In the never ending search for fat loss and diet tricks, many people have turned to drinking fresh juices and smoothies. There is discussion as to weather or not juicing and drinking fresh green juices help with weight loss or not. Some people are worried that these healthy juices might even result in a weight gain, which would defeat the purpose of drinking them in the first place.
So, what I’ve done here is written an article that covers the basics regarding green juices and weight loss. The main points will cover the calories in the green juice, the fiber and fullness aspect, the satiation, and also the impact on athletic performance.
If you’re just looking for a simple answer and want to know does green juice help with weight loss, the simple answer is yes. But it only helps if you know how which green juices to make, when to drink them, and most importantly how to make them.
Do Green Juices Have Calories?
Yes, obviously. Anything that isn’t water, black coffee, or some sort of diet drink has calories. But that doesn’t mean that you have to avoid them. Dieting means calorie restriction, not calorie elimination! You can’t starve yourself. As you will read in any number of health forums and magazines, starvation diets end up doing more harm than good.
On average, a green juice will have between 90 and 200 calories. I found these numbers using MyFittnessPal. The reason for the discrepancy is what type of greens were used. Some people add things like apples to their green juices, which increase the amount of calories in the juice. On the other hand, if you stick with cucumber and kale or other leafy greens, the caloreids will be less.
The best way to lose weight is to reduce calories by a certain amount. Swapping in a green juice for either breakfast or lunch can be an effective way to reduce calories. If you make an easy green juice, you can save yourself two or three hundred calories a day! Skip the toast and bagels and other carb heavy breakfast items and instead make a fast green juice.
What Type of Green Juice Helps With Weight Loss
Not all green juices are alike. Some are going to fill you up more than others. What I would suggest is that you choose a green juice that is made up of kale, spinach, and celery. These are both low calorie, as well as nutrient rich. They will also fill you up and satiate you. Plus, green juices aren’t exactly superd delicious so you won’t be tempted to drink too much. It’s not exactly like drinking iced tea or soda.
You could also add lemon, or sparingly something like a green apple. These will add sugar from the fruit, but it won’t be the same calorie load as if you drank a glass of orange juice or apple juice
Stick with a classic green juice such as :
- 3 celery stalks
- half bunch of kale
- half lemon (organic) including skin
- Half Granny Smith Apple (optional)
When To Drink Green Juices To Help With Weight Loss
Once you have decided on which type of green juices you are going to drink, the next step is to decide when you’re going to drink them. Many people like to drink their green juices the first thing in the morning. This works well if you’re looking to swap out your breakfast and save the calories. Other people like to drink their green juice during lunch. If you’re looking to do this, then you’re going to want to make sure you have a suitable container to bring the juice to work in. You can use a BPA free blender bottle, or a glass bottle for fresh juice.
My preference would be for a morning green juice, then followed by an afternoon green juice. Dinner is a time to relax and enjoy a meal, so I would not opt for an evening juice during a weight loss program.
Loaded with Nutrients: How Green Juices Help You Lose Weight
One of the reasons that green juices help you with weight loss is that they are loaded with nutrients. How does that help you lose fat? Well, when you are dieting, the goal of the diet is to be in a caloric deficit. That means that you will be eating less food. So, it’s very important that the food you do have has enough minerals and vitamins. There are studies that show that nutrient dense food satiates you more than food that is fluff. Ever wonder why you feel hungry after eating chinese food or pasta or chips? It’s because these are basically empty carbs.
So, drinking green juices helps with weight loss because you will be satiated and feel less hungry throughout the day.
It’s more effective than skipping a meal and only drinking coffee and water.
Best Green Juices To Help With Weight Loss
As I mentioned above, you want to have green juices that are heavy on leafy greens and light on added fruit. So, I would suggest a morning Kale and Cucumber Juice. The cucumber adds lots of water with magnesium, and the kale gives you a ton of healthy vitamins and minerals. Also, cucumber is a light and refreshing juice, so it is a good alternative to adding plain water to your juice. You can even add this to a blender bottle and have it after a workout.
The one piece of advice I do have for anyone on a diet is to make green juice fresh. You don’t want to buy those bottled green juices in the supermarket. There have been too many incidents of them containing bacteria and being spoiled. I’d play it safe and make it fresh.
Hi there everyone!
My names Jason (Jay for short). You can find out more about me and why I started this website here.
Stay healthy and I hope you enjoy the information!