Smoothies can make you fat if you don’t avoid these mistakes

Almost every health-conscious person is talking about smoothies today. It is delicious power drink that can also help you lose weight. Read on to know about some common mistakes people make when having this drink.

Smoothies are a big rage right now in the world. Smoothie shops are popping up all over the place just like coffee shops. And, in no-time, we have become obsessed with them because of their flavour, convenience and all the health benefits it offers. Smoothies are packed with fruits or vegetables and nuts. Since the onset of this trend, everyone got a great and healthy replacement.

More recently, an addition to this trend is the green smoothies by adding bunches of kale and spinach. This made your smoothie much more nutritious and also made us feel better about the foods we are having. These green smoothies are thought to be a much healthier option than those colourful fruit-laden smoothies.

But you should remember that just because these are packed with fruits and veggies doesn't mean it is fat free or is low in calories. Any meal can make you gain weight if you aren't careful about what goes in that smoothie.

Are smoothies a healthy option?

A fruit smoothie or green smoothie will not make you fat. But the unhealthy ingredients you add on will make you put on weight. Also, to make green smoothies palatable, we add too much fruits to it.

Smoothies are a great option for a person who has trouble eating vegetables. They are a great way to incorporate green vegetables in your diet.

Eat your fruit or drink your fruit?

This is the confusion among many people. But it all depends on how you prepare a smoothie. If you load up on too much fruit and add sugars and fruit juice as a base in your smoothie, then you are at risk of consuming more calories. When you eat your fruit, you are more mindful of how much you are eating.

Smoothies will serve as a great snack for your weight loss journey. But be mindful of what goes in that smoothie. Otherwise, it will be adding to your weight.

Here are the following mistakes that people generally make while preparing or buying their smoothies.

Your smoothie glass is too big

Whatever you eat or drink, portion control is the key. While you drink your smoothie, you may not realise that you are having more than you should eat. When you drink your smoothie, you consume more than you would've eaten raw. This, in turn, makes you consume more calories, sugars and carbs.

Have a smoothie in a smaller glass. If there's still some left in your jar, don't be tempted to have that too. Instead, freeze it and save it for later use. If you order out, opt for a smaller portion or ask for one extra glass and divide it. This will prevent you from gulping the whole thing down.

Too many fruits

What we forget at the time of adding fruits or veggies is that though the amount of calories is low, they still add up. While making smoothies, people often add bananas on top of mango on top of pineapple and so on.

Keep an eye on the ingredients that go in your smoothie. Avocado, nut butter or other high fat foods add on a significant amount of calories in your smoothie. Try to add fruits that are low in calories and the base of your drink also matters. Fruit juice adds on the sugar level in your smoothie.

You drink your smoothie

You hurriedly drink your smoothie, and this hikes your blood sugar, leaving you tired and hungry just hours later. You have it with a snack rather than having it as a meal

Slow down and eat your smoothie with a spoon. When you have your food sitting and chew it, your body secretes hormones that increase satiety. This keeps you fuller for a longer duration of time.

You are having your smoothies at the wrong time

Your body processes sugar differently at different times of the day. The more active you are, the better your body can process sugars. And better processing leads to better absorption. That means your blood sugar won't spike up and you won't feel tired and hungry just hours later.

Have a smoothie post workout or have it during lunch or the part of the day you are most physically active.

Adding milk or other dairy products

Most people make the mistake of adding milk, yoghurt or cream or even ice cream to their smoothies. Most of the commercially made smoothies or bottled smoothies contain dairy, which adds on to the calories of an otherwise healthy drink.

Try and make your own smoothies. Opt for milk alternatives like almond milk, coconut milk or low-fat milk. To add thickness to your drink, add a spoon of chia seeds, it keeps you feeling full and also acts as a natural thickener.

Choice of fruits

Fibre is the most important ingredient to prevent hunger and make you feel fuller for a longer duration of time. Fruits do offer fibre but pick the right ones. Most common fruit that goes in every smoothie is a banana, a fruit that has very low amount of fibre.

Choose foods rich in fibre like berries, kale, kiwi, beans or chia seeds. This makes your smoothie fibrous making you feel fuller for longer durations of time.

Adding unnecessary sugars

A spoon of honey or maple syrup can increase the amount of sugar already present in your smoothie. Fruits are natural sweeteners and adding on more is not required.

Berries are a perfect addition to your smoothies as they are low in sugar. But it gives your smoothie a natural sweetness. Try swapping added sugars with veggies, which are starchy like pumpkin or sweet potato. This not only provides your smoothie sweetness but also adds on to the creaminess to your smoothie.

Our take

If you are looking at smoothies for weight loss, you will need to compromise on the taste. Initially, the smoothies will taste bland. But, after some time, your taste buds will get used to it and you will start enjoying those smoothies.