Have you ever heard the saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” , this is because, a nutritious breakfast gives a good start to your day. It gives you energy to keep going all day long. In the summer, people around the world look for ways to blend flavor and good nutrition together and get relief from the scorching heat. Having smoothies with breakfast every day can surely pave the way for good health and enjoyment throughout the hot season. This blog post brings you some benefits of having smoothies to make the most of this summer.
One of the easiest ways you can ensure you are getting the nutrition you need to kickstart your morning in a healthful way is to drink a smoothie packed full of your favorite fruits and vegetables. And besides tasting delicious, there are several unexpected benefits of drinking smoothies that you might not even know about.
1. Smoothies are fast and easy to make.
Most people cite busy lifestyles as their top reason for not taking the time to meal prep or eat nutritious foods. Healthy eating does not get any easier than making a smoothie! In less than five minutes, you can make your favorite smoothie. Smoothies do not require any special equipment except for a blender and knives to chop up your food. In addition, you don’t have to do any special food prep. Grab your fresh ingredients out of the refrigerator or pantry, toss them into the blender, and head out the door.
2. Smoothies help you stay full longer.
When you make your smoothies with fresh fruits and vegetables and other filling ingredients, you will stay satiated for a longer period of time. If you’re making a smoothie and hungry an hour later, you might need to add fruits and vegetables that contain more fiber in them to stay full longer. Here are easy ways to curb your appetite with your smoothie.
3. Smoothies naturally reduce cravings.
When your body is flooded with nutrients from fresh and healthy foods, you are less likely to crave junk food. The more fresh food you eat, the less you will crave sugar and processed foods. Another way smoothies reduce cravings is by increasing your hydration. Many people experience cravings because they are dehydrated and not actually hungry. If you have trouble staying hydrated throughout the day, drinking a smoothie is a great way to stay hydrated.
4. Smoothies supply antioxidants.
Antioxidants isn’t just some buzzword. They’re actually critical to healthy cells. In the simplest terms, antioxidants are molecules that help scavenge and neutralize free radicals in your body. Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons that are unstable and cause harm if there are too many of them in the body. While your body is equipped with its own systems to keep free radicals in check, it is important to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and super foods to ensure you are consuming enough antioxidants through your diet.
5. Smoothies help improve digestion.
Sluggish digestion leads to issues such as discomfort, brain fog, and lack of energy. Because most processed foods lack fiber, many people struggle with regular digestion, bloating, and other abdominal discomforts. In 2017, the center for disease control reported that around 90% of people did not meet the recommended fruit and vegetable recommendations for daily intake. That is a lot of people lacking fiber in their diets! Daily fiber intake from food should be between 25 to 30 grams according to the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. Eating foods high in fiber in your smoothie is one of the easiest ways to increase your fiber intake. Plus, when you consume fruits and vegetables in liquid form, it is easier for your body to break down, digest, and use nutrients, including fiber.
6. Helps you lose weight.
Smoothies can help you lose excess body weight without skipping any meals. The fruits and berries that are used to prepare these drinks serve as excellent companions for keeping you healthy and feeling cooler on a hot summer morning. The enzymes present in several fruits help dissolve body fat and clear up your circulatory system.
7. Prevents Dehydration.
Water is the most abundant thing both on earth and in your body. About 70 percent of your body is water. Having smoothies along with breakfast is a great way to replenish the loss of water in your body during the summer.
8. Enhances Immunity.
Immunity refers to the ability of your body to fight against pathogens and diseases. This natural potential becomes degenerated due to several reasons. Interestingly, having smoothies made of ingredients that include nutrients like beta carotene helps boost your immune system.
9. Prevents heart disorders.
Coronary diseases, or ailments related to heart, require nutrient rich food along with appropriate medication. Timely breakfast that contains fat-free foods like oats and smoothies accompanied by regular exercising is the key for patients wishing to keep away from heart disorders.
10. Keeps blood sugar In check.
High blood sugar and diabetes are the most common lifestyle diseases that bother people all around the world. People who have imbalanced sugar levels in their blood are prone to several complications. Thus having a breakfast that is rich in nutrients but low in calories can make things easier. Smoothies full of fresh fruits and vegetables are apt choices to go for on hot summer mornings, as they make you feel full and happy without increasing your sugar intake.
11. Reduces chances of cancer.
Several health reports published worldwide suggest that foods like cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower are helpful in fighting against cancer. They attack free radicals and thus prevent cancer. Smoothies made of these ingredients prove really helpful in preventing cancer growth.
Disadvantages Of Smoothies.
Green smoothies are popular, but they also come with a caveat. You really can eat too many leafy green vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables or greens contain high amounts of a compound called thiocyanates. These compounds can interfere with iodine absorption.
This is one of the disadvantages of smoothies. Always be reasonable, and do not go on a “green smoothie” diet. The other main disadvantages are:
- The risk of consuming too much sugar
- Adding smoothies to the diet without cutting back on food, adding calories, and risking weight gain
- Relying too much on smoothies for nutrition and cutting back too much on nutrition in foods
- Depending on how it is made, the smoothie may not be healthy
Also, comparing the smoothie vs eating whole fruit, whole fruit has undisturbed fiber that slows down the body’s conversion of food sugar into blood sugar. When fruit is pureed, some of the fiber is lost. Whole fruit will keep you feeling full longer.
