The arrival of spring and sunny days makes you want to pay attention to your figure? To achieve this, it is advisable to practice regular physical activity and adopt a balanced diet. If you want to limit snacking during your weight loss, it is possible to enjoy a smoothie. This drink, composed mainly of fruits and vegetables, is a good alternative to biscuits and other sweet temptations. However, the smoothie, known to be a healthy drink, can quickly become high in calories. Asked in the columns of the media Women’s HealthAmerican dietitian Allie Echeverria, gave 7 tips to make your smoothie a weight loss ally.
7 Tips for Making a Healthy Weight Loss Smoothie
As a smoothie fan, you can’t imagine adopting a balanced diet without having your little vitamin drink? Here is advice from a dietician to make your smoothie “healthy”.
Limit calorie intake
The smoothie is very often consumed as part of a diet. This is a healthy drink that helps you get through when you’re feeling peckish between meals. However, when you want to lose weight, you have to be careful about the composition of your smoothie, because the calorie intake can quickly increase. Indeed, when a smoothie contains a certain number of foods, the calories multiply without you necessarily realizing it. To prevent this from happening, the dietitian advises using low-calorie drinks such as unsweetened almond milk instead of cow’s milk.
Be careful about ingredient portions
Drinking a smoothie is an ideal compromise when you want to treat yourself to a small snack between meals without jeopardizing your efforts to lose weight. If the calorie intake of the smoothie is generally low, it can quickly increase depending on the ingredients you include and the portions you put in it. Indeed, certain ingredients found in smoothie recipes, such as peanut butter, are very high in calories. “It is therefore better to use a spoon to measure your portion of peanut butter rather than assessing its size by eye,” explains Allie Echeverria, dietician interviewed in the columns of Women’s Health.
Add protein to your smoothie
When losing weight, it is quite common to feel hungry before lunchtime. To prevent this, it is advisable to include proteins in your smoothie. Indeed, a smoothie rich in protein promotes satiety, and helps you stay full until the next meal. For this, it is enough “add a spoonful of protein powder, Greek yogurt or liquid egg whites to your smoothie recipe” explains the dietician.
Incorporate leafy green vegetables into your smoothie
Leafy green vegetables such as lettuce, spinach and Brussels sprouts are rich in vitamins, minerals and iron. It is therefore advisable to add them to your smoothie to benefit from their benefits.
Never forget fiber
Fiber helps you feel full by slowing the assimilation of carbohydrates. According to the dietitian, it is recommended to add chia seeds to your smoothie because they are rich in fiber.
Limit fruit juices as much as possible
Although it is a long-term habit, drinking a glass of fruit juice every morning is not ideal when you want to lose weight. As the expert indicates, they “are often high in calories and sugar, but low in fiber.” It is therefore better to avoid adding it to your smoothie.
Prepare your smoothie in advance
If you want to consume a smoothie every day, it is better to be well organized so as not to get caught up in time in the morning. This is why it is recommended to freeze the ingredients of your balanced smoothies in individual bags and take one out per day.
Sources:
- 40 Healthy Smoothie Recipes For Weight Loss, According To Dietitians – Women’s Health – February 27, 2024
- The nutritional benefits of smoothies – Interfel