Smoothies

[ericdaoust]

Lately I've been putting my blender to work every day. I have a pretty solid breakfast every morning and I also started using it to create a healthy snack between dinner and bedtime. Right now I add 1% milk but I'd like to move away from that. Water obviously works health-wise but it's not thick enough and some of my mixes end up looking like floating apple sauce.

I've read some great things about almond milk and coconut milk. Unfortunately I know very little about them. Any recommendations on what I should try?

I kind of miss the weight loss journey thread as I had been using it for motivation for a while. I've dropped 45 in four months and this is sort of a phase 2 where I'm trying to make additional small changes.

[Loch]

Switched to almond milk a while back. I like it and use if for everything (good for cereal, great for making oatmeal).

The only think I would say is watch out for sweetening in almond milk. For some damn reason a lot of almond milk is sweetened.

Coconut milk is good too... fattier (because: cocounut) and has a more distinct flavour.

[Dobber]

45 pounds in four months is amazing. I'm down 22 pounds in 11 months, no diet. It's been steady 2 pounds/month just from exercise (so the fat is transforming to muscle). Still a long way to go - initially the goal was 30 pounds but now I'm starting to think 50. Especially if the muscle growth continues, man I'd look better than ever

My .02 is that moving away from milk is a waste of time. It won't make or break you and in fact the weight you'd lose as a result of it would just be fake anyway (as in, you'd just gain it back the second your diet stops). Besides that, I read somewhere that milk actually encourages weight loss to a tiny extent. This was a magazine, and it was 10 years ago, so I can't link to it. But the message has always stuck with me. It doesn't make me run out and drink lots of milk, but it was enough to at least stop me from cutting back on milk

What happened to the weight loss journey thread? Is there a reason you can't still reply to it?

[The Bottlenecker]

My family, and wife in particular, makes smoothies quite often and use coconut milk. We have tried regular milk, and almond milk, but enjoy the coconut most because of its distinct flavour and slightly greater fat content (compared to the almond milk anyways). We mix it with frozen fruit (you choose), vanilla Greek yogurt, frozen spinach and chia seed. Very popular in our house. In fact it is one of the few ways we can get greens (the spinach) into our son.

[rabidprairiedog]

For me, it really depends on what you're putting in the smoothie. It's also the best (and really only way) for me to get greens in my kids, but I digress. I don't add any liquids, the juices from the fruits and water from the veggies is enough - and the frozen fruits make for really good consistency.

My smoothie recipe for the family is as follows, and makes enough for 4 people: an orange, an apple, 1/2 a cucumber, spinach (or "power greens" blend), frozen blueberries, frozen pineapple and a frozen fruit blend (strawberries, peaches, mango).

If I'm making it for myself: an orange, an apple, 1/2 cucumber, spinach/power greens, frozen blueberries, ginger (nice kick, and if you don't add it, it kinda tasted like ass).

In terms of the diet/weight loss - well played!!! Can I ask why you want to cut out the milk? Is it just from the smoothie, or your diet in general? If it's from the smoothie, I think that's cool (I personally don't know I'd like the taste of it in my smoothies), if it's cutting it out of the diet, I'd advise against it. If you're a milk drinker and you stop drinking milk, you'll replace it with something else. I lived in Asia for four years. After growing up on the Prairies and drinking milk like it was going out of style, I wasn't into the milk in Asia, but I couldn't just drink water with every meal. So, instead I ended up drinking a lot more juice and soda instead - and the caloric intake/nutrition deficiency from the change from milk to soda wasn't in my favour. If you're looking to not drink as many of your calories, make the switch to skim milk. It may taste like watered down milk at first, but after a while, it'll become your new normal.

Good luck on the journey!!!

[metaldude26]

I rotate between almond milk and coconut milk for my daily smoothies, always the unsweetened kind. Fewer calories in either option than regular milk and definitely less in the form of sugar as long as you are using the unsweetened stuff. Just lots of sugar naturally in milk, which depending on your diet, you may want to avoid. Coconut milk has it's own hefty caloric content, more so from fats, some of which are even saturated but fats get a bad rap. Overall, about 1.5 times the amount of sugar in 1% milk as in coconut milk, depending on the mix. You'll get fewer calories in almond milk but I'm skeptical of some of the additives they use in it, which is why I don't drink it exclusively.

What fluid you add will depend on what you are throwing into the blender. The more fresh fruit you use, the less fluid you need to add. I do mostly fresh vegetables, with frozen fruit so fluid added is a necessity. If your major concern is caloric content then I'd suggest using water. If it's consistency or flavour then you'll have to use something a little thicker like one of the various milks discussed. Coconut milk is probably the tastiest of the bunch.

If your concern is micro nutrients then my suggestion is to cycle various options so you get a variety. If you don't have a lactose issue then I don't know getting off regular milk is a necessity, just know that they cook most of the underlying value out of it so it can sit on the shelf for a long time. These days I look at milk as sugar water fortified with some vitamin content. Generally, I find you get more micronutrient value out of coconut milk or almond milk. It depends on your needs, however.

[forumname]

I have a smoothie just about every day. We started making little pre-made freezer packs a while ago and it has been a revelation.

Once a week we just buy a ton of whatever fresh fruit is on sale (bananas, kiwis, strawberries, blackberries, mangos, peaches, etc. Doesn't really matter.) We chop it up, mix it together and put it into single serving freezer bags. Take one out in the morning and throw it in the blender with some yogurt and orange juice. Awesome, and extremely cheap and easy.

[Axeman33]

I use almond milk in mine but only because that's what the wife drinks (lactose intolerant) with her coffee and what not.

I also include a small amount of flax seed in my smoothies. Its a bit of a pain because they sometimes stick to the sides of the blender, making it more of a pain to clean, but I remember reading somewhere that the flaxseed is a good addition to smoothies for various health benefits (fiber, omega-3).

Generally, my smoothies are yogurt (sometimes plain, sometimes vanilla), frozen fruit (strawberry, banana, whatever), flaxseed and the almond milk.

I don't make them as often as I should but I really should get back into them. I used to make them for breakfast and would sometimes take them for my lunchtime meal. Really good way of filling your belly.

[2014olympicgold]

I just moved away from milk without really thinking of it, then had a big glass with dinner about a month ago. HORRIBLE choice. I lost the built up immunity to Lactose and man was I hurting for the next 3hrs. The body is actually only supposed to have milk/lactose for the first bit in their life (baby having it from the mom), then we weed off of it. But we now drink it for our lives, and we build up immunity to lactose.

But because of this with me, I said eff it, not drinking milk. Switched to almond milk. You must be careful on what brand you get, because some are really high in sugars to alter the taste, because well it kinda tastes like almonds on its own. It’s great when in something (cereal, smoothies are really good) but a glass of it by itself doesn’t taste like normal milk.

I would not switch to water from milk in a smoothie. If anything go to skim milk or almond. Soy is fine too. There’s even lactose free milk I haven’t tried but it’s out there. The difference water to milk will make in a smoothie is negligible.

Use Kale in it tho. I know when you buy Kale, there’s A LOT. Almost too much. I blend it with some water and put it in ice cube trays to freeze for smoothies. So in the morning I just pop a couple cubes into the blender.

[Dobber]

If I ever have kale, you have my full and explicit permission to shoot me


Some of the stuff I'm seeing here is precisely the reason I'm trying to lose weight through exercise and not diet. You wanna know what the body wasn't meant to eat? Gross things We're not rabbits!

Yes, my method is slow. Verrrrry slow. And time consuming. 50 minutes of exercise per day. But I still enjoy pizza every Wednesday, bacon and eggs almost daily, chicken wings at the pub every two weeks, beer and nachos every week. Kids Easter chocolate? Yes please. Halloween candy? Ditto. Christmas desserts, birthday cakes? Yep. Still down two pounds per month, 11 months in a row. And I find that with the exercising I just don't want as much as I used to. Instead of a full Delissio pizza to myself, I find myself stopping at half. Instead of two pounds of chicken wings, I just order one. I'm not consciously dieting or even choosing to make these decisions. It's just working out that way - I get bloated easier so I can't eat as much.

And I'm not completely unhealthy. I know it sounds pretty bad. But I'll throw eggs, green pepper, onions, salsa and cheese (real, not processed) in a couple of wraps one breakfast per week. I'll pile veggies on the nachos. I won't eat veggies if I won't enjoy them, so I see to it that I enjoy them by adding just a little bit to food that I do enjoy.

Anyway, my strategy is that this two-year plan will get me as thin as I was when I was 23 (though in much better shape, obviously). And that after two years, exercising will be so ingrained in my daily life that it will continue (just not 50 minutes per day, but maybe 20). And that eating a little less will also be part of my life. And yes, I'll gain some weight back, but it will happen very slowly and never get to the point where it was. I know from experience that robbing myself of enjoyable food results in a backlash/slingshot weight gain within a year of stopping. I can't claim that trying this works. I won't know until it's over. But I feel good about it. Confident.

[JagrBomb]

i used to drink smoothies to bulk up. couldn't use milk as i suck with lactose. switched to almond milk and it's just as good without the side effects, i'd assume it's better for weight loss as well. i usually add a scoop of protein powder (which i guess you should avoid) + either peanut butter or strawberries. make sure you add ice if you aren't adding anything frozen or your smoothie will be warm and gross. adding greek yogurt is a bit pricier but makes it a bit more creamy/tasty. and if you want it thicker you can add some oats too, but again not ideal for weight loss. i'd stick to frozen fruit + almond milk, that should taste great. if you want to have some cheat days add greek yogurt, pretty much a meal replacement.

[2014olympicgold]

If I ever have kale, you have my full and explicit permission to shoot me
.

It’s essentially better spinach. But I get it.

Freeze (1-2hrs min) fresh cut up bananas on a plate or something so they don’t really freeze together. BLEND THE HELL OUT OF THEM. Don’t stop. Just blend. Bam, banana ice cream that’s legit only banana’s.

Something about Banana’s actually get sweeter when they freeze. I’ve had just frozen banana “chips” in the summer and it’s actually really good and refreshing.

[Call of Doughty]

yogurt of your choice, crushed ice, bananas, strawberries, milk, honey = a nice quick treat. +/- ice cream if you want a heavier smoothie and more cals.

smooth on.....

[mojavedesert]

My fruit smoothies contain a couple tablespoons of low sugar yogurt with a bit of water. I also add hemp seeds for protein. Too much dairy makes me congested and gives me sleep apnea so I did a major dairy cutback 5 years ago (almost immediately solved the issue) but I find a small bit of dairy occasionally is okay.

My vegetable smoothies are made with water added but frequently include avocado for thickness.

[ericdaoust]

I've actually come to really enjoy some of these undesirable foods. It's weird but I look forward to eating fruits and veggies. Still really enjoy the meats though but I've tossed a lot of things aside and have not looked back. I can't even remember what Pepsi tastes like.

As for almond milk, when I look it up I see dozens of options at every store. Is any unsweetened/unflavored type fine?