Smoothies can be a nutritious and delicious way to help you shed pounds and boost your intake of essential vitamins and minerals. Many of the ingredients in smoothies are low in calories and provide you with the energy you need to lose weight. According to Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford, authors of "Super Smoothies: 50 Recipes for Health and Energy," smoothies that contain fruit provide you with healthy carbohydrates that can help facilitate weight loss. Mix up a fruit-based smoothie and get started today.
Peachy Lean Smoothie
A Peachy Lean smoothie contains several different kinds of fruit and weighs in at only 186 calories for a 1-cup serving, say Barber and Whiteford. For two smoothies, you need 1/2 cup reduced-fat peach yogurt, 1/4 cup sugar-free apple juice, 1 cup blackberries, 1/2 cup sliced peaches and one banana. Use frozen fruit without added sugar for the best results, recommend Barber and Whiteford. Combine the yogurt and apple juice in a blender, and then add the fruit. Blend until smooth. One serving of this smoothie has 5 g of fiber and 4 g of protein to help you feel full longer and to give you energy, both of which will promote weight loss.
Slim and Trim Shake
The Slim and Trim Shake includes a variety of low-calorie fruits, says Cherie Calbom, author of "The Ultimate Smoothie Book: 101 Delicious Recipes for Blender Drinks, Frozen Desserts, Shakes, and More." You can also add nutritional supplements to increase the weight-loss potential of the shake, Calbom says. Start with the juice of one grapefruit and the juice of one orange. You will also need a mango that has been peeled and chopped into chunks. Add six ice cubes to the fruit, and blend in your blender until smooth to make one serving. Before blending, Calbom recommends adding 1 tbsp. soy lechtin granules and 2 tsp. bee pollen, if desired, to help promote weight loss. This smoothie has 246 calories and a healthy dose of fiber and protein for energy in each 12-oz. serving. It is also an excellent source of potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C.
Constant Cravings
The Constant Cravings smoothie can help satisfy your taste for something rich and sweet so you end up eating fewer unhealthy sweetened foods, say Barber and Whiteford. With only 162 calories in a 1-cup serving, this smoothie will not get in the way of your weight-loss goals. To make two servings, you need 3/4 cup reduced-fat plain yogurt, 3/4 cup chopped apple, 1/2 cup crushed ice made from apple juice, half of a frozen banana and a pinch of cinnamon. You can make this smoothie with peeled or unpeeled apples, say Barber and Whiteford, but unpeeled apples will increase your fiber and nutrient intake. Start by mixing the yogurt and apple together in your blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. This smoothie has 4 g of protein that will give you energy to help you lose weight, as well as a healthy dose of calcium and potassium.
References
- "Super Smoothies: 50 Recipes for Health and Energy"; Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford; 2000
- "The Ultimate Smoothie Book: 101 Delicious Recipes for Blender Drinks, Frozen Desserts, Shakes, and More"; Cherie Calbom; 2001
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