Do’s
- Start out with a great base – either liquid or semi-liquid.
- Stick with fresh fruits (frozen works fine as well).
- Throw in a few leafy greens e.g., spinach for extra vitamins and nutrients.
- Add a high-quality protein powder.
- Use flax seeds and oil and/or chia seeds to improve digestion.
- Measure your ingredients – fruits and vegetables have calories too and they can easily add up when you’re making a smoothie.
- Be careful when incorporating dairy products – organic coconut milk and almond milk are great alternatives.
- Chop all your fruits and veggies before throwing them in the blender.
- Use water or small ice cubes.
- Add herbs and spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, mint and basil.
- Add avocado, Greek/organic yogurt or coconut oil for a smoother, creamier texture.
Don’ts
Stay away from the following:
- Fruit juices
- Canned fruit
- Whole milk
- Ice cream and sherbet
- Chocolate syrup
- Flavored yogurt
- Honey
- Peanut butter
- Artificial sweeteners
Smoothies can be a fun and easy way to lose weight, but it’s important to not go overboard. As a rule of thumb, the fewer ingredients you use, the better.