5 Weight Loss Benefits of Drinking Smoothies

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Many people drink smoothies as a morning meal or afternoon snack. They can be a great way to incorporate more healthy foods into your diet. Smoothies have many health benefits, and can even be used as a weight loss tool under certain circumstances. If you’re the type of person who likes replacing a meal with a smoothie, you may benefit from adding smoothies to your routine.

1. Increases fruit and vegetable intake

Eating a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables is crucial to optimizing your health. One to three cups a day of each can decrease blood pressure, minimize the risk of developing some types of cancers, reduce the risk of developing diabetes, and lower cardiovascular and stroke risk.

2. Increases fiber intake

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) advises a daily consumption of at least 38 grams of fiber for men and 25 grams for women. Studies show that most Americans, on average, eat only 16 grams of fiber each day.

3. Can be a meal replacement

While on a weight loss program, smoothies made with nutritional ingredients can replace a meal and provide essential nutrients. If you are too busy to eat and cook regular meals and want to stay away from fast foods, prepare a container of smoothies ahead of time for a quick and healthy meal replacement.

4. Smoothies provide a nutritional balance of fats, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals

The key to having a nutritional balance in a smoothie is to use fruits and vegetables as the main ingredients, enhanced with healthy fats in seeds, nuts or nut butter, and protein.

5. Smoothies help manage food cravings

One of the benefits of drinking smoothies for breakfast is that they can provide energy and protein. Research has discovered that higher protein intake makes people feel fuller while reducing food cravings later in the day. Proteins are complex molecules that take longer to break down than carbohydrates, so they supply longer-lasting energy.

Protein also contributes to preventing muscle loss while losing weight on a calorie-restricted diet, making high-protein smoothies the perfect weight-loss food. Most people add protein powder made from plants, milk, or eggs to their smoothies. High protein ingredients include almonds and other nuts, peanut butter, flax seeds, soy milk, and tofu just to name a few.