Nowadays, everybody owns a blender, and everybody is putting it to work in their kitchen. The first thing when one purchases such an appliance is trying new and tasty smoothies, prepared in the comfort of their own kitchens. After all, delicious homemade courses are a trend of the era. But the debate is heated: are smoothies really good for weight loss? Below we will analyze the matter for you.
1. It’s a satiety matter
What can go wrong when you prepare a smoothie from a variety of veggies and fruits? Nothing, if you don’t take into account the satiety factor. If you are unfamiliar with the term, satiety refers to how long you stay full after a meal and how filling the meal itself is. As dieticians claim, solid foods are way more filling than liquid ones. And this is when the problems with this type of beverages begin. Turning a solid food into a liquid one, you ingest the same amount of calories – only that the smoothie won’t keep your stomach happy for long. So, before turning your solid meals into liquid ones, bear this small yet highly important aspect in mind. While many think that a smoothie before a meal will make them eat less, this is unlikely to happen. Because the levels of satiety of these beverages are slim to none. You will only end up ingesting more calories than planned, and as a result, gain weight. So, keep your food solid, and you can easily avoid the satiety factor.
2. Still, there is one exception…
While smoothies are not a solution when it comes to weight loss in general, a certain type of beverage like this might, in fact, promote weight loss. In controlled circumstances (patients in a medically-supervised weight loss program), having a smoothie instead of junk food for breakfast, might, in fact, help the subject lose weight. Individuals with unhealthy food habits that tend to indulge in doughnuts or other unhealthy foods in the morning seem to lose weight when replacing those with a fibre-packed smoothie. For instance, a beverage from fresh fruits, oatmeal and skimmed milk certainly has a lower calorie count than junk food. However, there is proof that this type of diet is inefficient on long-term perspectives.
3. What can you do if you simply love smoothies?
Although not recommended when trying to lose weight, some strategies might let you indulge in these delicious liquid meals. If you want to take advantage of their great taste, avoid the ones that you find in supermarkets or even in restaurants. Prepare your own, as you control fully how many calories go into each one, what types of sweeteners and if you will be using them. Integrate fibres, and you will certainly enjoy a healthier version of the McDonald’s smoothie, let’s say.
These are some reasons for which smoothies are not recommended for those with weight loss as a goal. If you still crave some liquid goodness, make your own!
References
Effects of carbohydrates on satiety: differences between solid and liquid food https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21519237 Date accessed November 2017
Are Smoothies Good or Bad? http://nutritionstudies.org/are-smoothies-good-or-bad/ Date accessed November 2017
Meal Replacement Beverage Twice a Day in Overweight and Obese Adults https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3514724/ Date accessed November 2017
