Over the last two years smoothies have become a huge part of my life. Before that time I never really contemplated the importance or impact they can have on your results in fitness and your overall health when they’re made for a specific goal.
"Specific Goal? Isn't A Smoothie A Smoothie Simply Fruit, protein, and vegetables?"
"NOT EXACTLY."
The first thing you always want to ask yourself before making a smoothie or using any type of supplement is what’s the goal? Depending on the goal which can be anything from weight loss, weight gain, anti-aging/longevity, or recovery from training will determine the ingredients used.
I know from experience this might seem unusual because most people believe that if they're drinking a smoothie (shake) regardless of the goal that it will yield the benefits and results they want, but this post will give you some key insights on why that may not always be the case.
1. Weight Loss Smoothie
When it comes to weight loss the goal is the shed body fat, so you want your smoothie to be full nutrients and low in calories. This tends to be a huge mistake for most “dieters” looking to shed body fat because they pack their smoothies full of sugar including tons of fruit. The higher the ratio of carbohydrates means a greater insulin spike which will lead to an increase in the urge to want to eat and also increasing insulin resistance (causing you to have a harder time losing body fat long term). Check out my last blog on fasting to learn more about the effects of insulin and insulin resistance on fat loss.
What makes up a low calorie weight loss smoothie:
Base (1 ½ cups-2 cups (depends on consistency you like)) - Spring Water, Unsweetened almond milk, coconut water or milk, kefir, flax seed milk, etc…
Low glycemic fruits (½ cup-1 cup) - blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc
MCT Oil (1 tsp) - instant cell food and doesn’t cause an insulin spike nor does it have to be processed by the liver.
Healthy Fat (1 teaspoon) - almonds, cashews, walnuts, or butter forms of these nuts, flaxseed oil, chia seed etc..
Protein Powder - Hemp Protein (highest bio-available protein called edestin), or low carb grass fed whey protein.
Green Superfood Powder (organifi or amazing grass) or kale (de-stemmed), spinach, cucumbers, wheat grass, etc..
**You can also add a few pinches of Celtic or Mediterranean sea salt for better absorption in the digestive tract along with adding to the flavor to your smoothie.**
2. Weight Gain Smoothie
If you’re looking to bulk up (GET SHREDDED) the makeup of your smoothie will be a little different from someone who is trying to shed body fat. Instead of trying to have just a nutrient dense smoothie you want something that’s caloric dense as well. Unlike weight loss where you'd want to prevent a huge insulin spike instead you want to spike insulin in order to increase the urge to want to eat more.
What makes up a caloric dense weight gain smoothie?
Base (1 ½ cups-2 cups (depends on consistency you like)) - Spring Water, Unsweetened almond milk, coconut water or milk, kefir, flax seed milk, etc…
Nut Butters (1-2 tablespoons) - peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, pumpkin seed butter or the actual seeds
High Portion Carbohydrates (1 1/2 cups to 2 cups) - You can increase your carbohydrates by adding things like muffins, cream cheese, a candy bar, donuts, or ice cream this called “Dirty Bulking” or you can do it “Clean & Lean" - using fruits like bananas (preferably frozen), blueberries, pineapples, peaches, apples, etc.
Protein Powder - Hemp Protein (highest bioavailable protein called edestin), or low carb grass fed whey protein.
Green Superfood Powder (organifi or amazing grass) or kale (destemed), spinach, cucumbers, wheat grass, etc..
For those interested in knowing Specific Ratios of Protein/Carbohydrates
The amount of protein used should be around 0.3 g (grams) multiplied by body weight in kilograms (KG) and to determine amount of carbohydrates multiply the amount of protein by 4.
**You can also add a few pinches of Celtic or Mediterranean sea salt for better absorption in the digestive tract along with adding to the flavor to your smoothie.**
3. Anti-Aging/Longevity Smoothie
This type of smoothie will consist of ingredients that are nothing like the two previous smoothies mentioned above.
Base (1 ½ cups-2 cups (depends on consistency you like)) - Spring Water, Unsweetened almond milk, coconut water or milk, kefir, flax seed milk, etc…
Plain organic or vegan yogurt or kefir (1-2 tablespoons) - great for gut microbiome (bacteria)
Aloe Vera - most of us know aloe vera because of its use in lotion and other skin products but when we consume it as food it contains very rare polysaccharides that increase cellular communication which help internal structures within the digestive tract.
Camu Camu Berries - This a amazonian superfood that contains the highest botanical (natural and bioavailable) vitamin c of any known food in the world.
When camu camu berries (vitamin c) along with aloe vera (contains sulfur) are combined something called biological transmutation takes place; this creates new tissues, ligaments, joints within the body, blunting the degenerative effects of aging.
Turmeric - The curcamin found in tumeric has a powerful anti angiogenesis effect (cuts off the blood supply that feeds cancer cells)
MCT Oil - Instant cell food without an insulin spike.
Low glycemic fruit (1-2 cups)
Collagen peptides (help regenerate joints, skin, bones, hair and cartilage) or hemp protein or shells. (DO NOT add both types of protein because the collagen peptides will compete with the other protein for absorption)
**You can also add a few pinches of Celtic or Mediterranean sea salt for better absorption in the digestive tract along with adding to the flavor to your smoothie.**
4. Recovery Smoothie
This smoothie can be any of the three smoothies mentioned above, but whether you’re looking to lose weight, gain weight or have a anti-aging/longevity approach your recovery smoothie from training needs to have few things in it for optimal recovery.
Base (1 ½ cups-2 cups (depends on consistency you like)) - Spring Water, Unsweetened almond milk, coconut water or milk, kefir, flax seed milk, etc…
High amount BCAA’s (Branched Chain Amino Acids) and Hemp Protein - you want something highly bioavailable and your bodies able to assimilate it quickly. Also the BCAA’s especially glutamine helps reduce the cortisol response produced during an intense workout.
Carbohydrate Source - type and portion size will depend on your goal. As mentioned earlier if it's something like weight loss you want a small portion of low glycemic fruit, but for weight gain or endurance sport you want larger portion of carbohydrates.
Electrolytes - Celtic or Himalayan Sea Salt
Green Superfood Powder (organifi or amazing grass) or kale (de-stemmed), spinach, cucumbers, wheat grass, etc..
You don’t want a high amount of fat because you don’t want to slow down the absorption of the nutrients after a workout (less nut butter, seeds, or oils (not including MCT oil))
*If you notice I left out measurements of certain nutrients for each type of smoothie and that's because it will depend on your preference, goal, and what product you're using.*
Important Note: The information expressed in this post is for educational purposes not medical advice. Alter your diet at your own leisure or consult with a physician or licensed dietitian before making any changes. This information is for individuals over the age of 18 years old.
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