Imagine the following: You throw a banana, a few frozen berries and a splash juice into a blender. Minutes later, they have a refreshing smoothie that feels like a healthy start. They are satisfied for a while – until they dig through their bag for a cereal bar because they suddenly hunger. Sounds familiar?
The problem is not your intentions – it is the recipe. “Putty -based smoothies are mainly carbohydrates that digest faster and leave them less than protein and fat,” explains Bridget Cassady, Ph.D., RDN, LDA registered nutritionist. In other words, they basically made themselves a mixed fruit salad.
The biggest mistake? Skip protein. “Forgetting protein is the No. 1 error that I see in practice when customers make smoothies,” says Jamie Luu, RDN, LDN.
Fortunately, this is easy: add protein powder, some tense (Greek) yogurt or milk, and suddenly your smoothie goes from a fleeting snack to a permanent meal. Here is the reason why this simple shift makes such a difference.
Why shouldn’t you skip protein when you make a smoothie
It helps to keep her fully
Smoothies, which are mainly made from fruit and juice, are quickly digested, which means that they do not hold them for long. In liquid form, fruit is essentially “pre -installed”, so that your stomach does not have a lot of work to do before moving along her digestive tract.
Protein, on the other hand, takes longer to digest the saturation signals in the brain and solves to increase the feeling of abundance of abundance.
Imagine this: A smoothie only tastes good for fruit, but a mixture that is anchored with Greek yogurt and nut butter will keep it satisfied until lunch.
It compensates for blood sugar
Smoothies that were built on simple carbohydrates – such as banana, mango and juice – can quickly tip blood sugar, followed by a rapid crash where they feel sluggish and hungry.
“Together with fiber, protein can contribute to alleviating the blood sugar tip based on a smoothie on carbohydrate,” says Cassady. “Consider it as a nutritional brake that slows down the digestion and determines how quickly glucose penetrates the bloodstream.” The result? Standing energy and less cravings in the medium value.
Imagine protein as the difference between a roller coaster and a gentle slope – both let yourself be started, only one avoids the sudden drop at the end.
It helps you to achieve your daily protein goals
While smoothies can be enjoyed at any time, they are particularly popular with breakfast – a meal that often gets on protein. However, studies show that eating a protein -rich breakfast can help people to achieve their daily protein goals much more easily than rely on later meals.
If you add a good protein source to your smoothie, you can reach your daily protein goal without having to catch up later. For example, the addition of 1 cup of tense yogurt (Greek) yogurt provides about 25 grams of protein, while a ball often delivers wholesale powder depending on the brand.
It supports muscle repair and maintenance
Your body always repairs and maintains muscles – even on days when you don’t go to the gym. But after a training session, the demand is pushing. “Protein delivers the amino acids that need their muscles to recover and rebuild themselves,” says Luu. Studies show that 20 to 30 grams of high -quality protein in one session is sufficient to stimulate muscle repair and make breakfast the best opportunity to increase the recording.
The skipping of protein in your smoothie after training is like a construction site without building materials. “Imagine protein as your body’s tree team,” says Cassady. “Your muscles are constantly repaired and rebuilt after the activity. Protein provides the raw materials that your body uses to recreate muscle.”
It helps to manage the portion control
A smoothie without protein rarely feels like a full meal, which makes it tempting to pour a larger glass – or to reach a second breakfast shortly afterwards. This can sum up in calories and sugar, which can backfire your health goals. In contrast, a smaller protein -rich smoothie keeps full and at the same time holds sugar and calories.
Smart tips for a healthy smoothie
When designing a healthy smoothie, note these tips approved with the nutritionist:
- Start with protein. Effort 20 to 30 grams for a meal or 10 to 15 grams for a snack. Some excellent protein options are tense yogurt yogurt (Greek styles), unsweetened soy milk, milk milk or a ball of your favorite protein powder.
- Choose unsweetened bases. Juice may taste good, but fiber is missing and has a high sugar. Instead, use milk product milk or unsweetened plant milk. Your smoothie is creamier, mixes better and this simple change can help stabilize your blood sugar and keep you full.
- Layer in fiber. Add additional fiber to continue to master the blood sugar. For example, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chia or flat seeds, ¼ cup of oats or add fruit with the skin.
- Add whole fruits. Fresh or frozen, you want to support your smoothie a variety of whole fruits – a good rule of thumb is 1 to 2 portions. Different colors offer different nutrients and antioxidants to support general health.
- Add healthy fats. A spoon nut or seed butter or a small handful of walnuts gives taste and texture and at the same time supports saturations.
- Pay attention to parts. Although a smoothie can be a healthy option, it can be easy to consume. Generally attract a portion size of 1 to 2 cups.
Our expert
Smoothies can definitely fit into a healthy routine – they are portable, customizable and an easy way to get more fruit and fiber. But they just don’t hold up without protein. Protein helps to keep them fully, better compensate for the blood sugar and to offer them the tools for repair and growth of the muscles.
With a few changes – such as the exchange juice against milk and adding yogurt or protein powder – you can transform your smoothie into a balanced meal. In this way it is not only a delicious pleasure, but also a fuel that takes hours.
