Weight loss is something that most of the Western world obsess over. There are many tools that people use to lose weight, and the effective ones generally have something to do with nutrition. This has been said before, but it bears repeating: you can’t beat a bad diet. But there are certain ingredients that you can integrate to help you reach your weight loss goal.
4 ingredients in the shake that help you lose weight
Smoothies are a great and easy source of nutrition. However, it has been a matter of debate whether they are really good or not. The excessive amounts of sugar in purchased smoothies are on par with any other sugary drink you can find in a store. It doesn’t mean that shakes aren’t good for you, but the right ingredients can make a difference to your health and weight loss goals.
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This is a Peruvian plant that has been cultivated for over 2000 years. Maca has been used since that time for a number of reasons, but one of its most important benefits is hormonal function. Having proper hormonal function is essential to losing weight and keeping it healthy is essential.
Maca has also been shown to reduce inflammation levels. Chronic systemic inflammation occurs when we have low levels of inflammation in our body (which is often undetectable to the naked eye) but it is very damaging to our system, including our brain. Excess body fat has been shown to cause more inflammation in the body, so if we are overweight, it stands to reason that we also have some inflammation to watch out for.
A blood marker of inflammation is called IL-6 and Maca supplementation has been shown to reduce serum IL-6 levels and is also associated with better health. IL-6 may play a role in insulin resistance, which can make it much more difficult to lose weight, so by taking supplements with maca, we can help our hormones and our entire body during the journey of weight loss.
Lion’s mane
This is a medicinal mushroom that is capable of inducing many excellent effects in the human body, from improving cognitive function to strengthening the immune system. Lion’s mane induces neurogenesis, which is the growth and development of tissues in the nervous system, including neurons in the brain. By adding a bit of lion’s mane to a smoothie, we make it easier for our minds to adjust to a healthier lifestyle as new neurons and connections form, preventing you from falling back into old patterns.
Matcha
Matcha is a finely ground powder of green tea leaves and has more antioxidants than regular green tea because it is made from the whole leaf. Matcha is fantastic as it has been shown to help with weight loss, weight management, increase abdominal fat loss, and improve body composition changes from exercise.
Matcha can improve fat oxidation during exercise, which means you can burn more fat during those workouts. It contains some caffeine, however, unlike coffee, it can give us a boost of mental and physical awareness for a longer time. That longer lasting booster can be used to increase your physical activity throughout the day.
Matcha can help you increase your NPC each day (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), and this means that the energy we burn during the day from walking or climbing stairs will help us reach our weight loss goals more quickly.
Chlorella
It is a type of green algae that is becoming a popular health food supplement and is definitely worth trying. Chlorella has been shown to lower harmful cholesterol (small, dense LDL), remove heavy metals from the body, and can aid in weight loss.
The thing about chlorella, however, is that it doesn’t taste the best. Small amounts (¼ to ½ teaspoon) are enough not to affect the flavor of the shake. That said, the benefits far outweigh the taste.
If you’ve ever been a smoker, then chlorella is a great idea to help extract some of those heavy metals.
Ingredients for smoothie recipe
This smoothie is easy to make and quite tasty! If you need more sweetness, add 1-2 drops of liquid stevia.
Calories 369 | Protein 27g | Net carbs 24g | Fat 18g
- ½ cup blueberries
- ½ cup raspberries
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 1 cup of filtered water
- 1 scoop protein powder (can be pumpkin or beef protein)
- ½ tablespoon of almond butter
- 1 teaspoon Maca
- ½ teaspoon Matcha
- ¼ teaspoon Lion’s mane
- ¼ teaspoon chlorella
