This healthy Green Smoothie for Weight Loss recipe is a quick and tasty way to start your day. Green Smoothies are full of fruits and vegetables and are a great way to boost immunity and make you feel good.
Now this is not the usual breakfast or brunch recipe you might see here at Kitchen Divas—there is no melted cheese, icing sugar, or chocolate!
Recently, I started working with a nutrition coach and dietician, and healthy green smoothies are the first thing she recommended to me after hearing about my very busy schedule and lack of green veggies in my personal diet!
Since I started using this green smoothie to lose weight, most mornings my energy has increased. I'm losing weight, staying full longer, and don't crave mid-morning carbs.
I completed her Craving Change program and it changed my life. Maybe it can help change your life too. Have a look, if interested.
I also use our Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili - Weight Loss Chili to help me reduce weight and feel better. If interested, I hope you'll have a look.
Green Smoothies for Weight Loss
This green breakfast smoothie was inspired by my berry smoothie recipe on this site, and pairs well with this bell pepper salad.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Weight loss green smoothies taste great and have even more benefits.
- Helps to improve Mental Clarity and Focus
- Assists with Digestion and Overall Metabolic Function
- Increases Bone Strength
- Smoothies help you lose weight
- Clearer Skin
How to Make a Green Smoothie
There are 5 steps. Choose a liquid, about one cup per serving. Choose your protein source, pick a vegetable and add a large handful, choose one cup fruit to add and include and a 2 thumb sized healthy fat.
Weight Loss Smoothie Recipe
This is my favorite green smoothie recipe because it's the first one I started with. Now I add all kinds of things like proteins, other vegetables and more to constantly switch it up!
Green Smoothie Ingredients
- Avocado - Avocado does not have much taste but adds creaminess.
- Banana - Adding a banana gives the shake an excellent consistency and a boost of potassium.
- Apple - Simply remove the core and slice into wedges.
- Spinach - Does not have much flavor and is hidden by apple and banana flavor.
- Milk of choice or water - Cow’s milk, Your favorite nut milk, Soy milk, Hemp milk (unsweetened), Oat milk (unsweetened) or Coconut water.
- Lemon - Add a nice tartness to your smoothie and has health benefits.
- Vanilla - Vanilla is a universal crowd-pleaser, but feel free to add almond, coconut, peppermint, lemon, banana, maple or orange extract instead.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add Herbs and Spices - Like ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, lemon or mint.
- Spicy - If you want to add a little “kick” to it then you can add a little cayenne pepper.
- More Fruit - Include apple, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, pineapple, mango, orange, watermelon, peach or pear.
- Add Sweet Potato, Beets, Carrots, Pumpkin (Pumpkin Puree too), Acorn or Butternut Squash or Cauliflower - Steam, bake or boil chunks or mash and add fresh or frozen.
- Cucumber and Zucchini - Including fresh or frozen cucumbers or zucchini, with or without peel, may aid in weight loss, may lower blood sugar, could promote regularity in digestion and will make you feel fuller without adding many extra calories to your smoothie.
- Add Dark Leafy Greens - Like spinach, swiss chard, kale, collard greens, watercress, beet greens, celery, carrot tops or a scoop of a powdered greens supplement.
- Add Protein - A scoop of Whey protein powder, Egg White protein, pea protein, rice protein or hemp protein. Also, consider ¼-1/2 cup of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
- Add a Healthy Fat - Avocado (a fruit and fat), ground flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds or your favorite nut butter.
Instructions
Peel the avocado and place half of it in the blender. Slice the apple and place the pieces into the blender. Place the banana, spinach, milk (or water) of choice, vanilla, and juice from half a lemon into the blender.
Blend on high for 1-2 minutes and serve.
Hint: Add ice if using fresh fruit or to change the consistency of your smoothie.
Storage
Make Ahead
Try blending fruits and vegetables like spinach or kale with a tiny bit of water until the mixture can be portioned into small freezer bags or ice cube trays.
After frozen into cubes, place into freezer bags or air tight containers.
This way you can add your desired portion to your smoothie easily.
Your other option is to freeze chunks until needed.
Serving Suggestions
- Sweet potato adds a creamy touch and works well with mango, ginger, carrot, banana, dates, cinnamon, orange and almond.
- Remember that eating beets may cause your urine to become pink or red, which is harmless, but often confused for as blood.
- Squash blends beautifully with ingredients like dates, turmeric, orange, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla.
- If you're concerned about the stronger flavor of cauliflower, add extra sweet fruits like mango, blueberries, strawberries or pineapple.
- Cucumber works well with watermelon, pineapple, lime, apple, mint, kale, and mango.
Tips
- Some prefer the extra fiber and vitamins from the peel and for some leaving on the skin becomes an issue of texture.
- For people with certain medical conditions like Diabetes or if you take blood thinners (anticoagulant drugs), ingredients could reduce the effects of the medication. So you should talk to your doctor about how much to consume and what to avoid.
- If you are watching your weight and/or watching your blood sugar, keep your added healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, and nut butter) to a single thumb-size portion per serving and watch how many fruits or additional sweeteners you add.
- Add ice, especially if using fresh fruit, for the best results.
- Many green smoothie recipes call for added dates or maple syrup, honey or stevia to help sweeten it. But I find the berries or other fruit provide enough sweetness and I never add extra sweeteners.
- Fruits contain fructose, and while whole fruits are very healthy, they are naturally high in sugar. You wouldn't eat that many whole fruits in one meal, so stick with about a fist-sized portion of fruit per serving.
FAQ
Do you have more questions about green smoothies for weight loss? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about it.
A healthy weight loss rate is typically around 1-2 pounds per week. By replacing one or two meals every day with nutrient-dense green smoothies, you can create a calorie deficit that supports steady and sustainable weight loss. Remember, consistency, balanced nutrition, and regular exercise are key to achieving and maintaining your weight loss goals.
Green smoothies can contribute to overall weight loss when consumed as part of a well-rounded, calorie-controlled diet. However, it's important to note that no specific food can target belly fat specifically. Incorporating green smoothies can help improve your overall nutrition and create a calorie deficit that, in turn, will lead to fat loss, including belly fat.
To promote weight loss, you can replace one or two of your daily meals with green smoothies containing healthy fats, protein, and carbohydrates to keep you feeling full and energized throughout the day. This practice can create the necessary calorie deficit to support your weight-loss goals.
They are a meal replacement or snack, are low in calories yet packed with essential nutrients, enhance fat burning and are rich in fiber, which helps you feel fuller for longer periods of time. By curbing your appetite, you're less likely to indulge in unhealthy snacking throughout the day.
Green Smoothie for Weight Loss
Looking for more easy, yet healthy, recipes to help kick start a healthier year? Check these out.
Green Smoothie for Weight Loss
Ready to get blending? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Green Smoothie for Weight Loss
Ingredients
- ½ avocado, ripe and pitted
- 1 banana
- 1 apple, green apple or apple of choice
- 1 cup loosely packed with spinach
- 1 cup milk or choice or water
- ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Peel the avocado and place half of it in the blender. Slice the apple and place the pieces into the blender. Place the banana, spinach, milk (or water) of choice, vanilla, and juice of half of a lemon into the blender.
- Blend on high for 1-2 minutes and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Some prefer the extra fiber and vitamins from the peel and for some leaving on the skin becomes an issue of texture.
- For people with certain medical conditions like Diabetes or if you take blood thinners (anticoagulant drugs), ingredients could reduce the effects of the medication so you should talk to their doctor about how much to consume and what to avoid.
- Add Ice if using fresh fruit adding ice is highly recommended for best results.
- Many green smoothie recipes call for added dates or maple syrup, honey or stevia to help sweeten, but I find the berries or other fruit provide enough sweetness and never add extra sweeteners.
- Fruits contain fructose, and while whole fruits are very healthy, they are naturally high in sugar. You wouldn't eat that many whole fruits in one meal, so stick with about one fist-sized portion of fruit per serving.
- If you are watching your weight and/or watching your blood sugar, keep your added healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, nut butter) to a single thumb-size portion per serving and watch how many fruits or additional sweeteners such as dates, you add to your healthy green smoothies.
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