If you are drinking more smoothies to help you lose weight, then you should know what to add to your smoothies. Relax and take a deep breath—we’ve got your back.
First of all, you have to make sure that you are not drinking a sugar bomb in disguise. Second, add slimming ingredients into your smoothies.
Science shows that certain foods can indeed boosts your fat-burning potential by helping to increase your metabolism, promoting the formation of lean muscle and balancing blood sugar.
1. Avocado
Avocados are filled with MUFAs, which help in reducing inflammation and have been linked to a reduction in overall weight and belly fat. MUFAs, combined with avocado’s high fiber content help boost satiety and improve insulin sensitivity. This will make you less likely to store fat.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
You might be saying there’s no way you will add apple cider vinegar in your smoothie? But hear this out first.
Studies have shown that this fermented form of apple juice can help in stabilizing your blood sugar level, therefore helping prevent cravings, that is caused by blood sugar dips.
How to:
You can add apple cider vinegar with cinnamon, which also helps improve insulin sensitivity.
3. Almond Butter
Almond butter contains a combination of fiber, protein and healthy monounsaturated fatty acids or MUFAs. It makes a perfect addition to any or meal-replacement and post-workout blends.
How to:
A recent research found that snacking on 1.5 ounces of almonds daily or about 2.5 tablespoon of almond butter, helps reduce belly fat, cholesterol, and waist circumference.
4. Cayenne Pepper
Capsaicin an active ingredient found in cayenne pepper can temporarily boost your metabolism. This is done by causing your body to produce more heat and thus results to burning more calories.
How to:
You can add this spice into your condiments, drinks, smoothies and meals throughout the day.
5. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds contain alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, a type of plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. These omega-3s stimulate the satiety hormone leptin, which signals the body to burn fats instead of storing them.
6. Matcha Powder
Green tea helps boost your metabolism to for about 4% for the day. This is due to the caffeine and an antioxidant known as epigallocatachin gallate or EGCG.
How to:
For smoothies, you can use matcha green tea—a powder which is made from whole and dried green tea leaves. This is because it is much easier to scoop and contains concentrated levels of antioxidants.
Since green tea has a bitter, earthy and somewhat intense flavor, just use 1 teaspoon per smoothie.
7. Protein Powder
The amount of lean muscle a person has contributes to his metabolic rate, which is largely dependent on the amount of protein consumption. This is along with some weight-bearing exercises. Protein also takes much longer to digest compared to carbohydrates, which can help keep your body metabolizing and working.
How to:
You can add a high-quality and minimally processed protein powder such as Organic Whey Protein, which is made with milk from grass-fed cows. This packs 21 grams of protein per serving.
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