Kristen Fleming holds a Master of Science in Nutrition. Over her 8 years of experience in dietetics, she has made significant contributions in clinical, community, and editorial settings. With 2 years as a clinical dietitian in an inpatient setting, 2 years in community health education, and 4 years of editorial experience focusing on nutrition and health-related content, Kristen's expertise is multifaceted.
More and more people have an increasingly passionate embrace for smoothies, due to their endless possibilities. Depending on the ingredients, a smoothie could satisfy your quest for specific fruit flavors. Besides that, various smoothies have been also associated with both weight gain and weight loss.
Usually most people resort to regular exercise in order to have the most effective way to drop some extra pounds. Nutritionists will also tell you that eating fruits and vegetables can also help you lose weight because they are low in calories and fat but are filling (7). It is possible then, that one can have the benefit of weight loss via regularly drinking a fruit and/or vegetable smoothie.
Even more fascinating to weight conscious people is the news that you may be able to drink certain smoothies at night and end up burning fat while you sleep! Taking this into consideration, if you are the kind of person who is extra busy and cannot exercise, read on to know the best nighttime smoothie for weight loss. However, first you should want to ensure you consult with your doctor before making any changes with your overall diet plan.
Smoothies: Pros And Cons
Due to the many misconceptions about smoothies, a lot of people continue to doubt their health aspect. Nevertheless, smoothies can be healthy because they can be made from healthy fruits.
What this can mean is that the benefits of smoothies for someone could be limitless. One of the first things to consider is that smoothies are a good way to fill the nutritional gaps in people who do not take various fruits. For example, you can still enjoy the nutritional value of the kiwi fruit in a smoothie despite hating the taste of it. In a smoothie its taste may get overwhelmed by the flavor of other fruits added to your smoothie, and so you might not even notice a kiwi in your drink. The fact remains though that you still consumed it and are benefiting from its nutritional value.
Similarly, smoothies contain essential minerals and vitamins. For example, a smoothie with yogurt or nonfat milk ingredients supplies the body with calcium and vitamin B-12 (2). However, this does not mean that smoothies can’t be disadvantageous, especially in weight loss. This all depends on the ingredients and servings one uses.
Fruit Smoothies For Weight Loss: Do They Work?
Some people reach for smoothies to satisfy their fruit flavor cravings. Others choose smoothies as substitutes for other foods that they believe can lead to weight gain. Therefore, most people do not truly view fruit smoothies as weight loss ingredients.
It is believed that some fruit smoothies can aid in weight loss. Knowing this, if you cannot exercise for medical reasons, then you really should consider grabbing yourself some weight loss smoothie recipes. Again, ensure you consult with your nutritionist or doctor.
This consultation will help in determining which smoothies could work for you as well as how often to drink them. Since most people miss this step, they often gain weight because, like food, overconsumption of smoothies can lead to dangerous weight gain. Weight gain resulting from too many calories and excessive sugar intake. High-calorie intake will only jeopardize your weight loss journey. Similarly, although the sugar is a natural material, too much of it can aggravate health conditions like diabetes (9).
How To Lose Weight While Sleeping Using Smoothies?
You might have come across articles or even heard people debating about losing weight while one is asleep. It sounds rather unrealistic since you are not skipping rope or lifting any weights but instead soundly relaxing.
No matter how it may sound, just because it seems unrealistic, does not mean it is impossible. There are healthy smoothies for weight loss you can take before sleeping that initiate the fat-burning process when you sleep.
For the longest time people thought they ought to keep their cravings at bay and not eat anything before bed. Therefore, answers to questions such as, ‘is it bad to eat bananas before bed?’ was always a solid no. The notion was that eating anything before bed could lead to weight gain.
Despite this, nutritionists have ruled this long-held notion out as an eating misconception. They argue that when you eat does not matter. However, what matters is what and how much you are consuming (4).
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How To Make A Healthy Fruit Smoothie That Can Aid In Weight Loss?
If you are looking for the best nighttime weight loss recipes, then take a look at the following:
The Green Smoothie
As the name suggests, the overall color of this smoothie is green. Its color is explained by its use of vegetables as the primary ingredients. Most people tend to keep away from the green smoothie for fear that it only uses vegetables like kale, which tends to have a bitter taste.
However, just because it contains a greater percentage of leafy greens does not mean it will be entirely bitter. The other percentage comprises sweet ingredients like pears or bananas. These are used to add more flavor and nutritional content to this drink.
This drink is a great substitute for individuals who do not like eating vegetables and still want to lose weight. Besides being a perfect nighttime smoothie for weight loss, this drink also gives the body vitamin K.
Ingredients
You will need the following to make this weight loss drink (5):
2 cups kale leaves, fresh, washed and chopped (remove the tough stems)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon of grounded flaxseed
12 Ice cubes
Preparation
Add the bananas, kale, apple (or pear), water, orange juice, ice cubes and flaxseed in your blender. Blend them until the puree is smooth. Ensure you also scrape the mixture from the sides of the blender. This will ensure that the entire mixture has the same soft texture. Serve yourself a glass and enjoy.
The green smoothie has tons of benefits. Besides potentially helping you burn fat while you sleep, it is also an excellent way of incorporating leafy greens in a diet. Therefore, if you cannot stand eating greens like spinach, kale or arugula, blend them and have them as a smoothie.
The green smoothie also helps in strengthening the bones. Vitamin K present in leafy greens, like spinach, decreases one’s vulnerability to bone fractures and bone conditions such as osteoporosis (6). Since the leafy greens are also rich in vitamin C, the smoothie helps in boosting an individual’s immunity system.
Additionally, drinking fiber-rich green smoothies may help in lowering an individual’s cholesterol levels. Ultimately, this helps in lowering the risk of acquiring heart diseases.
Nutritional Analysis Of The Green Smoothie
If an individual uses an apple instead of a pear, then the nutritional value of the smoothie will be:
Calories – 120
Fiber – 5 g
Proteins – 3 g
Total Carbohydrates – 30 g
Fat – 0 g
Sugar – 15 g
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The Strawberry Banana Spinach Smoothie
As the name suggests, the primary ingredients for this tasty smoothie are strawberries, bananas, and fresh raw spinach. Strawberries are fruits that fall in the berries category that is rich in antioxidants and fiber.
They are considered smoothie superfoods as they add a rich sweet taste and also contribute to many health benefits. These include preventing several cancers, lowering the risk of getting heart conditions, and helping with inflammation (3).
Spinach is a great veggie that is rich in vitamin C and A. Bananas are the icing on top in this smoothie due to their rich taste. The soft and creamy texture they create in this smoothie makes them the perfect ingredient in this recipe. Here is the detailed recipe for this sweet drink:
Ingredients
To prepare this magical nighttime fat-burning drink, you will need the following:
The first ingredient is spinach. The leafy green vegetable is rich in vitamin C and calcium. The smoothie also contains strawberries. These fruits are low in calories and high in fiber and antioxidants, making them perfect for smoothies.
Their rich taste and color add the perfect blend in this nighttime smoothie. Bananas are other ingredients used in this smoothie. They are rich in potassium that helps in stroke prevention (3).
Bananas are also go-to fruits when it comes to improving cardiovascular health. Their sweet rich taste makes the unfriendly spinach taste nothing but sweet. Similarly, they also add bulkiness to the drink.
Preparation
Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix.
Serve in your glass and enjoy!
Analyzing The Smoothie Nutritional Value Per Ounce
If you were to drink six fluid ounces of this green smoothie, then the nutritional analysis would look as follows:
Protein – 1 g
Dietary fiber – 2 g
Total Carbohydrate – 12 g
Trans fat – 0 g
Cholesterol – 0 mg
Calories – 64
Added sugars – 0 g
Total sugars – 7 g
Sodium – 15 mg
The Strawberry Banana Weight Loss Smoothie
If your sweet tooth is looking for a late-night snack, then go ahead and prepare this smoothie. Besides satisfying your sweet tooth, this smoothie will fill you with fiber and proteins that will quest your night snacking.
It is a perfect nighttime smoothie as it is low in calories and contains strawberries that are rich in antioxidants. Here is this drink’s recipe (10):
The vanilla chai smoothie is another nighttime smoothie for weight loss to consider, due to its rich fragrance and benefits. It is quite easy to prepare, making it another incredible drink to have just before you get into bed.
To prepare this fragrant drink, you will need the following ingredients:
1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup vanilla light soy milk
2/3 cup frozen banana slices
1/2 cup ice, crushed
2 pinches ground ginger
2 pinches ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
Preparation
Add the ingredients to the blender and blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour yourself a glass of this mixture and enjoy.
Nutritional Analysis Of One Serving
The nutritional value of the vanilla chai smoothie is as follows (2):
Calories – 149
Protein- 7 g
Total Carbohydrates – 28 g
Cholesterol – 3 mg
Fiber – 2 g
Sodium – 124 mg
Saturated fat – 0.1 g
Tips For Preparing A Nighttime Smoothie For Weight Loss
Any of the above listed nighttime smoothies for weight loss can help a person drop some extra pounds. This is not always the case for every one of us. You could possibly fail to see your desired results if you do not take heed of the following:
Your Diet Plan
Your nighttime smoothie for weight loss will only be effective if you also practice complete healthy eating and portion control. It’s key to watch your calorie intake in your other meals in addition to your late-night smoothies. The goal is to consume fewer calories than your body is burning.
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Your Health
Before taking nighttime smoothies, it is crucial to speak with your doctor and determine if they are appropriate for you. Individuals taking insulin for their diabetes and nursing and expectant women must first consult their doctor.
If you get the go-ahead from your doctor, also go and visit a dietitian. They will advise you on the best smoothie that supplies your body with the required proteins and fiber. They will also help you select the ingredients for the best nighttime smoothie with the lowest calories (8).
Your Intake Speed
Also watch your intake speed when you are enjoying liquids like a sweet smoothie. The possibility of one finishing one glass quickly and then going for another fill are quite high. Remember that another glass means added calories. That being said, take your time with your smoothie.
The Servings
The calories in a smoothie are not only dependent on the ingredients used but also the servings one consumes. Note that if you take more than one serving, expect your calories to also increase. For example, if you take two servings of the vanilla chai smoothie, your total calories will be 298.
Although it may not seem dangerous, more smoothie servings contribute to more calories consumed in a day. Take caution as you may have consumed more calories than you are burning, which is an unacceptable compromise if you want to lose weight.
The Ingredients
An individual can jeopardize their nighttime smoothie for weight loss effects by poorly choosing the ingredients. Some ingredients such as added sugars may result in hidden calories.
Similarly, using sugar-sweetened ingredients may also increase the overall calorie content of your smoothie. So, instead of using sweetened or added sugars to add taste to your drink, use fruits rich in natural sugar (1).
Likewise, avoid sweetened things like soy milk or almond milk. You can substitute these with their unsweetened versions, which also work perfectly as a smoothie base.
Bottom Line
The above mentioned nighttime smoothies can indeed aid in weight loss as they are low in calories. However, they could also lead to weight gain if you do not watch the calories in your other diets. Remember, the key is caloric deficiency in all your meals. Eat a low-calorie meal and then drink a nighttime smoothie for weight loss for faster and more effective results.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
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