Breakfast, lunch, dinner and restaurants
Is it Healthy to Have a Smoothie for Breakfast ? Smoothies can make a very healthy breakfast —it’s all about the ingredients and keeping reasonable portions. When looking for a healthy breakfast smoothie , try to find one that’s low in sugar and high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats so you stay full for longer.
A daily smoothie can offer a super convenient way to get your fruits and veggies in while also nourishing your body with many essential vitamins and minerals. The key is to maximize those benefits by focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods while avoiding added sugars as much as possible.
Research suggests that food in semi-solid or solid forms are more filling and satiating than drinking liquids. “If you find that you are hungry soon after your morning smoothie , you may want to opt for a breakfast of oatmeal with nuts and berries or whole grain toast with fruit,” Macfarlane suggests.
Blending your own smoothie is one of the easiest ways to add fruit to your diet, be it berries, cherries, mango, peaches, melon, banana, kiwi, even pear and oranges. That’s a good thing for people who don’t think to add fresh fruit to breakfast or snacks.
Can you really have a smoothie every day and not gain weight ? It depends on what’s in it , says Marisa Moore, MBA, RDN, LD, a nutritionist in Atlanta. A fruit -only smoothie isn’t that much better than a cold-pressed juice, but a smoothie with fruit , vegetables, and a source of protein is a different story.
The key to a great smoothie is using great ingredients. Having frozen fruit on hand makes it so easy to whip up a smoothie anytime. You can use fresh fruit , but frozen fruit gives your smoothie that nice icy thick texture.
Smoothies ‘ biggest pitfall is their propensity to contain large quantities of added sugar. Added sugar reduces the nutrient density of smoothies . Furthermore, routinely consuming too much added sugar may increase your risk of chronic ailments like heart disease, diabetes, and liver disease ( 4 ).
Be it maple syrup, honey, agave, coconut sugar, or any other form of added sugar, too much sweetener is where many smoothies go astray. Other added sugars may come in the form of plant-based milks (sometimes even in original varieties) and flavored yogurts.
When is the Best Time to Have a Smoothie ? In the Morning. If you typically have a hard time getting started in the morning, prepping your smoothie ingredients in your blend cup or pitcher in advance makes things easier. Before and After a Workout. Lunch On-The-Go. Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth. For Sleep and Relaxation.
Blended fruit isn’t nutritionally equivalent to the same fruit left whole, according to some experts. Although, of course, some properties remain present, including soluble fiber, blending can break down insoluble fiber.
Perfect pairings : ultimate snack + smoothie combos Good Morning + Sunshine Mango. Wake up to golden sunshine any day of the week with this bright and fruity combo. Wise Ninja + Temple Stay. Kitsilano Sunrise + Sweet Sriracha Crunch. Madagascar + Maple Praline Almonds. Diesel Monster + PB Chocolate Granola. Thunderbird + Wholesome Yogi.
Healthy snack and smoothie pairings to conquer the day KIND bar. We’re not usually huge fans of pre-packaged bars, but these are an exception. Chocolate rice cakes. Love cookies, but hate the sugar crash? Peanuts and dried cranberries. Deli rollups. Edamame. Guac and carrots. Peanut butter and bananas. Which snack would you pair up with these *delish* smoothies ?
Smoothies are high in sugar. If you blend fruit , the natural sugars are released from within the cell walls of the fruit and become “free sugars”.
Use fresh fruit, frozen fruit or fruit canned in water or its own juice. Berries ( strawberries , blueberries , raspberries, blackberries) Mango . Pineapple. Peach . Banana . Apple. Melon. Cherries.
But for losing weight , smoothies tend not to be a good choice because they’re liquids. Calories in liquid form have less satiety, or hunger-curbing power, than calories in solid form.