Drinking green smoothies is a great way to get the required amount of nutrients in your diet. Green smoothies add fibers, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals to your diet which otherwise might not be obtained in our modern diets. So, is there a best time to drink a green smoothie? We will explore this question in this article.
Green smoothies are great to drink at any time of the day! They are excellent for breakfast and lunch. They are also very good to have just before a workout and post-workout. Anytime you want to have a snack you can have a green smoothie, which will help you be healthier and fitter. Green smoothies are great for bedtime snacks although it is necessary to curb the number of sugars in the form of fruits or various types of sweeteners that you add-in.
Green smoothies are excellent ways to get in your recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables for that day. Let’s see how they are beneficial when had at different times during the day.
Green Smoothie for Breakfast
Green smoothies are excellent as a breakfast replacement as it is easily ingested and easily prepared and it can be had on-the-go. For most people, mornings are very hectic. So blending a smoothie would be much easier as compared to cooking up a breakfast of say, pancakes, or toast. Not to mention the health benefits of a smoothie as compared to these other options. Another reason why green smoothies are good for breakfast is that fruits, vegetables, and greens are better absorbed in the morning before you have any solid food. The nutrients are better absorbed at that time.
It is important to ensure that you drink your smoothie before eating any solid food for breakfast. Using greens such as kale, spinach, etc., as well as carb-rich vegetables may be a great idea for your morning smoothie. You may also add some proteins and healthy fats as well to balance out the smoothie. Having a fairly large green smoothie for breakfast should keep you satisfied until lunchtime, provided you have added sufficient protein and calories to the smoothie. The fruit is also best had early in the morning rather than later during the day as it is better digested. You can add in milk, bananas, oats as well as your favorite types of berries and fruits to your green smoothies to keep you going till lunch.
Green Smoothie for Lunch
For some people, busy days at work means skipping lunch sometimes and a smoothie can be an excellent replacement for lunch. There is no chewing and grinding required. You can drink in a minute. Maybe you like to drink it slowly (which is the better option), in that case, you can set your smoothie beside you while you are at work and sip your lunch. While some people might not be satisfied by a green smoothie alone for lunch can fulfill your craving and reduce hunger pangs.
If you’re looking to restrict your calories, then replacing your lunch might be a great idea and a smoothie is excellent for giving those nutrients which you would otherwise avoid when you skip lunch. Also if you had healthy fats and proteins to your smoothie it takes away excessive hunger and starvation. Ingredients such as yogurt, avocados, and bananas can help you stave off hunger as well as feel relatively full till your next meal.
Green Smoothie Before a Workout
If you want to go in for a rigorous workout you need to feed your body with sufficient energy primarily from carbohydrates and some proteins. Eating the meal before a workout is definitely unadvisable but you can have a smoothie. Smoothies take 20 to 30 minutes and give the instant energy boost that you need to last through your workout without having fatigue. Ensure that you have sufficient carbohydrates along with the greens to provide sufficient energy during the workout. Ingredients like bananas, apples, oats berries, peanut butter to create options for your pre-workout smoothie.
Green Smoothie After a Workout
Eating just after workout again is not advisable because your body needs to relax and rehydrate after the excessive sweating. It would be better to drink water immediately after a workout before you have anything including the green smoothie. A post-workout smoothie can be more protein-rich rather than carbohydrate-rich. as the focus here is on recovery and muscle building.
Whatever muscle repair or muscle building needs to be done can be enhanced through the right nutrition. One may not feel like eating much just after a workout so smoothies come handy as it can be easily consumed no chewing is involved. They boost energy levels much faster than a regular meal can. Including yogurt, avocados, seeds, nuts, and berries.
Green Smoothie For Dinner
This again depends on your specific preferences as well as your body requirements. For some people, a green smoothie at night is sufficient to have them sleep through the night without feeling hungry. In this case, a smoothie can be had before dinner or before bedtime leaving a gap of at least 30 to 40 minutes before or after dinner. One thing to note here is that it would be better to reduce the sugar levels of your green smoothie by avoiding any sweeteners as well as curbing fruits in a smoothie when you have it before bedtime.
Ingredients such as milk, curd, avocados would be great additions as they contain both proteins as well as fats. Also, more proteins and fats help to increase the feeling of satiety. This again changes from person to person and you will have to experiment and find out for yourself if a smoothie before bedtime is a good idea for you.
Green Smoothie as an Anytime Snack
There is no doubt that green smoothies are healthy and everyone knows that they need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet. So then why not have a green nutrient-rich smoothie as snack weather reaching out for tips are cheaters or fried and sweet alternatives. Smoothies can easily fulfill your cravings. You can add in a few ingredients that are helpful such as dates, peanut butter, curd or yogurt, and even protein powders.
You can try a variety of smoothies to kick your cravings for sweets and fried delicacies which you are used to having knowledge that they are unhealthy. Green smoothies are healthy and there are tons of studies on the benefits of green smoothies, so why not keep a few smoothies ready so that whenever hunger pangs come in are you feel the need to reach out for a snack you have a smooth the ready to fulfill your craving .this is also a great way to lose weight and be fitter.
When Not to Have a Smoothie
- Do not have a smoothie immediately after a workout let at least 20 minutes pass before you consume a smoothie.
- Do not have a smoothie just before bed especially if it contains too many sugars and fruits. Allow 30 to 40 mins gap before you actually lie down to sleep after having a smoothie.
- Do not have a smoothie after a full meal. It is better to have it before the meal as it might reduce your hunger pangs thereby allowing you to eat less. After a full meal, if you have a smoothie no matter how healthy it is, it adds some calories and you would not know it as you are drinking. You will easily be in a caloric surplus if your drink smoothies after eating full meals.
In conclusion, smoothies have multiple benefits and can be had at any time of the day, breakfast, or as a snack. Since smoothies are digested easily, it would be ideal for those who are on the go as well as those who are trying to lose weight and be fitter. Smoothies can also include the ingredients to suit your body needs to be based on the timing as well as your individual situation. So go ahead make a green smoothie part of your meal plan and enjoy the immense health benefits it gives you.
