Smoothies, the blended beverages, offer you tons of nutrition as well as protein and fiber to keep you full until your next meal. Whipping up a smoothie for breakfast will further help you rev up your metabolism early in the morning.
Here are 7 morning smoothies to fill you up as the weight scale ticks down:
1. Metabolism-Boosting Breakfast Smoothie
With a quick whir of the blender you can make a smoothie loaded with metabolism-boosting ingredients like broccoli, calcium-rich yogurt, almonds, high-fiber strawberries, beans and spicy cinnamon
Ingredients
- ¼ cup broccoli florets, stems cut off
- 6 ounces vanilla nonfat yogurt
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- ¼ cup cannellini or garbanzo beans
- ¾ cup iced green tea
- 1 teaspoon flax meal
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 8 almonds
Calories per 1 serving: 343
Directions
Pour all ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth and creamy.
Pour into a glass and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on top. Enjoy it fresh!
2. Flat-Belly Breakfast Smoothie
Having a glass of smoothie with fat-burning nutrients for breakfast is the way to get your metabolism fires breaking out strong! Start your day right with this belly-burning smoothie.
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces vanilla yogurt
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- ½ cup frozen pineapple
- 1 cup kale
- ¾ cup water
Calories per 1 serving: 283
Directions:
Put all ingredients into blender, and blend until smooth. Pour and enjoy!
3. Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Smoothie
This yummy blend of spicy cinnamon and sweet apples makes a combination perfect for all seasons of the year. With only 6 grams of fat, this smoothie leaves behind many other blends aiming to keep you in good shape too.
Ingredients
- 1 apple, chopped
- ¼ cup unsweetened apple juice
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ¾ inch slice tofu (¼ block)
- ¾ cup unsweetened soy milk (or milk alternative)
- 1 cup raw spinach
Calories per 1 serving: 168
Directions
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
4. Sweet Spinach Breakfast Smoothie
Spinach is the star in this creamy smoothie, and for a good reason — with just one 16-ounce serving, you’ll be getting your entire RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) of vitamin A (great for healthy skin, hair, and eyes) and bone-building vitamin K, as well as a royal amount of essential nutrients like manganese, potassium, and vitamin C.
Ingredients
- 2 cups spinach leaves, packed
- 1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 6 ounces fat-free plain yogurt
- 15 green or red grapes
- 2 tablespoons chopped avocado
- 1 or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Calories per 1 serving: 300
Directions
In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients until blended to the desired consistency.
5. Chia Berry Breakfast Smoothie
Chia seeds are a source of plant-based protein, anti-inflammatory omega-3s and antioxidants for your natural diet. If you find their crunchy texture a little off-putting, then try tossing them into this refreshing morning smoothie.
High in vitamin C and boasting more than 10 grams of fiber, this antioxidant blend gets an extra power with the chia seeds.
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1/2 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
Calories per 1 serving: 223
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender, and mix until smooth.
Top off with an extra sprinkle of chia seeds if you wish.
6. Banana Bread Breakfast Smoothie
Esther Blum, a clinical and holistic dietitian, maintains that her clients start to shed pounds with more ease once they begin to eat more protein.
She explains that high-protein foods take more body effort to digest, metabolize and use, so you burn much more calories processing them.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 medium banana (frozen or fresh)
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. Enjoy immediately!
7. Berry Breakfast Smoothie
Make the most of the berry season with a glass of mixed berry blend. If you want to give it a twist, use melon or a slightly over-ripe mango instead of the banana. Or add a pot of low-fat natural yogurt to make an extra-creamy smoothie.
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 frozen ripe banana
- 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
Calories per 1 serving: 123
Directions:
Combine all ingredients together in a blender and puree until smooth.