unnecessary calories and carbohydrates which also increases the glycemic factor of your smoothie. High-glycemic foods spike your blood sugar, they also spike your insulin levels. High insulin and blood sugar levels leads to weight gain. You can keep your glycemic index low of your smoothie by adding protein, healthy fats like avocado or coconut oil in moderation, or a mixture of the two. Protein and fat both slows down digestion, which makes the sugar to be released slowly instead of it dumped into the bloodstream all at once causing a spike.
Keep your smoothies simple. The fewer ingredients the better off you will be. Aim for 2-3 types of greens and 1-2 types of fruit, a protein source, and a moderate amount of healthy fat. You still need to control your portions too.
