There’s so much to love about a homemade smoothie. It’s customizable, seamless to whip up, and filled to the brim with nutrients. Plus, it makes for the ideal breakfast or snack when you’re craving something tasty yet healthy. It’s also perfect for many wellness goals; whether you’re looking to adopt healthier eating habits or want to slim down, there’s a smoothie for you. Today, we have you covered with a dietitian’s best smoothie recipe to melt belly fat.
With ingredients like Pomegranate juice and Greek yogurt, gear up to update your shopping list!
The best smoothie for belly fat combines calorie-burning and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
This smoothie recipe from Tami Best, MS, RDN, IFNCP, a functional and integrative dietitian from Top Nutrition Coaching, is chock-full of protein, fiber, and good-for-you ingredients. Best shares exactly what you’ll need and how to make it.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup strongly brewed organic green tea (steeped for 10 to 15 minutes and cooled completely before adding to smoothie)
- 2 ounces Pomegranate Juice
- 1 cup unsweetened frozen organic berries
- 1 cup organic baby spinach
- ½ cup plain Greek-style organic yogurt
- 1 Tsp. organic MCT oil
- 1 scoop organic whey or vegan protein powder (without artificial coloring or sweeteners)
- 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseeds
- 1/4 cup ice
How to make it:
-
- Add all of your ingredients to a blender.
- Pulse a few times until well combined. To achieve a smooth consistency, blend the mixture on high.
- Add to a tall glass, and enjoy!
Per serving: 423 calories, 15 g fat, 190 mg sodium, 42 g carbs, 12 g fiber, 30 g protein
Now, let’s break down the benefits of the ingredients.
Green tea can help you melt body fat.
Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), also known as catechins. Research shows that drinking green tea with doses of EGCG at 100 to 460 mg daily can decrease body weight and fat.
“Catechins work in synergy with the caffeine in green tea to boost calorie burn,” explains Best. “In addition, green tea is rich in the amino acid l-theanine, which promotes a sense of calm and focus, which is needed when pursuing weight loss goals.”
Drinking pomegranate juice promotes longer workouts, which in turn can help you lose weight.
Did you know that drinking pomegranate juice can indirectly support your efforts at the gym?
Best tells us, “Pomegranate juice helps boost the production of nitric oxide, which enhances blood flow to your muscles, allowing [you] to work out longer to help achieve [your] fitness goals.”
Spinach and berries are packed with fiber.
Fiber is crucial when you’re looking to lose weight, as it promotes satiety.
“Berries and spinach are rich in fiber and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, which help keep us full longer and set up our body chemistry for weight loss,” explains Best.
She points out that you can top off your smoothie with a small amount of unsweetened oat-based muesli for an extra boost of soluble fiber. “Soluble fiber supports a healthy gut microbiome and expands in [your] gut, helping [you] feel fuller for a longer period of time,” Best notes.
Yogurt offers probiotics to support a “diverse and varied” gut microbiome.
Greek yogurt is another star ingredient that can help you achieve your goal weight. In fact, research shows that yogurt consumption can increase body fat loss and promote satiety.
“Yogurt provides a boost of probiotics to promote a diverse and varied gut microbiome needed to reduce belly fat and promote weight loss,” says Best. “The ground flaxseeds are rich in prebiotic fiber to help feed the probiotics and allow them to thrive.”
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Alexa Mellardo
