8 things you should know about smoothies – if your goal is to lose weight –

In addition to being practical, the smoothie has become synonymous with a healthy snack. After all, they are made up of fruits, yogurts, vegetables… and all the foods you want to put in them. But beware: your (seemingly) healthy cup can turn into a calorie bomb. So, before preparing your drink, keep an eye on these important points:

1. Can you add fruit? Yes! Just be careful with the amount…
Fruits are great for our body, but they are also high in calories and sugar. So if you want to lose weight, you need to pay attention to portion sizes. One option is to prepare the juice with the fresh fruit and dilute it with water. It also works to beat the fruit with the peel, whenever possible, and add a root or spice with thermogenic action – ginger and turmeric, for example. You can also include seeds, such as chia and flaxseed, to increase the amount of fiber and thereby reduce the glycemic index of the drink, making you less fat.

2. The more fiber… the better!
Want to feel fuller for longer? Focus on fiber-rich foods. To ensure the necessary amounts (from 5 to 8g) use unpeeled fruit (the part richest in fiber), such as strawberries, apples and pears. You can also include some vegetables like kale and spinach.

3. Oh, don’t forget to take care of the proteins
Like fiber, protein is important for increasing feelings of fullness (goodbye hunger!). I recommend for each smoothie is something around 10g, which you can get by including 2 col. (soup) peanut butter or ½ cup. (tea) Greek yogurt.

4. Fresh and frozen fruits are better than canned ones
Canned fruits are high in sugar. And if your goal is to lose weight, it’s best to avoid. If you can’t include the fresh ones, you can bet on the frozen versions (don’t worry: the nutrients are still guaranteed!).

5. Keep an eye on the sweets…
Agave, honey, sweetener… They can, yes, make your juice tastier. The problem is that they often make the calories in your smoothie skyrocket. If you still feel the need to sweeten your drink, you can add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

6. Do you want to include milk? There are versions made from soy, rice, oats, almonds and even quinoa.
Are you from the group that doesn’t give up the creamy smoothie? So keep an eye on the label. Some types of milk are more caloric and rich in sugar, carbohydrate and protein than others. Here, we show you good options for you to try (Cow’s milk, chestnut and even rice. 10 options to find out which one is best for you).

7. Buy the ready-made drink or make it at home?
The smoothie craze has invaded health food stores. Truth be told: buying is much more practical and faster than preparing it at home. But to control the amount of calories, protein and all the other nutrients that we have listed above, you need to make the drink at home. So, off to the kitchen!

8. Eye on the label
Okay, you’ve decided to buy your ready-made drink. All good! Just keep an eye on the calories, sugars, fats and carbohydrates of each product so you don’t compromise your diet.