Low calorie protein shakes such as this blueberry protein shake for liver health are a great way to start your day, reduce your calorie intake, and curb your hunger cravings. This banana blueberry protein shake only contains 205 calories yet has 20 grams of protein, 24 grams of carbohydrates, and only 3 grams of fat.
Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links. As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The blueberry protein shake recipe is made with simple ingredients and is excellent for reversing insulin resistance and fatty liver when consumed alongside a hypocaloric and low fat diet. Robby and Cyrus from Mastering Diabetes recommend a low fat diet as one of the best ways to reverse insulin resistance.
Blueberries are great for liver health and improving insulin sensitivity. I made this blueberry banana protein smoothie with collagen powder and vanilla flavored pea protein powder to help people meet their protein requirements while losing weight.
It is low in calories and can be used as a meal replacement shake for any meal. I was inspired to make this blueberry protein shake by the work of Dr Roy Taylor, as he used low calorie protein shakes as meal replacements in his studies to help people with type 2 diabetes reverse fatty liver and lose weight. As a result of weight loss, people were able to reverse their diabetes.
The key to success that he discovered in his work is people must eat a hypocaloric diet of under 800 calories a day to promote weight loss and thus reverse fatty liver. His work demonstrates that calories matter when it comes to losing weight and reversing type 2 diabetes and fatty liver. You can learn all about his work and studies in his book Life Without Diabetes.
Ingredients for the blueberry protein shake for weight loss:
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/2 banana
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup cold hibiscus tea or water
- 10 grams of collagen powder
- 10 grams vanilla protein powder
- Ice cubes (optional)
How to make the banana blueberry protein shake:
- Prepare Ingredients:
- Gather all the ingredients and ensure the banana is peeled.
- Brew Hibiscus Tea:
- If using hibiscus tea, brew it in advance and let it cool to room temperature.
- Add Ingredients to Blender:
- Combine the frozen blueberries, banana, almond milk, hibiscus tea (or water), collagen powder, and vanilla protein powder in a blender.
- Blend Until Smooth:
- Blend the ingredients in a high-speed blender until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. I love my Vitamix blender!
- Add Ice Cubes (Optional):
- If you prefer a colder and refreshing shake, add a handful of ice cubes to the blender and blend again until the ice is fully incorporated.
- Pour and Enjoy:
- Pour the blueberry protein shake into a glass or a portable cup.
Tips and Substitutions
- This shake has a thinner consistency than a smoothie but a slightly thicker texture than just a pure protein powder shake. To make a higher-calorie blueberry protein smoothie that will hold you longer, add more blueberries and banana to the recipe.
- You can also add chia seeds or flax seeds for healthy fats.
- I used a combination of collagen powder and vanilla protein powder as I find that using only a vanilla-sweetened pea protein powder is too sweet and overtakes the natural sweetness and flavors in the smoothie. Using 10 grams of the Vega protein and greens blend provides the perfect extra sweetness. For a vanilla-flavored protein powder with crucial nutrients to support liver detox, you could use Metabolic Detox Complete by Metabolic Maintenance.
- Collagen powder has no flavor, which is one of the reasons I love it, but collagen powder can be swapped with whey protein powder or any unsweetened and unflavored protein powder.
- You can use fresh or frozen blueberries. If you use fresh blueberries, use frozen banana or ice cubes to chill the blueberry vanilla protein shake.
- I added 1/2 a cup of cold hibiscus tea instead of water, as hibiscus tea is fantastic for fatty liver, however you can also use cold water instead if you still need cold hibiscus tea prepped.
- Almond milk can be swapped for any non-dairy milk of choice.
This protein shake combines the goodness of blueberries, banana, almond milk, hibiscus tea, collagen, and protein powder, making it a satisfying and nutritious option for weight loss. The shake provides antioxidants that are beneficial for insulin resistance and liver health and plenty of protein to help you reach your fitness goals. It is also a great post-workout drink.
If you are using this blueberry protein shake for weight loss and a meal replacement, I highly recommend taking a multivitamin to meet your nutritional needs alongside a fish oil or plant-based omega 3 to ensure adequate intake of the essential omega three fats that are great for weight loss.
I hope you enjoy this blueberry protein shake. It is an easy way to start your day or provide a pick-up in the afternoon. I formulated the low-fat protein shake to align with recommendations in the Life Without Diabetes Book and Mastering Diabetes book to help people maintain a healthy weight and lose weight if desired.
Many people overconsume calories daily, which leads to weight gain over time. This blueberry protein shake is a great way to curb hunger cravings while providing the liver with antioxidant-rich phytonutrients that are low in calories.
You may also like this beet blueberry smoothie or try this recipe for a thicker blueberry smoothie for weight loss.
Blueberry Protein Shake for Weight Loss
Equipment
- 1 High speed blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- ½ banana
- ½ cup cold hibiscus tea or water
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 10 grams Vanilla flavored pea protein powder (Vega)
- 10 grams unflavored collagen powder
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass cup and enjoy!
Leave a Reply