Smoothies are the ultimate way to get all your nutrition in one convenient go. If you're running out of the door in the morning trying to get to work or your kids to school, a smoothie is ideal. Superfood smoothies are even better as they're packed with even more essential nutrients.
They have more vitamins and minerals, which can give us a boost of energy, give our immune system a helping hand, and even keep our stomachs fuller for longer. All this can help support our weight loss!
10 Ingredients For Your Superfood Smoothies
The sky's the limit with what you can add into your superfood smoothie! it's always fun to experiment with different tastes or even textures by swapping and blending different combos.
I have some go-to ingredients for my superfood smoothies that I'm going to share with you.
1. Spinach
When you think spinach you don't normally think smoothie. Surprisingly, spinach is a highly beneficial vegetable add-in since it provides plenty of nutritional values in each leaf. Besides possibly tinting your shake green, you won't really be able to tell it's in there! If it does end up tasting slightly bitter, try adding some fruits to balance it out!
Adding just half a cup of this leafy green into your smoothie will give you the recommended daily amount of vitamin K, as well as providing doses of calcium and magnesium to name just a few. A little greenish color never hurt anybody, and it is totally worth it for the healthy boost!
2. Greek Yogurt
Sometimes it's all about the texture, and a great way to get a creamier texture in your smoothie is to add in some Greek yogurt. An added bonus is that there are up to 17g of protein per 6oz of yogurt.
Just like I remind my clients, protein is essential to help super-charge your weight loss because it helps you feel fuller for longer and helps curb your snacking cravings throughout the day. For a nutrient packed meal try adding Greek yogurt to your next shake.
3. Almond Milk
Many of our customers are already mixing their regular shakes with almond milk, but if you haven't yet, it's definitely worth a shot!
Almond milk fuels your body with over 14 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium which helps to rev up your metabolism. It has no cholesterol or saturated fats, is low in sodium, high in healthy fats such as omega fatty acids, and contains fewer calories than regular milk!
Adding almond milk is a great alternative for those who are allergic to dairy products, because you still can have the protein benefits and the texture base of milk for your smoothie. Have I said enough to convince you yet? Give it a try, I promise you won't regret it!
4. Oatmeal/Flax Seed
If it's fiber you're looking for, oatmeal and flax seeds are the answer! Oatmeal can thicken up your shake a bit while adding in some other awesome benefits, like added energy to keep you fueled and on track during your busy days!
Flax seeds are also quickly becoming popular because of the high amounts of fiber content and amino acids. Fiber is a great ingredient to help you on your weight loss journey because it helps you feel fuller for longer and contains protein.
Adding these two superfoods to your next meal replacement shake will give your weight loss a huge boost. I do recommend using a good blender for both of these ingredients in order to get a smoother consistency.
5 – Blueberries
Are you feeling the blues? Well, blueberries contain mood-boosting antioxidants such as vitamin C, which can fight those down feelings and get you back up to where you belong! Not only that, they help you stay strong against colds and sickness, to keep you on track and on your feet.
These benefits make them the perfect addition to your shakes. Take a handful of this super fruit and toss them into your shake for a refreshing flavor boost.
6. Bananas
While most of the ingredients on this list offer ways to change up the flavor of your shake, bananas offer another benefit in terms of flavoring. Bananas can counter out the taste of other ingredients that you may want to add that are not so pleasant tasting (think back to the spinach which can taste green).
In addition to taste, bananas are also a great source of potassium, which is a mineral that can help boost your metabolism and even help support your muscles function properly. Need I say more?
7. Kale
Kale is another super-green powerhouse, packed with healthy nutrients that will boost your smoothie into super mode!
Kale contains more vitamin C than an orange, ALA omega-3 fatty acids, and your daily recommended dose of vitamin A.
Fiber is another benefit from kale, and as we know by now fiber is a major key in losing weight because of its ability to help you feel full for longer and to avoid snacking between meals.
Just like spinach, sometimes kale can tend to be slightly bitter, so be sure to mix in some fruits to balance that out. Give this nutritional leafy-green a try; you and your boosted weight loss will thank me for it later!
8. Powdered Peanut Butter
For a nice creamy texture with an awesome taste, try adding powdered peanut butter to your shake. It's a healthier alternative to peanut butter.
It tastes nearly identical to peanut butter, and some powdered peanut butter brands can contain 85% less fat and calories than regular peanut butter. Sound too good to be true? Well, you won't believe how healthy it is when you taste it! Most grocery stores and health food stores now carry powdered peanut butter, just look for it in the peanut butter aisle!
9. Walnuts
If you're not a fan of powdered peanut butter but still looking to add a nutty flavor to your superfood smoothies, then don't worry! Look no further than walnuts. They actually rank higher than pretty much all the other nuts in terms of nutritional value.
Walnuts offer about double the amount of antioxidants when compared side by side with other nuts. Antioxidants help aid you in your weight loss journey because they work to neutralize the damaging effects of free-radicals in your body caused by energy conversion, helping your muscles and body heal and age in a healthier way. Walnuts are also a great source of fiber and protein.
Once again, I recommend a good quality blender for this one.
10. Avocados
I love avocados, and if you've never tried adding them to your shake, now is the time to start! Not only can they add an amazing texture and taste to your shake, they are also a great source of fiber, potassium, vitamins C and K, and healthy monounsaturated fats. Some research shows that avocados can help with weight loss, as well as help lower cholesterol.
While you should limit yourself to just a quarter or half of an avocado per smoothie, the moral of the story is that avocados are a superfood that will definitely add in some beneficial nutrients!
Summing Up Superfood Smoothies
Try adding these 10 superfoods to your exante Shake for a real nutritional boost to your weight loss!
And don't forget, if you have a favorite ingredient you like to add to your superfood smoothies, share it in the comments below so the rest of us can give it a try!
