Low Calorie Smoothies 101

ByLee J Scutchings

There isn't a lot that sounds better on a hot day than fresh, icy low calorie smoothies!

But trying to buy one at a restaurant or fast food place is a recipe for trouble. Smoothies made at fast food establishments tend to be ice cream based - yikes!

A recent survey decided that the worst drink in America was an ice cream milk shake from Cold Stone Creamery with 2000 calories, 130 grams of fat, 68 grams of saturated fat, and 153 grams of sugar.

The number two worst drink was a smoothie. This smoothie came in at more than 1400 calories with 44 grams of fat and 214 grams of sugar.

Unfortunately, this is not that unusual. Low calorie smoothies are rare, with most smoothies being sold today by big chains and small stores alike crammed full of sugar and cream in order to appeal to the masses.

Weight loss smoothies may be the foundation of detox diets out there, but they sure aren't made like these!

So how do you go about making a low calorie smoothie that could actually help you lose weight?

The base of a smoothie low in calories should be low-fat or non-fat yogurt. This will help give the low calorie smoothie a more consistent and smooth consistency like ice cream but without all of the fat and sugar. Add ice and sometimes skim milk to give the smoothie a more drinkable texture.

Juices can also be added instead of milk or yogurt, but it's recommended that you skip the pasteurized variety and stick to the freshly squeezed kind.

Investing in a juicer if you intend to make a lot of smoothies and diet drinks is not a bad idea.

Banana is a great fruit to put into low calorie smoothies to add even more creaminess and help minimize lumpiness or unpleasant texture. It's easy to throw in the wrong fruits and end up with a puree instead of something drinkable. Adding banana to the mix almost guarantees a smooth and creamy concoction.

There are thousands if not millions of interesting and delicious weight loss shake recipes out there. It's just a matter of selecting what you like best. Before long you'll probably find yourself experimenting and creating your own recipes. It's easy once you've decided on a "base" formula that you really like.

Low fat yogurt, ice, and banana is one example of a "base" recipe to which you can then add all kinds of fruits - or vegetables.

Making a vegetable low calorie smoothie is a twist on the popular healthy diet drink. "Carrots, tomatoes, and celery" is a common combination in vegetable smoothies. Extra ingredients vary depending on your taste and preferences.

You can add peppers and Tabasco sauce to the basic recipe for a spicy, salty treat.

Another idea is to add carrots to an otherwise sweet smoothie. Blueberry and other berry smoothies are great flavors to try this with.

Cold, smooth, and ever so yummy. Those are just three of the reasons that low calorie smoothies are a diet craze that is sure to never go away.

Invest in a juicer and a good blender and start experimenting! As long as the ingredients you're starting with are fresh and clean, you're bound to come up with something that's as healthy as it is delicious.

To find out more about low calorie smoothies and popular diet plans and for help with choosing the correct weight loss system for you, be sure to check out all the reviews at RealDietPlans.com

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Health and Fitness: Weight-Loss
Lee J Scutchings

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Healthy Smoothie Recipes For Weight Loss – Tips For Healthy Smoothies

By Rob Poulos...February 6, 2012

Smoothies have become the latest shiny new thing in weight loss, but unlike a lot of fad foods that pop up for a few months then disappear into the abyss of the internet; smoothies provide an easy and healthy weight to lose weight.

Creating healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss is simpler than you think; all you need is a few ingredients and you can quickly reduce your calorie count while giving yourself a boost of energy for your midday workout.

Keep reading to find out what you need to make healthy smoothies for weight loss.

Fruits & Veggies

The produce aisle is where making healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss can be really fun. Mix and match fruits with vegetables or create your own combination of fruit and vegetable smoothies so that you never get bored with this low calorie snack choice.

The great thing about healthy smoothie recipes is that you don’t have to be limited in your produce options in those long winter months. You can use fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables to make healthy smoothies for weight loss. Take this opportunity to experiment with different types of fruits and vegetables for a delicious blend that will help you shed excess weight.

[Don’t be afraid to mix & match your produce for healthy smoothies.]

Fat

What gives a healthy smoothie its smoothie-ness is the fat, but you don’t need to go crazy with the fat you put into your healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss. In fact you don’t need to add any fat at all to your smoothie if you don’t want to, but if you do there are a few low fat options for you.

Forget adding ice cream to your healthy smoothie recipes, because that makes it not a smoothie and certainly not healthy. Instead use low fat or non-fat plain yogurt or Greek yogurt to give your smoothie a hint of creaminess that has made smoothies so popular. One smoothie will never require more than ¼ cup of fat, and feel free to add less, if you choose to add any fat to your healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss.

Ice

The general rule for making healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss is that you use ice or fat, but rarely both. Ice gives your smoothie texture without adding unnecessary calories, like the fat. Just make sure you use crushed ice so you don’t end up with huge chunks of ice in your healthy smoothie.

You’ll need between ½ cup and 1 cup of ice for 2 servings or more of healthy smoothies.

Healthy Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss

Now that you have the basics for creating healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss, here are a few recipes to get you started.

Immune Boosting Smoothie

Ingredients:

½ cup chopped watermelon

1 cup chopped strawberries

2 ripe bananas, chopped

1 orange

1 scoop vanilla whey or egg protein

Directions: Place all ingredients in blender until smooth. Add another ½ orange, juiced if smoothie is too thick. Makes 2 servings.

Bloody Mary Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup sodium-free tomato juice

½ cup chopped baby carrots

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 cup crushed ice

½ cup chopped cucumbers

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1 scoop vanilla whey or egg protein

Directions: Add vegetables and Worcestershire sauce to blender and run for about 30 seconds, then add tomato sauce and ice and run again until smoothie reached desired consistency. Makes 3 servings.

Papaya & Berries Smoothie

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chopped strawberries

1/3 cup blueberries

1/3 cup blackberries

1 tbsp. honey

1 cup chopped papaya, peeled & seeded

½ cup coconut milk

1 scoop vanilla whey or egg protein

Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender and secure the lid tightly. Blend 30 seconds or until you have a creamy healthy smoothie. Makes 1 serving.

Spicy Sweet Vegetable Smoothie

Ingredients:

8 vine tomatoes, diced

1 zucchini, chopped

3 slices of red onion

1 tsp. flax seeds

1 tbsp. chili powder

2 red bell peppers, chopped

¼ avocado, cubed (optional for a creamy flavor)

½ tsp. smoky paprika

8 celery sticks, chopped

½ cup ice, crushed

1 scoop vanilla whey or egg protein

Directions: Add tomatoes to blender and run until mixed. Add bell peppers, celery and zucchini and run until blended. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Makes 4 servings.

These are just a few healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss to get you started. Experiment and make your own healthy smoothies for weight loss. Remember to add flax seed and/or whey/egg protein to increase nutritional value of your smoothie.

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