Drinking a meal a day is one of the most effective weight loss “hacks.” Replacing one of your meals with a nutrient-dense smoothie is a great way to curb your appetite, give your body the nutrients it needs, and help you reduce your caloric intake for the day. 

Most people simply replace their breakfast with a nutrient-rich smoothie. But you can replace any meal with a smoothie, or use it as a healthy snack. The most important part is to load your smoothie with nutrients and supplements instead of sugars. If you’re drinking a smoothie filled with sugar every day, you won’t get any weight loss benefits. 

In this article, we’re going to break down all the benefits of drinking one meal a day, reveal best practices for this dieting style, and give you some of our favorite nutrient-packed smoothie recipes and favorite nutrient boosters for smoothies.

Let’s boogie:

Top 10 Health Benefits Of Drinking One Meal A Day 

This dieting style is usually associated with weight loss, but there are several other benefits to drinking a smoothie a day. But the benefits of drinking a smoothie a day largely depends on the ingredients you use. Different foods, spices, and supplements will do different things in your body. For example, spicy ingredients like ginger and cayenne can boost your metabolism more effectively than other ingredients. 

Let’s dive into the top 10 most common health benefits: 

1. Reduce your caloric intake and help you lose weight 

The main benefit of drinking a smoothie a day is that it replaces an entire meal. If you typically eat a big breakfast, replacing it with a smoothie can help you easily reduce your caloric intake. 

Also, smoothies are usually super dense in nutrients compared to how many calories are in them. Every smoothie will have a different caloric count — but many healthy smoothies are under 300 total calories. 

Which leads me into the next benefit… 

2. Curb cravings

Smoothies are great craving curbers because they’re loaded with nutrients that make you feel full for longer. And if you load your smoothie with protein, for example, you’ll feel full for even longer. 

Smoothies also make for great snack replacements — since so many people sabotage their weight loss goals due to excessive snacking. 

3. Supplies your body with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients it needs 

We don’t get enough nutrients from our food that our bodies need to function. For example, an apple today has 96% less iron, 48% less calcium, 84% less phosphorus, and 82% less magnesium compared to apples 80 years ago. And this happens with all of our food mostly because of modern industrialized farming practices that I won’t get into here. 

Here’s the point: 

Smoothies are an easier way to get all these nutrients — from both foods and supplements. 

4. Supports better digestion 

Our overall health starts with our gut health. By drinking a meal, not only will your body absorb more nutrients, but you’ll have an easier time digesting it. (This is why people who have had intestinal surgery drink a liquid diet.) 

Plus, many smoothie recipes are naturally loaded with fiber, which also improves your digestion. 

5. Stay hydrated 

One of the culprits of poor digestive health is dehydration. 

Since your body is 70% water, drinking a smoothie a day is an easy way to replenish lost water (especially during summer) and keep you hydrated. 

6. Boost your metabolism 

As mentioned above, adding in spicy ingredients like ginger and cayenne will boost your metabolism. But just getting the nutrients, hydration, and digestion support your body needs will also increase your metabolism. 

Plus, you can also add protein to your smoothies to boost your metabolism further! 

7. Improves immunity 

Nutrient-dense ingredients go a long way at enhancing your immune system. When your body gets the nutrients it craves, it optimizes the health of every system in your body. 

You can also consider adding ingredients high in antioxidants, such as matcha green tea powder and berries to boost your immune system more. 

8. Supercharge your energy 

Your body simply feels better when it has the nutrients it needs and is properly hydrated. Which means, you’ll have more daily energy every day. And you won’t have the dreaded mid-afternoon “crash” (unless you drink lots of caffeine). 

9. Promotes brain power 

When your body is clicking on all cylinders, it improves your memory and you’ll find focusing is easier than ever. Plus, adding herbs like Rhodiola rosea can also enhance your cognitive function.   

10. Improve your mood 

Surprise! Your brain also needs the nutrients your body needs. Opting for nutrient-dense smoothies can help reduce how much sugar, caffeine, and extra food you consume — which minimizes midafternoon “crashes,” leads to weight loss, and boosts your confidence. 

All of which creates a healthier, happier version of yourself 😉

And as mentioned earlier, this is not an exhaustive list. Depending on the ingredients you use, you can enjoy several other health benefits from your smoothies. 

Now let’s jump into some of my favorite recipes:

4 Delicious & Healthy Smoothie Recipes

Here are 4 of my all-time favorite smoothie recipes. Not only are they mouth-watering, but they’re also filled with nutrients your body needs to thrive and which will keep your hunger at bay.

Plus, each recipe is relatively easy to follow. However, if you’re following a specific diet (such as keto), all of these options might not be possible for you. After the name of each recipe, I’ll briefly explain if it’s suitable for such diets.

Let’s dive into them:

Ingredients:

3 Tbs Unsweetened Organic Canned Coconut Milk (Native Forrest is my favorite)

½ cup water

¼ -1 tsp ginger

3 – 4 “ piece of organic cucumber, skin on

½ tbs – 1 Tbs Organic lemon juice

dash or 2 of salt

1 -2 scoops Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen

1 scoop Perfect Matchinga

2 scoops Perfect Baobab Powder

1/4 tsp Traditional Foods Organic High Vitamin C Powder

Handful ice cubes

Alt ingredients:

For more good fat, add Perfect MCT Oil, 14 g per Tbs.

For more fiber, add more Perfect Baobab Powder (5g  total carbs w/ 3g fiber per 2 scoops) or organic chia seeds.

Don’t care about the carbs? Try it with a small apple, YUM! Adds 14 – 25g carbs and 2 – 3g fiber (depending on size and variety).

The flavors are Ayurvedic inspired.

For the ginger, a small piece of fresh ginger, about ½” square is perfect for me, but I first tried it with jarred and ¼ tsp was enough. I also tried with frozen and used a whole tsp square.  

Macros breakdown: 11.3 g protein/ 1 scoop, 21.3 w 2 scoops Hydrolyzed Collagen, 13.3 total carbs with 3.6 fiber, 11.4 fat

If you’d like to make this more filling, add 1 Tbs Perfect Coconut Oil or Perfect MCT Oil – both add 14g good fat.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs full fat organic coconut milk (Native Forest is my favorite)

Filtered water

1 – 2 Scoops Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen

1 Scoop Perfect Acai Powder

2 Scoops Baobab Fruit Powder

1/2 Tbs Catie’s Gluten Free Greens

1/4 tsp Traditional Foods High vitamin C Powder

1/2 cup organic frozen fruit – my favorites are raspberries and pineapple-mango. (Strawberries are better options on keto.)

Directions:

1) In a blender, add coconut milk then filtered water to the one cup line.

2) Add Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen, Baobab Powder, Perfect Acai and Catie’s Greens to blender. Blend for a few few seconds to mix it all together.

3) Add organic fruit and blend on high until all the frozen fruit is broken down and well mixed in.

4) Pour in a glass and enjoy

Macros breakdown: 16 g protein w/ 1 scoop, 26 w/ 2 scoops Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen, 30.5 total carbs with 16g fiber (with strawberries), 7.9 fat

Ingredients:

12 oz cold fair trade coffee

1 – 2 scoops Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen

1 Tbs Perfect Coconut Oil melted

2 Tbs Organic Heavy Cream

2 Tbs Organic Chia Seeds

3 tsp Organic Fair Trade Cacao Powder

Monk Fruit Powder to sweeten to taste (I like Pure Monk)

Handful ice cubes

Directions:

1) Add everything except ice to blender – make sure coconut oil is last.

2) Combine for about 10 seconds.

3) Add ice and give it a good blend. Enjoy!

Macros breakdown: 18 g protein w/ 1 scoop, 28 w/ 2 scoops Hydrolyzed Collagen, 11 total carbs with 8g fiber, 34g fat

4. Nutty Banana Smoothie

This one isn’t Keto, but it is easy to make Paleo and Gluten Free. And it is absolutely delicious — especially for my fellow peanut butter lovers.

I don’t drink this smoothie very often — but it’s a great, healthy choice for my 18 year old son who needs to put weight on instead of lose it. It’s also a great starter smoothie to make for your kids since it’s a little tastier than the Greenie Yum Smoothie.

Ingredients:

1 Organic Banana

1 Small Organic Apple, cored, skin on

3 Tbs nut butter of choice (I use almond butter for Paleo)

1/2 cup milk of choice (I use 3 Tbs Native Forrest coconut milk and water)

1 scoop Perfect Matchinga

1-2 Scoops Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen

2-4 Scoops Perfect Baobab Powder

1/4 tsp Traditional Foods Organic High Vitamin C Powder

Handful ice cubes

Directions:

1) Combine all ingredients except ice in a blender for a few seconds.

2) Add ice and blend well.

3) Pour in a glass and enjoy!

Macros breakdown: 22.5 g protein w/ 1 scoop, 32.5 w/ 2 scoops Hydrolyzed Collagen, 42.9 total carbs with 12g fiber, 34.5g fat

How to boost the health benefits of your smoothies with supplements

If you’d like to boost the nutrient density and health benefits of any smoothies, here are some supplement recommendations you can use:

Protein

Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen – This is almost tasteless and adds a protein punch! So you can safely add Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen to ANY smoothie you make. Each 11g scoop adds 10g of protein.

Perfect Plant Protein – A super clean vegan protein powder made from three simple, nutrient rich, ethically sourced ingredients – pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and sacha inchi seeds. Each scoop adds 17g of protein. Plus, 224mg of Magnesium and 270mg of Potassium.

Immune Boosters

Perfect Acai Powder – Acai is a small, but powerful berry and is one of the world’s top superfoods. In fact, it has the world’s most concentrated natural source of antioxidants!

Perfect Baobab Powder – Baobab is another superfood loaded with antioxidants, but this little baby also has a good amount of fiber in there too!

Any Non-synthetic Vitamin C Powder (like this one!) – We’ve all heard about the benefits of vitamin C for fighting off illness, but do you know our bodies don’t make it? We have to get it from outside sources. And it’s vital for the proper absorption of collagen by our bodies.

Greens Powders

Different greens add different nutrients, but these greens powders are all concentrated and packed with healthy goodness.

Perfect Matchinga – A 50/50 blend of organic matcha and moringa. Matchinga may help boost your energy levels, speed up your metabolism, improve your mood and mental clarity, and it helps detox your body from chemicals and heavy metals.

Perfect Aquatic Greens — A 50/50 blend of Spirulina Platensis and Broken-Cell Chlorella. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and even contain some protein. And have been used as a supplement in many cultures for hundreds of years. I use this to help detox my body daily.

Catie’s Organic Greens Powder & Catie’s Organic Gluten-Free Greens Powder — Each are a super-concentrated whole foods mix that’s abundant in dietary vitamins, minerals, healing phytonutrients, fiber, antioxidants, good probiotic bacteria, digestive enzymes, and essential fatty acids. The also have adaptogenic, anti-stress, antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. Great for supercharging any drink!

Check out our full spectrum of Powdered Supplements great for boosting nutrient content in any smoothie or drink.

Cheers!