Our Most Popular Smoothie Recipes Make a Healthy, Satisfying Snack Any Time (2024)

FAQs

Are smoothies a healthy snack? ›

With the right ingredients, smoothies can be an excellent way to boost your fiber intake. Some of the most fiber-rich foods are also common smoothie ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains (such as soaked oats), nuts, seeds, and legumes (such as white beans).

Protein smoothie

Eating a protein-rich snack before bed could support muscle repair and help slow down age-related muscle loss, particularly if you exercise routinely (24). Smoothies are an easy and tasty way to sneak in protein-rich milk before bed.

Whole-grain toast or bagel: Add some complex carbs to your meal by pairing your smoothie with a slice of whole-grain toast or a whole-grain bagel. Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt is high in protein, which can help keep you feeling full and satisfied. Pair your smoothie with a serving of Greek yogurt for added protein.

While they provide several health benefits, drinking too many smoothies can negatively affect your health. They can add a lot of unforeseen calories, especially when a smoothie is simply a beverage with a meal.

Whether or not a smoothie can replace a meal really depends on what's in it. If you're only adding frozen fruit and water, then that's not a meal; that's a light, refreshing snack. In general, a meal should have a few food groups. I recommend trying to have carbs, protein, fat, and fiber at meals whenever possible.

This can be milk, or a dairy-free alternative such as soya or almond milk, natural or flavoured yogurt, fruit juice, or for a tropical flavoured smoothie, low-fat coconut milk or coconut water. It's important to add the liquid to your blender before adding the fruit, as this will prevent the blade from getting damaged.

What is a good nighttime snack for weight loss? ›

Healthy late-night snacks for weight loss include Greek yogurt with berries, a small handful of nuts, sliced veggies with hummus, or a piece of fruit. These options offer a balance of nutrients and won't derail your weight-loss efforts.

Even the biggest smoothie aficionados need a little crunch sometimes, and making a smoothie bowl is the perfect way to beef up your favorite recipe. Add a low-sugar, high-protein granola and some nuts, nut butter or seeds along with your fruit toppings to help keep you full for hours on end.

Smoothies also go down faster than foods that need to be chewed, so your brain often doesn't get the signal as quickly as it should that you're full and need to stop eating, Warren says. The faster it's in and out of you, the less full you feel.

You May Not Be Satisfied

If your smoothie doesn't have protein, fiber and healthy fat, you may feel hungry shortly after drinking it, Scott says. This can make it easier for you to overeat. “It takes about 15 minutes for a conversation to take place between your stomach and brain that you're full,” Shapira says.

Are Smoothies Good for Weight Loss? They can be. "Nutrient-packed, well-balanced smoothies can contribute to a healthy weight loss strategy, contingent upon the ingredients used, the macronutrient composition, and the satiety they offer,” said Routhenstein.

Many shop-bought smoothies are made from cheaper, more processed ingredients such as fruit purées and juices. These purées concentrate sugars whilst removing many of the nutritional benefits of the whole fruit such as the fibre, phyto-nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

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. Your best choice for losing weight is whole vegetables and whole fruit.

Although it's better to eat whole fruit than drink fruit juice or smoothies, ifyou want to have some it's better to limit the quantity to the recommended portion of 1 small glass a day (150ml) and make sure your drink goes further by diluting it with water. '