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Nutrition experts have studied exactly how satisfying smoothies are to us, but it turns out the answer isn’t that simple because not every smoothie is created equally.
Participants in the study reported feeling more satiated after smoothies that they considered “food-like.” Some of the satiation level also had to do with how long it took participants to consume their smoothies. It’s been known for quite some time that eating (or even drinking) slowly helps our brains better catch up with our stomachs, and properly assess fullness levels, so we eat less. That’s true for smoothies, just as it is for food, so the thicker smoothies that take longer to consume can help one feel fuller than the watery ones.
If you’re drinking more smoothies as a way to feel satisfied with fewer calories or simply as a way to have a nutritious meal replacement when you don’t have time to sit down for a real meal, it’s important that this blended drink fills you up. If it doesn’t, you may just reach for another meal anyway. We took a look at some ingredients you can add to your smoothies to help them keep you feeling full until your next meal.
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Avocado
Creamy avocado is filled with healthy fats to keep you feeling full, and blends up nicely in smoothies with greens, bananas, chocolate, or berries because of its mild, slightly sweet flavor. One whole avocado has roughly four grams of protein, too, so in addition to adding a satisfyingly thick texture to your drink, it also adds this filling nutrient.
