Supercharge your metabolism with fat burning smoothies for weight loss. Plants are powerful ingredients to eat when trying to get healthier and leaner, naturally. You can easily blend these weight loss foods that are scientifically proven to decrease body fat.
One common mistake that causes some people to not successfully lose weight is to not pay attention to portions or what ingredients they are putting in their smoothies. By themselves, individual ingredients may be healthy, but when you combine together, the calories can easily add up if you are not aware of the amount you are including in your smoothie. And because smoothies are drinks that are easy to down rather than meals you sit down and chew, it’s not hard to overlook the amount of food (and calories) that’s in your blended beverage.
If you do plan to lose weight with smoothies, as with any food or diet, you need to take in fewer calories than you are currently eating to shed those pounds. This is done by combining ingredients that are low-calorie, nutrient-dense, and leave you feeling fuller. Homemade weight loss smoothies are the best way to control the quality of the ingredients that go into your blended beverage. And remember, never put your health at risk or leave you feeling starved. Here are some best weight loss smoothie recipes for every flavor preference recommended by nutritionists.
1. Raspberry Chocolate Smoothie by Isabel Smith, MS, RD, CDN
"I really love this weight loss smoothie because it tastes super-decadent, but in reality is just loaded with a ton of natural, unprocessed, and healthful ingredients. The cocoa powder is a good source of flavonoids that are both brain and heart-healthy, and also makes the smoothie taste like I've added a ton of chocolate. In addition to the healthy cocoa, this smoothie also has other healthy ingredients like raspberries that are a source of immune-boosting vitamin C, and the spinach that's a source of energizing B vitamins. If I have this smoothie post-workout, I'll also add a plant-based protein like sprouted rice or pea protein to help my muscles recover more quickly."
½ banana
1 handful spinach
½ cup raspberries
1 tablespoon almond or cashew nut butter
2 tablespoons raw cocoa powder
10 oz unsweetened almond, hemp or coconut milk
1 scoop or serving plant-based protein powder (optional)
NUTRITION: (With scoop of protein) 391 calories / 15 g fat / 38 g carbs / 12 g fiber / 12 g sugar / 34 g protein
NUTRITION: (Without scoop of protein) 257 calories / 15 g fat / 32 g carbs / 11 g fiber / 10 g sugar / 8.6 g protein
sugar / 8.6 g protein
2. Wake-Up Call by Kristin Reisinger, MS, RD, CSSD, founder and owner of IronPlate Studios
"Combining a non-dairy, low-calorie smoothie first thing in the morning with a roughly even portion of high-quality protein and good carbs is a great start to anyone looking to lose weight and be healthy. Starting the day off with a smoothie such as this will pull your body out of it's overnight fasting state, and the carbohydrates from healthy, mixed berries combined with high-quality protein will give you the quick energy and protein uptake your body needs first thing in the morning without being 'too much."
½ cup frozen mixed berries
Handful of spinach
8 oz unsweetened Silk almond milk
1 scoop plant-based vanilla protein powder (Reisinger uses VegaOne Vanilla Performance Protein)
NUTRITION: 230 calories / 2.5 g fat / 20 g carbs / 5 g fiber / 7 g sugar / 26 g protein
3. Coconut Cashew Protein Smoothie by Cassie Bjork, RD, LD of Redefined Weight Loss
"This is my go-to smoothie recipe for weight loss because it contains a balance of protein, fat, and carbs which promote stable blood sugar levels, and in turn, your pancreas can secrete your fat-burning hormone, glucagon! And it's so good, you can drink one every morning and not get sick of it."
½ banana
1 tablespoon of cashew butter
¼ cup full-fat coconut milk
2 scoops dairy-free PaleoMeal protein powder
1 scoop of Espresso Dynamic Greens
2-3 ice cubes
NUTRITION: 315 calories / 21 g fat / 26 g carbs / 4 g fiber / 9 g sugar / 14 g protein
4. Kale Recharge Smoothie by Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT and Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, CDN, CFT, The Nutrition Twins
With such a low protein count, this smoothie wouldn't qualify as a meal replacement, but it does pair well with an omelet, as the nutritionists suggest. Serves 3.
1 frozen, very ripe banana
1 Tbsp fresh parsley (or cilantro)
¾ cup spinach, loosely packed
1 tsp ginger, grated
¾ cups curly kale, stems removed, loosely packed
½ cup carrots, chopped
1 tsp lime juice
8 ounces water
4 ice cubes
NUTRITION: 58 calories / 0 g fat / 14 g carbs / 3 g fiber / 5 g sugar / 2 g protein
5. Cassetta's Pumpkin Pie by Jennifer Cassetta, MS, CN, clinical nutritionist, personal trainer
"Pumpkin pie without the pie, all year round? Yes, please! Pumpkin is a good clean burning carbohydrate and when you add the protein powder you'll balance your blood sugar as well as add the perfect components for a post-workout recovery meal."
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ banana
1 cup coconut or almond milk
2 tablespoons of chopped pecans
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¾ scoop Vega Vanilla protein powder
Handful of ice cubes
NUTRITION: 331 calories / 10 g fat / 42 g carbs / 11 g fiber / 17 g sugar / 24 g protein
