How California Avocados Can Benefit Your Weight Goals

California Avocados have many benefits when it comes to your weight goals. The right planning and the option of meal replacement avocado smoothies can help on your weight loss journey.

I have partnered with California Avocados to share with you the benefits of avocados for weight management.

After helping people lose weight for 20 years, I learned that feeling hungry is a main barrier for many people when trying to reach their goal weight. While this can be frustrating, the good news is that there are ways to manage hunger and your weight in a healthy way.

There are three key things I’m going to share with you that can make a big difference:

1. How to make a filling avocado smoothie that can take the place of a meal when you’re on the go. This ensures that you’re getting good nutrition.
2. How to decrease your visceral fat and decrease risk of prediabetes.
3. Mastering the art of meal planning.

So, let’s get started with how to make a delicious meal replacement avocado smoothie.

1. How to Make a Meal Replacement Avocado Smoothie for Your Weight Goals

An easy way to address your hunger is to drink a smoothie. But not all smoothies are created equal, and not every smoothie can be a meal replacement. There is a formula you need to follow.

To serve as a meal replacement, a smoothie needs to be balanced with all three major macronutrients: carbohydrate, protein, and fat. I also recommend that you drink the smoothie within 20 minutes as you would a meal for that satisfied feeling.

Why These Nutrients Are Important

So why does a smoothie need to have all three macronutrients for weight management? And why did I make them with California Avocados?

• Carbohydrates: Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that adds bulk to help you feel full faster. California Avocados are a good source of fiber.
• Protein: Protein is a must because it stays in the stomach longer during digestion to keep you feeling satisfied. Protein also can help prevent muscle loss when eating fewer calories than are being expended to achieve your weight goal. 
• Fat: These smoothies contain California Avocados which have good fats and act as a “nutrient booster” that increases the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, K and E.  

Five Meal Replacement Smoothies with California Avocados Recipes

For these avocado smoothie recipes, I used Hass Avocados which are a California native. I love using fresh California Avocados because they are picked at their peak and close to market! Plus, they add a creaminess to smoothies that is hard to replicate!

Want to give them a try? Here are my Five Meal Replacement Smoothies.

1. Mango, Spinach and Avocado Smoothie
2. Creamy Cinnamon, Carrot, Orange and Avocado Smoothie
3. Cool Veggie, Pineapple and Avocado Smoothie
4. Blueberry, Zucchini and Avocado Smoothie
5. Strawberry, Watermelon, Avocado and Mint Smoothie

Do Calories Matter for Weight Management

The simple answer is yes. Don’t forget that for weight management, at the end of the day, calories do matter. The serving size for each of these avocado smoothies is about 24 fluid ounces, providing about 220 calories.

Another important factor to consider is the composition of those calories. One star player that can impact your weight management that I’m going to introduce next is monounsaturated fat.

2. How Avocados Impact Visceral Fat & Help with Weight Management

Monounsaturated fats play a role in weight management and California Avocados are virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat. 

With my smoothies, you will be eating a total of one California Avocado a day. This amount is associated with a decrease in visceral fat among women, according to a recent clinical trial.

• The trial included 105 overweight-obese adults and examined if eating a diet with one avocado a day for 12 weeks would alter body fat distribution.
• The Avocado Nutrition Center funded the study.
• Although more research is needed to generalize the results to all people, the study adds to a growing body of evidence studying the weight management effects of eating avocados.

Visceral Fat and Prediabetes

More than 1 in 3 Americans have prediabetes. Of those with prediabetes, more than 80% don’t know they have it. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.  One of the risk factors of type 2 diabetes is excess fat stored around your organs also called “visceral fat.” Too much of this fat leads to insulin resistance which makes managing your weight more difficult. 

3. Planning Ahead and Lifestyle Tips to Reach Weight Goals

If you want to use smoothies as an effective meal replacement for weight management, let’s talk planning.

• Start with a shopping list, so you have all the ingredients ready and available in your home to get started.
• Schedule in a time to go to the grocery store or use a delivery app. 

When is the best time to shop for your California Avocados? They are available seasonally — spring through summer.

How to Add Meal Replacement Smoothies to Your Day

You can make your smoothies up to 24 hours in advance. For weight management, you’ll want to target:

• 2 avocado smoothies a day
• A sensible meal like this delicious Roasted Vegetables Pasta with California Avocado Pesto Sauce with grilled or baked chicken breast
• 1 snack such as an apple with 2 string cheeses

You can decide ahead of time which meals you are going to replace. I recommend using the meal replacement during the meals that you tend to be the most pressed for time. For example, if you don’t have time to make or go to lunch it is a good idea to use the smoothie for lunch.

Now that you have some delicious meal replacement avocado smoothies and a few extra planning tips, you’re one step closer to meeting your weight goals.

For additional avocado nutrition information and more delicious recipes visit California Avocados.