For people looking to slim down, weight loss shakes and smoothies are an excellent option. These are intended to supplement your other efforts to lose weight, including exercise and lifestyle habits, as well as maintaining a healthy diet. Some shakes and smoothies can replace meals, while other lighter options are simply meant as additions to your daily caloric intake. These weight loss shakes and smoothies are primarily composed of fruits and vegetables, as well as some spices, herbs and other juices, many of which are dense with nutrients, minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber, antioxidants and other useful active ingredients.
Benefits of Weight Loss Shakes & Smoothies
The benefits of weight loss shakes and smoothies include faster metabolism, appetite suppression, improved digestion, low-calorie intake, and prevention of many risk factors of obesity.
Reduce Appetite
Many of the weight loss shakes include fruits that are high in dietary fiber. Fiber is known to fill up the stomach and stimulate the release of leptin, which is the satiety hormone. This helps you eat less, while still delivering a rich supply of necessary nutrients.
Smoothies are a healthy and delicious breakfast option. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Improve Digestion
Constipation, bloating, cramping, and poor digestion can slow the metabolism and make it harder to lose weight, but many smoothies and shakes can stimulate peristaltic motion and relieve any backups in your digestive system.
Lower Calorie Intake
Although fruits and vegetables tend to be high in nutrients and fiber, they are usually low in calories. This means that a daily shake can help you create a calorie deficit, without leaving you hungry for snacks, which is critical for weight loss. [1]
Prevent Heart Disease
Rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, many weight loss shakes can help protect the heart from high cholesterol, inflammation, high blood pressure, and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Reduce Risk of Diabetes
Fruits and vegetables can be high in natural sugars, but equally significant levels of dietary fiber. High fiber foods are known to keep insulin and glucose levels balanced in the body and reduce the risk of diabetes, which is a major factor behind obesity, says a study published in the American Diabetes Association. [2]
10 Great Weight Loss Shakes
The following weight loss shakes and smoothies are some of the most effective for losing weight – and helpful to keep it off! The majority of these recipes require only a blender to combine all of the ingredients. Many add ice to the prepared shake if they like it chilled or water can also be added to maintain the consistency if they don’t want to have an ice-cold shake on a winter morning!
Apple and Blueberry
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of blueberries
- 1 apple
- 2 cups of spinach
- 1 cup of almond milk
All ingredients should be blended well, and if you want a cool beverage, throw a few ice cubes into the blender as well. This smoothie boasts of the antioxidant powers of blueberries, as well as the rich fiber content and digestive enzymes of apples, and the diverse range of minerals and vitamins found in spinach. Almond milk is similarly high in calcium, potassium, iron and zinc, as well as vitamin C and B family vitamins. [3]
This smoothie will satiate your appetite, speed up your metabolism, boost digestive enzyme levels, and improve the efficiency of your digestive system.
Peanut Butter and Banana
Ingredients:
This mixture is high in potassium, protein, probiotics, and antioxidants, all of which are important for weight-loss goals. This filling shake can keep your snacking under control, provide a boost of energy before a workout, increase metabolism and improve the immune system. [4]
Spinach and Avocado
Ingredients:
- 1/2 avocado
- 2 cups of spinach
- 1 apple, sliced and chopper
- 1 cup of apple juice
This delicious weight loss shake is high in dietary fiber and good forms of fat, as well as digestive enzymes and vitamins. While this shake is slightly higher in calories than others on this list, it also offers a diverse range of minerals and antioxidants that can speed up the metabolism, increase fat-burning, and optimize digestion. [5]
Chocolate and Cherry
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of soy milk
- 2 cups of pitted cherries
- 1 banana
- 2 teaspoons of chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
- 6 ice cubes
After blending this sweet shake, your digestion will be stimulated very quickly by the chia seeds, while the potassium from bananas can help control your blood pressure and protect the heart. The chia seeds are also high in fiber, which will fill you up and lower your overall cholesterol levels, thereby boosting your metabolism and fat-burning potential. [6]
Kale and Apple
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of kale
- 1 cup of ice
- 1 celery stalk
- 1/2 green apple
- 1 cup of almond milk
- 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed
These ingredients are perfect for stimulating digestion, and by optimizing digestion, you set the stage for weight loss and the efficient use of nutrients in the body. These ingredients are also low in calories, so this shake, while it certainly fills you up, does not cut very deep into your caloric intake for the day. The use of almond milk also provides an important mineral boost. [7]
Pineapple and Mango
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup of frozen mango
- 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons of honey
- 2 teaspoons of lime juice
This is a tart and tropical smoothie that can deliver a burst of vitamins in your morning, as well as digestive enzymes and anti-inflammatory relief. Greek yogurt is packed with probiotics that can help improve the health of the gut, while pineapple stimulates peristaltic motion and mango boosts energy levels, keeping you active and properly fueled, despite the relatively low calorie count. [8]
Almond Milk and Egg Whites
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of almond milk
- 2 egg whites
- 6 ice cubes
This may seem like a simple shake, but it can also be improved with various other spices, such as cinnamon or clove. However, even by itself, this simple drink will give you a protein boost, making this ideal for energy before a high-intensity workout. The almond milk also provides a rich supply of minerals to aid muscle growth and keep the metabolism high for hours after your workout is complete. [9]
Vanilla and Blueberry
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of almond milk
- 1 cup of frozen blueberries
- 1 scoop of whey protein powder
- 4 ice cubes
This weight loss shake contains phytonutrients and antioxidants from blueberries, widely considered one of the healthiest fruits available, as well as high levels of protein and minerals. Not only is this an excellent source of energy, but it can also soothe inflammation in the body, prevent oxidative stress, promote muscle growth and metabolic activity, and eliminate digestive disorders quickly. [10]
Lemon and Orange
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lemon, peeled
- 1 orange, peeled
- 1 apple, cored 2 cups of spinach
- 6 ice cubes
- 1 cup of orange juice
This shake contains a great deal of citric acid, which can stimulate the digestive system, as well as vitamin C for energy. The spinach provides high levels of dietary fiber, which can lower cholesterol levels, while the dense nutrients in lemons and oranges help increase metabolic speed and promote passive fat-burning, even after your exercise is complete. This is a popular shake to drink before high-intensity cardiovascular workouts. [11]
Kale, Strawberry, and Banana
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of kale
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of frozen strawberries
- 2 cups of almond milk
If you want a simple shake that will provide a serious energy boost in the morning, and a feeling of fullness for hours, this antioxidant-rich beverage is the right choice. Kale can often have a bitter taste, but it is offset by the sweetness of the other ingredients. Together, the potassium, vitamin C, fiber and other minerals can help improve the health of your gut, kick your metabolism up a notch and leave you feeling full, preventing snacking and overeating. [12]
