In a world where everyone is on the go, it’s easy to let your diet slip out underneath you. With so many easily assessable places to grab food while running between work and errands sometimes we find ourselves eating food that isn’t good for us and leaves us feeling gross. Meal prepping can be overwhelming and who really has time for cooking breakfast in the morning before running out the door? This is why smoothies are a fantastic alternative. With so many options and types, the smoothie world is ever-growing and after some trial and error, you can find the perfect smoothie for you! The perfect thing about smoothies is that your only steps for making a delicious smoothie are – combine your ingredients until smooth, or desired texture.
If you’re looking for ways to start healthy living and are trying to find ways to lose belly fat you might benefit from drinking smoothies. Although, with any attempt to lose weight it is important to maintain a sustainable calorie intake and learn what macros you should be following for your body. Not only do these refreshing drinks taste good they can also help reduce those pesky cravings! Smoothies themselves are not always considered healthy so it’s important to know what you are putting in yours to make it beneficial for your diet and wellness. By adding filling foods into your diet it can keep you fuller during snack time and soon you might see yourself reaching for a smoothie rather than a box of cookies! Something else to consider is that you may find yourself to feel a little bloated after a smoothie. To help to prevent this try eating it with a spoon instead of drinking it with a straw! This will give your body a little extra time to work through all that goodness you just ate instead of being overwhelmed and bombarded at once.
There are many benefits that you have experience after adding smoothies to your diet that men and women can experience alike. Firstly, it can boost your metabolism. If you add ginger or cayenne pepper to your drinks Those spicy components will not only add an extra kick to your smoothie but also will give your metabolism an extra kick to help burn some extra calories. Certain foods in smoothies have also been found to help improve cognitive function and potentially reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Blueberries, strawberries, and spinach are just three examples of brain food full of antioxidants that can help improve memory by helping to maintain the normal function of the neurons in your brain!
Something to also consider when trying to lose weight is exercise. It is found that nutrition is the most important part of losing weight but by exercising regularly you will start to have more energy and will overall feel better. It is common for people to have a pre or post-workout smoothie to give them an extra boost of energy or replace the sugar lost from working out and support muscle growth. It is important to keep in mind when looking for a pre-workout or post-workout smoothie you know what is in it and that it is not filled with artificial sugars that can bog you down and make you feel sluggish.
Some people have stereotyped smoothies as being a feminine drink since it fruit based, personally I think that’s ridiculous. What is stopping you from enjoying a cold filling drink that leaves you feeling refreshed instead of chowing down on a greasy burger that leave you feeling gross? If it’s meaningless stereotypes, then maybe it’s time to reevaluate. Like mentioned above, smoothies can be a perfect workout accompaniment. They are perfect for when you’re trying to bulk up and need those high calorie drinks but they are just as perfect when you’re trying to cut down and need a lower calorie, but still delicious drink. If you’re worried about someone seeing you drink one out of a glass cup there are plenty water bottle options that work just as well for a smoothie, some even can keep it cold for longer!
Here are 5 easy recipe smoothies for beginners.
1) Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
A common combination that is always a fan favorite is peanut butter and chocolate. This creamy and protein-packed smoothie will help to give you a kickstart to your morning!
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter – creamy peanut butter works best
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup of ice
Blend ingredients together until smooth
2) Spinach Smoothie
Don’t be put off by the name, this smoothie may have spinach in it but it is still a delicious choice for your on the go breakfast! The added chia seeds will give you that much needed energy on those days you really need it!
- 2-3 cups of raw spinach (add in some kale for an extra power food)
- 1 cup blueberries – or any fruit of your choice
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
Blend ingredients together until smooth
3) Tropical Fruit Smoothie
A personal favorite and popular smoothie is a tropical fruit smoothie. Whether you live in a tropical area or just spend your days dreaming on being there this smoothie will have you thinking about sunny days and ocean waves.
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 banana
- 1/4 kiwi
- 1/4 cup orange juice
Blend ingredients until smooth
4) Strawberry Banana Smoothie
This smoothie can be considered a classic. It is one of the more common combinations but that does not mean that it isn’t as refreshing and filling as any other one.
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1 banana
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 cup ice
Blend ingredients together until smooth
5) Almond Cherry Smoothie
If you have a taste for a smoothie that has that little edge of tart in it, this is the smoothie for you!
- 1 1/2 cups Cherries frozen
- 1 cup Almond Milk
- 1 scoop Protein Powder
- 1 Banana
- Ice
Blend ingredients together until smooth.
These are just 5 examples of some quick and easy smoothie recipes. The list of smoothies is never-ending with all sorts of different fruit (and vegetable) combinations! Another trick of the trade is you can substitute milk with any nut or soy milk product or juice. As a reminder, if you’re looking for extra health benefits you can add any protein powders, chia seeds, ginger, or anything you see fit. Smoothies are the most flexible recipes and it’s encouraged to find which flavors work for you! If you accidently make more than you planned on drinking, they are perfect to freeze for later. You can also make smoothie popsicles if you’re looking for a fun new way to enjoy them or to try to sneak a few more fruits and veggies into your kids day. Smoothies are more than an instant meal but they do come in handy when you need something quick to get you going!
Another tip for your fruit based smoothies is that you can freeze your fruits before hand (or buy frozen fruit) and it will remove the need for adding ice to the smoothie! This helps if you don’t have an ice maker and don’t want to break out those pesky ice trays!
If you’re interested in finding out which smoothie ingredients can help with health here is a quick compiled list:
Help cut belly fat: apples, kiwis. strawberries
Energy-boosting: chia seeds, hemp protein. goji berries
Greens: kale, spinach, beet greens
What to Know About Detox
It’s easy to want to fall into the smoothie detox bandwagon but this is what you should know before going down a potentially harmful path. It’s important to make sure you are keeping a healthy calorie intake each day. Many detox programs state that you will lose weight fast and more often than not it is because you are not ingesting enough calories and so although you lose weight, the moment you go back to eating normal food you will gain it all back again. The intense change can also be damaging to your body. If you decide to start adding powders to smoothies that claim they will detox you, make sure that you know exactly what is in those products and research ingredients you don’t know. Even if something claims to be healthy for you, you need to know how much is too much. For example, if you consume too much high oxalate foods, such as spinach or beet, it can actually be harmful to your kidneys. It’s also good to be wary about buying prepackaged detox smoothies. A common trick of the trade for detoxing is using laxatives to help “clean the colon” but unless your doctor tells you do take something like that it can be damaging to your colon. Even more damaging if you have any type of gastrointestinal issues.
