Create More Satisfying Smoothies With These Simple Tricks

Smoothies are an easy way to start your day off right with something super healthy and delicious. However, one of the common complaints people have about drinking a smoothie for breakfast is that it doesn’t hold them over very long. This can be frustrating, especially if you end up giving in to that hunger, heading for the chips and cookies, and defeating your health goals right off the bat.

But there is good news. You don’t have to give up on your favorite morning smoothie. It’s just a matter of adding some ingredients to your smoothie to help you feel full longer. Let’s take a look at a few ingredients to make your smoothies more satisfying.

Oats

Adding oats to a smoothie is a great way to get in more dietary fiber, which is exactly what you need to feel fuller longer. You will add a few calories and carbs, but the fiber plays a big part in offsetting even those problems. Plus, if a few calories and carbs in your smoothie can keep you away from the snack machine later in the day, you are definitely ahead of the game.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Greek Yogurt

Choose Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt for your smoothie and you have a big advantage – protein. Read the label and compare and you'll be surprise how much more protein there is in Greek yogurt. What's the advantage to protein, besides just more protein? Protein has the added benefit of making you feel fuller longer.

Protein Powder

Not just for body builders any more, these products are good for anyone who wants to add a little extra boost of protein to their diet. Again, as mentioned above, protein makes you feel fuller longer, along with the other obvious benefits.

Nuts

Throw chopped peanuts, walnuts, or almonds in the blender and your smoothie will be thick, nutritious, delicious, and filling. The few extra calories this adds to a smoothie is offset by the added protein, fiber, and healthy fat, which essentially helps keep hunger away longer. If you want something smoother, add natural peanut butter instead. (Stay away from highly processed peanut butter spreads - like Jif and Skippy - these are mostly sugar and will do no favors for your health.)

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Although cottage cheese is not often mentioned in recipes, it blends up just fine. You'll have a thicker smoothie, which will naturally help you feel full. This is another protein boost, of course, which also helps you feel full. You can mix yogurt or milk in to smooth out the consistency if you like without losing any of the benefits of this filling ingredient.

Avocado

Another nutrient we need, not only for our health but to feel full and satisfied, is healthy fat. Avocados are a great source for healthy fat, along with many other nutrients. Blending even a part of an avocado into your smoothie will help satisfy that hunger, even if you hardly taste the avocado at all. The texture will be thicker and you'll have that wonderful full feeling for a good, long time, plus fewer cravings.

Skip the Juice

If a smoothie recipe calls for juice, replace the juice with whole fruit. Then add enough  yogurt or milk to get the consistency you want. This will result in a thicker smoothie and more nutrients, which will always keep you feeling fuller longer.

These are just a few ways to create more satisfying smoothies. By no means is this an exhaustive list of things you can do. It’s just a basic list of tricks to help get you thinking about ways you can make a power-packed glassful of goodness for breakfast that will tide you over longer than a few hours.

Be sure to check back later this week for some tasty and satisfying smoothie recipes you can try!