1. The Hunger-Eliminating Avocado Smoothie
This smoothie may seem too high in calories to support your weight-loss goals, but it actually lowers your total caloric intake by reducing hunger pangs and provides important nutrients to keep your metabolism going. The key is the avocado and almond fat, combined with the fiber content and the high potassium. Potassium is one of the most important minerals for a satiating breakfast! This smoothie is also pretty high in protein, which is extremely important for weight loss. There is plenty of evidence that just making your first meal of the day a high-protein one will get you on the right track to weight loss.
Half an Avocado
1 Ounce of Almonds
1 Banana
A bit of honey (optional)
A cup of water
2. The Antioxidant Bomb
This smoothie contains a very high amount of anthocyanins and phytonutrients. It is helpful if you feel fatigued in the morning, if you are going to be exposed to strong oxidants, like cigarette smoke, sunlight or fast food. Since it’s quite acidic, it also helps with digestion and weight loss. Acid, found in vegetables neutralizes and cleanses the alkaline waste products that occur any time you ingest protein (like homocysteine). So, starting with an acidic drink full of antioxidants is a great way to prime your metabolism in the morning.
200 grams of frozen red cabbage
1 handful of blueberries
1 banana
1 cup yogurt
A dash of vanilla
A cup of water
The yogurt is there to ensure that our smoothie contains some fat! This improves the absorption of antioxidants and slows it down, providing a “timed release”. Unfortunately, this smoothie is not as good-tasting as many others, but it does include bitterness-suppressing and bad-taste-masking ingredients, so it isn’t that bad! As a general rule, the more bitter and generally “unpleasant” a vegetable is, the higher it is in antioxidants, so there is no easy way to make a smoothie that is very high in antioxidant, but also tastes amazing. To add even more to the downside, this smoothie is also a bit time-consuming to prepare and requires a bit of cleaning afterwords 🙁
3. The Stable Energy Smoothie – A Real Breakfast in a Cup
This smoothie is specifically designed to provide a very slow release of glucose and feed your brain. It is best used when you need your brain power – before an exam or job interview for example. This smoothie is relatively high in calories and it’s stable-energy release can be easily nullified by a fast-food or unhealthy meal. So, use only when needed! It’s also similar to the hunger-eliminating smoothie, but it’s a bit higher in carbs & fiber and lower in fat.
1/2 cup oats
An ounce of almonds
1 Banana
1 cup yogurt or milk