Three fat-burning smoothies to jump start your metabolism

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight and live healthier, chances are that you’ve come across a gazillion smoothie recipes already.

But not all smoothies are created equally.

When it comes to eating for weight-loss and burning fat there is a specific science behind the ingredients that should be included in your smoothies.

It’s important not to add too many fruit sugars to your smoothie (some fruits are much higher in sugar than others) as this will spike your blood sugars and before you know it, you’ll abandon your healthy mindset because you are starving.

A good rule of thumb to follow is to add one fruit serving, or less, to your smoothie at a time. This can be either one frozen banana or half a frozen banana and half a cup frozen berries. You don’t have to use frozen fruits, they do, however, improve the texture of your smoothie. The frozen fruits should also not contain any added sugars.

Your second ingredient should be in the form of leafy greens and vegetables for fibre.

Your third ingredient should contain healthy fats like avocado, ground flax or chia seeds, and almond butter, as these will keep you full between meals.

ALSO READ: Six detox tips to help you reach your weight-loss goals in 2022

Try these three fat-burning smoothies:

Fat-burning smoothie with banana, avo, kale and cucumber

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe frozen banana
• ½ ripe avocado
• 2-3 de-stemmed Kale leaves
• 2 tbsp ground flax or chia seeds
• ½ cucumber
• Juice from ½ a lemon
• Water, or unsweetened almond milk, to taste

Method:

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

This recipe was found on Feelin’ Fabulous with Kayla Chandler.

Chocolate weight loss smoothie

The ingredients in this smoothie is great for kick-starting your metabolism and burning fat.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• ½ banana
• 2 tablespoons cacoa powder
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 tablespoon hemp hearts (available from Takealot.com, Wellness Warehouse or Faithful to Nature)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Cayenne pepper

Method:

1. Add the leafy greens and liquid to the blender and blend until all the chunks are gone.
2. Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

This recipe was found on Simple Green Smoothies.

Chia Berry Belly Blaster

This smoothie is packed full of protein and fibre to crush cravings and keep you satisfied for hours.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain Greek yoghurt
• 1 cup frozen berries (blueberries or strawberries)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp ground chia seeds
• ½ cup ice

Method:

Blend all the ingredients together and enjoy.

This recipe was found on Self.