Smoothies make a great part of a weight loss plan, especially if you need a quick meal on the go. Regardless of the weight loss plan you follow, there's a delicious, quick smoothie that will suit your needs.
1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Keto Smoothie
The Ketogenic Diet is a popular diet for certain health conditions. Recently, however, a high-fat, low-carb version has emerged that many follow for weight loss. This smoothie is high in fat and low in carbs and can help support ketosis in people trying to lose weight.'
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar-free peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia or to taste
- 1 cup ice
Instructions
In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
Variations
If you are allergic to dairy, you can replace the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk. You can also replace peanut butter with either cashew or almond butter (sugar-free), and you can add a tablespoon or two of any sugar-free flavored syrup, such as caramel or raspberry, to change flavor profiles.
2. Low-Carb Avocado Chia Smoothie
Avocados are a mainstay in low-carb diets and also delicious in green smoothies, as well. This avocado smoothie works with many low-carb diets, having about 4 net grams of carbohydrates per smoothie.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia or to taste.
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Water as needed to adjust thickness (or more almond milk)
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Variations
Add one tablespoon of nut butter if you like in place of the chia seeds. You can also replace the vanilla extract with 2 tablespoons of sugar-free raspberry syrup. You can also add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder for a coffee-flavored smoothie.
3. Paleo Frappe Coffee Smoothie
A Grande Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino has more than 400 calories and 65g of carbs, and it's loaded with all sorts of non-paleo ingredients. If you've chosen the paleo diet to lose weight and you miss blended coffee drinks, then this paleo smoothie version can help.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder, or to taste
- Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Water or additional coconut/almond milk to adjust thickness
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Variations
For a slightly different flavor, you can replace the maple syrup with honey. Add 1/2 cup of raspberries for a raspberry mocha.
4. Whole30 Green Tea, Honeydew, and Ginger Smoothie
The Whole30 diet doesn't allow any sweeteners except fruit, and this smoothie fits perfectly within the plan. You can opt for either caffeinated or decaf green tea.
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong brewed green tea, cooled
- 1 cup chopped honeydew melon
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger root
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Water to adjust consistency as needed
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Variations
Replace the honeydew with any type of melon. You can also replace the ginger root with 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint or chopped, fresh basil.
5. Low-Calorie Orange Cream Smoothie
If you're on a low-calorie diet, this smoothie has under 200 calories.
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Water to adjust thickness as desired
Instructions
In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
Variations
Add half a banana (about 50 calories) to the smoothie, or add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to add a hint of spice.
6. Low-Cal Vegan Blackberry Thyme Smoothie
While vegan diets aren't necessarily weight loss diets, they can be. This version is low in calories with fewer than 300 calories, and it has less than 1 gram of fat, so it's great for a low-fat diet, as well.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
- 3/4 cup frozen blackberries
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 medjool dates
- 1 tablespoon spirulina powder
- 1/2 cup crushed ice
- Water as needed to adjust thickness
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Variations
You can use any frozen fruit here. Try different flavors of berries, mixed berries, or even frozen peaches or mangos. Add 1 cup of greens, such as spinach, if you like, as well. Omit the thyme if you wish, or try other herbs, such as basil or mint.
Using Smoothies in Your Weight Loss Plan
Regardless of the plan you choose, smoothies make a great addition because they are so easy and quick to make.
- Have a smoothie for breakfast or as an afternoon or evening snack.
- Add greens to any smoothie to add nutrition without adding many calories, carbs, or fat.
- Unless you're on a high-fat plan, keep calories and fat low by using skim milk, nonfat dairy products, and sugar-free low-fat nut milks as the base of the smoothie.
- For low-calorie plans, you can also use unsweetened juice as a base for the smoothie.
- For low-carb plans, use either heavy cream or an unsweetened nut-milk as the base.
- For paleo and Whole30 plans, use unsweetened coconut or almond milk and sweeten with medjool dates.
- For low-carb and low-calorie plans, consider using a sugar-free flavored syrups, such as Toriani syrup, to flavor the smoothie.
- Almond butter adds protein without many carbs to low-carb, paleo, Whole30, and keto smoothies.
A Quick and Delicious Option
Smoothies can be a part of any weight loss plan. So grab your blender and ingredients and whip yourself up a quick, delicious smoothie.
