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Smoothies are one of the best ways to include a variety of nutrient dense, healthy ingredients in your diet, filling you up for a great breakfast, lunch, or snack. While a smoothie of fruits and greek yogurt on its own can offer plenty of benefits to promoting healthy weight loss and improving your overall well being, there are other ingredients which you can throw into the mix that may provide even more support to your health.
One of the primary factors in determining the ease of which you’ll lose weight is your metabolism, and while exercise can help to give this a boost, certain ingredients can also have an effect on increasing fat burn in the body, in turn promoting weight loss. If you’re looking to give your metabolism a boost and up the overall value of your morning smoothie, there’s one ingredient that health experts agree you should be including to kickstart your day.
Beginning the day with caffeine may be your default anyways, so why not add it to your morning smoothie? Providing your body with ample energy to power through after breakfast, caffeine can also have a profound effect on your metabolic rate, allowing you to burn more fat at rest. “Not only does caffeine boost your energy causing you to burn more calories in a day, but it also contains a hormone called epinephrine which helps break down fats in your body,” says holistic nutritionist Yliana Guerra. When working to lose weight, you want your body to break down fat for fuel, rather than muscle, and adding caffeine to your smoothie can help do just that.
Maintaining a calorie deficit is also essential for losing weight in a healthy way, and this can be done by eating more nutrient dense foods which will increase satiety and keep you from mindlessly snacking or overeating throughout the day. “Caffeine has also been shown to reduce feelings of hunger and keep you satiated for longer, in turn helping you lose unwanted weight,” says Guerra. Filling your morning smoothie with fruits and a protein source are a great place to start for keeping you full throughout the day, but adding caffeine into the mix will provide even more energy to get through the morning without running out of fuel or struggling with cravings.
Coffee may be the most popular caffeine source, but there are other options which can provide the same benefits if you aren’t fond of the bitter flavor or don’t think it would pair well with your smoothies. “Matcha is another great option when it comes to caffeine and can be an easy ingredient to add to your morning smoothie. Dark chocolate is another source of caffeine and can give you a delicious chocolatey smoothie while boosting your metabolism at the same time,” suggests Guerra. Matcha powder is also incredibly high in antioxidants which has been known to reduce bloating and inflammation so you can feel even better in your body without holding onto excess gas or water weight.
Healthy weight loss will come when you create a balanced diet that offers a variety of nutrients from protein, carbs, and fat, to fiber and antioxidants. Adding caffeine to your morning smoothie is a great way to boost the nutritional value of your breakfast, increasing density and making it so that you can stay full for longer, managing overeating. To kickstart your metabolism and your energy levels first thing in the morning, add matcha, coffee, or even dark chocolate to your breakfast smoothie for a rich and delicious meal that will promote weight loss without depriving you of the flavors you love.
