Many of us often lack the time to make three solid meals a day, so smoothies have become a popular way to get a nutritious meal or snack in little time. The catch is that some smoothies can be loaded with sugar and calories.
The wrong type of smoothie can affect your waistline. So how do you avoid choosing ingredients that can pack on the pounds?
Be mindful of what you are putting into the blender. For example, if you made a smoothie with one cup of yogurt, one banana, a half-cup of strawberries, one cup of orange juice and 2 tablespoons of honey, you would consume more than 500 calories. Make sure to choose low-fat, low-calorie foods to add to your smoothie, and pay attention to portion size.
For a healthy smoothie, use ingredients like fresh fruits and vegetables, heart-healthy fats like chia or flax seeds, non-fat yogurt or cottage cheese, protein powder, soy milk or silken tofu. Healthy fat and protein will help sustain your appetite, pack more nutrients and result in less sugar and calories.
When in doubt, use a smoothie recipe with nutrition facts to make so you are aware of how much you are consuming. There are plenty of low-fat, low-calorie, nutrient-dense recipes online as well. This way you can enjoy your quick, easy meal without the guilt and consequence of added calories.
View a variety of recipes here.
