Smoothies are delicious and packed with nutrients. They can be a meal replacement, an on-the-go breakfast, an afternoon pick-me-up or a post-gym muscle healer. Besides the health benefits of all those extra nutrients, they can also help you lose weight. Also, sugar-free, low-carb smoothies with protein and healthy fats help your body get energy in a different way.
To be healthy, you need to switch off your glucose-hungry cravings and take in more protein. You also need those healthier, shorter-chain mono-triglycerides. These are the kinds of fats that lower cholesterol and boost brain power. Also, they prevent sugar highs and lows, creating a digestive system that helps your body burn stored fat.
Your liver will produce ketones that boost your energy. For energy, your body will use more stored fat and less glucose, too. Carbohydrates break down into sugars and your body secretes insulin to store these sugars as fat. You will store what you don’t use, so refined carbohydrates and hidden sugars can easily pack on the pounds. Low-carb smoothies are mandatory on a high protein- low carb eating plan.
But Keto diets go one step further by reducing carbs between 15 to 35 grams a day. The main source of energy are good fats like those in yogurt, cream, grass-fed beef, nut fats and coconut oil. Another good source is medium-chain triglycerides or MCT oil. MCT oil is available from health stores, as well as online and select retailers.
But, read your label to make sure the manufacturer has not diluted it with anything else. So here are 11 delicious smoothies heavy on flavor yet low in carbs. Keep reading to find out what they can do for your waistline and vitality.
1. Kickstart Keto Coffee
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that boosts mental alertness and focus. And triglycerides do the same for the brain. Some healthcare professionals recommend the Keto diet to their patients with epilepsy. A Keto diet is rich in MCT fats, which are great for your brain and mental functioning. But when you add coffee, and it’s a zippy recipe for kickstarting your day instantly.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Make is make a nice cup of coffee.
- Pop it in a Nutri bullet or blender.
- Add a teaspoon of butter.
- You can also add a tablespoon of whipping cream or almond milk.
- Add your favorite sweetener to taste.
- Add cinnamon, if you wish.
- Also, you can choose a traditional coffee flavor or add nutty depth with almond milk.
- And lastly, add approximately one cup of ice and dairy as per your calorie allowance.
If you want a low-carb version, swap the fat with a dash of natural sugar like honey, use fat-free milk and add cinnamon. Cinnamon helps to regulate your blood sugar levels, too. Either version calls for high-speed blending to blitz your coffee into a smoothie.
Coffee can be a healthy choice if you take out refined sugar and flavored syrups. You can enjoy a fuller fat version if you’re on a Keto or Banting eating plan. The fat content shouldn’t be as high if you are eating a diet of low to moderate carbs.