5 Tips for Your Best Breakfast Smoothie

Breakfast smoothies can be healthy, nutritious and a great way to start your day. Although smoothies count towards your 5 a day, they can also be high in sugar and calories which is something we should try to avoid. There are a range of ways to create smoothies so that you can enjoy them for breakfast whilst also improving your health and wellbeing.

The key to a healthy breakfast smoothie is to use a great balance of fresh and vitamin rich ingredients. The Queen of Health are here today to give you our top 5 tips for your breakfast smoothies! Here are the most important things to look for and things you should avoid when making or buying a smoothie for breakfast.

Keep an Eye on Sugar Levels

You should certainly keep an eye out on sugar levels if you are introducing breakfast smoothies to your diet. An increased sugar intake will mean an increased calorie intake, which can result in weight gain, rather than weight loss. There are simple but important steps that you can take to avoid putting too much sugar in your smoothies.

Measure

The first thing you should ensure when preparing your own smoothies at home is that you measure out the ingredients properly. Smoothies should have a good balance of fruit, vegetables and liquid. If you start putting random amounts of fruit into your blender you are probably adding much more sugar than you realise. Try to stick to the recipe if you are following one, and if not, make sure you do not add too much fruit.

Liquids

Additionally, try to avoid adding fruit juices to make up for the liquid in your smoothie; this will overload on sugar and turn your healthy breakfast smoothie into an unhealthy one. The best liquids to use for a smoothie are water, coconut milk or almond milk.

These are healthy ingredients that will give your smoothie the best texture. You can also use Greek yoghurt to thicken your smoothie.

Finally, don’t ever add sugar to your smoothie! Fruits contain natural sugar that will sweeten up your smoothie without adding more calories on top.

Use Ingredients That Will Help You to Feel Full

One of the best things about a delicious breakfast smoothie is that it will keep you feeling energized and full for hours on end. This means you can get on with your day without having to worry about snacking or feeling hungry, at least until lunchtime.

Opt for smoothie ingredients that are nutritious and will help you to feel full for longer; the ideal ingredients for this include avocados, oats, Greek yoghurt, chia and flaxseeds.

Chia and flaxseeds are brilliant ingredients for a smoothie as they are extremely low in calories and contain many antioxidants to help with your immune system, digestive health and your cholesterol levels.

Ensure You Add Vegetables

This may now seem like an obvious tip, but many people think that smoothies primarily consist of fruit and liquids. If you want tasty breakfast smoothies that will transform the way you feel on the inside and look on the outside, you need to make sure you are including vegetables.

The most popular vegetables to use in smoothies are leafy greens such as spinach, kale or cabbage, as well as zucchini, cucumber, avocado and carrots. Vegetables will not only count towards your 9  a day, but they are full of vitamins and fibres. Your breakfast smoothies will still taste delicious after you have added your vegetables!

Use Certified Protein Powders

Protein powders are primarily targeted at body builders, which means that they can be full of processed ingredients, used for getting bigger. The idea of using protein powders in your breakfast smoothie is to give a perfect boost of protein into your diet, which will not only give you energy, but also build your muscle.

When using protein powders in your breakfast smoothies, look for certified quality powders that will enrich your smoothie without making it unhealthy. Use just 1 scoop of protein powder in your smoothies for nutritional value.

Prepare Your Smoothies Ahead of Time

If you want to incorporate breakfast smoothies into your diet then we advise preparing ahead of time! If you are a busy person, the last thing you want to be added to your hectic schedule in the mornings is preparing and making a smoothie. In order to keep up your healthy breakfast smoothies throughout the week, try to prepare them on the weekends or the evenings.

Your smoothies will store perfectly well in the fridge so that you can wake up, simply grab your smoothie and get going with your day! Here at The Queen of Health, we have a #funky5 10 day smoothie challenge which will be sure to give you results. Why not try our challenge, follow our recipes, and find out how breakfast smoothies can help to turn your weight around?

Eating well and exercising not only makes you look great but feel great too.

Our weight loss coaching can truly transform your life for the better, giving you the energy and freedom to go out and get what you want and deserve. Find out more about our weight loss programmes online and feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions about beginning your weight loss journey!