This papaya smoothie for weight loss is perfectly creamy, refreshing and light enough to leave you feeling energized yet satisfied. The papaya banana smoothie is high in fiber, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and the anti-inflammatory papain enzyme that is beneficial for gut health.
I added a boost of protein and a touch of extra sweetness with the Botanica Perfect Protein powder. It is my favorite vanilla flavored plant protein powder naturally sweetened with monk fruit which is a fantastic sweetener for diabetics.
This protein powder is the best tasting vanilla protein powder that I have tried as it is not overly sweet like most flavored protein powders. I specifically love this protein to add just the right amount of extra sweetness to smoothies without overpowering the natural flavor and sweetness from fresh fruit such as papaya and banana.
The papaya banana smoothie is vegan and a great gut friendly smoothie. All the ingredients are low fodmap excepts the protein powder hasn’t been tested my Monash although it is likely to be tolerated by anyone with SIBO or IBS as it is made with low fodmap ingredients including quinoa, coconut and brown rice. You can also omit the protein powder or use your favorite protein powder of choice.
The combination of papaya and banana makes such a smooth and creamy smoothie! Anyone looking for healthy smoothies for weight loss will love this exotic fruit smoothie that does wonders for gut health and weight loss. The delicious papaya smoothie for weight loss is a nutritious breakfast that will leave you feeling light and energized.
Papaya is a sweet tropical fruit grown in central America and is an old remedy for stomach problems. The papaya fruit is bright orange and a great source of vitamins, including vitamins A and C, essential for the immune system and is also a good source of folate and contains many B vitamins.
Papaya contains the enzyme papain, a protein-digesting enzyme that is great for gut health.
The consumption of excessive quantities of fat can result in increased body weight and visceral fat. This low-fat papaya and banana smoothie for weight loss is listed as a green light food by the authors of mastering diabetes. Contrary to what many people think, lots of fruit is excellent for weight loss and insulin resistance, including papaya fruit.
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, characterized by high triglycerides and high blood sugar. High-fat diets, especially high saturated fat diets, can cause weight gain and fatty liver.
Fortunately, papaya has beneficial effects on obesity, inflammation, and oxidative stress, thus reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Papaya is suitable for people with diabetes due to papaya’s medicinal properties, which include antioxidant and liver-protective properties.
Both inflammation and fatty liver are underlying causes of insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes. This banana papaya smoothie for weight loss also helps to prevent insulin resistance and fatty liver!
You can find this papaya smoothie recipe in my 16 healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss and liver detox E-book that you can sign up to access in my library of recipe E-books, which are designed to be printed on standard letter paper to create your own recipe book binder with your favorite recipes.
Papaya and Banana Smoothie Recipe:
- 1 cup fresh chopped papaya
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 cup almond milk
- 2.5 tbsp Botanica Perfect Protein, vanilla flavored
- 4 ice cubes
How to make a papaya smoothie for weight loss
It is super easy to make a papaya smoothie for weight loss, although you will want to make sure you purchase ripe papayas for the best flavor. I used fresh papaya in this recipe and added 4 ice cubes and frozen banana to make this papaya weight loss smoothie with banana chilled. Enjoy this refreshing papaya smoothie recipe on a hot day!
The easiest way to prepare the papaya for smoothies is to cut it in half lengthwise, then spoon out the seeds on the inside and discard them in the garbage. I then use a paring knife to cut the outer skin off the papaya. Once the skin is peeled, chop it into 1-inch chunks and place it in the blender with the other ingredients.
Depending on the size of the papaya you buy, you may only use half or 1/4 of the papaya. I usually buy medium to small papayas and use one half at a time, so I cut it in half and place one half on a plate face down in the fridge with the skin and seeds left intact, then I peel and de-seed the half I am using in the banana papaya smoothie for weight loss.
Papaya is such a delicious, healthy fruit for weight loss. This papaya smoothie reminds me of my time in Bali, where I had fresh smoothies and juices every day! They sure know how to make the best tropical smoothies there! I am sure you will love this papaya smoothie just as much to help you shed extra pounds.
Is papaya good for weight loss?
Papaya is good for weight loss and diabetes via several mechanisms. A study done in mice demonstrated the beneficial effects of papaya for weight loss. Mice fed a high-fat diet with papaya juice had significantly decreased fat accumulation compared to the mice fed a high-fat diet which caused weight gain. This papaya weight loss smoothie is a fantastic way to get papaya into your diet.
The consumption of papaya has been shown to:
- Reduce inflammation
- Lower insulin levels
- Increase antioxidant activity
- Lower lipid oxidation (damaged fats)
- Reduce fat accumulation in fat cells
A high-fat diet is associated with high fats in the blood, such as triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol. The intake of papaya reduced all of these blood lipids.
Is papaya anti-inflammatory?
One of the characteristics of obesity and insulin resistance is low-grade chronic inflammation. Mice fed a high-fat diet had increased inflammatory markers, while mice supplemented with papaya juice had significantly decreased inflammatory markers. The vitamin c and beta carotene phytonutrients in papaya likely underlie this study’s reduction in inflammatory markers.
Papaya also promotes catalase and superoxide dismutase activity which are the body’s potent antioxidant enzymes. The anti-inflammatory benefits of papaya are due to papaya’s ability to boost internal antioxidant production and contain nutrients with antioxidant properties. Making a papaya smoothie is good for weight loss due to papaya’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Health benefits of papaya:
- Anti-inflammatory
- High in vitamin C
- Reduces fat absorption
- Supports a healthy weight
- Lowers blood lipids
- Prevents fatty liver
- It contains the digestive enzyme papain for gut health
- Low in saturated fats
- Low fodmap and SIBO-friendly smoothie recipe
Is papaya good for fatty liver?
Papaya has also been shown to prevent fatty liver in mice fed a high-fat diet. Fatty liver is an underlying cause of weight gain and insulin resistance. Once again, papaya has liver-protective effects and reduces inflammation by boosting internal antioxidant enzymes. If you’re looking for a papaya weight-loss smoothie, this recipe is for you!
Papaya and banana were on my superfoods list for gut health from the viome gut test. Papaya was recommended as one of my superfoods to eat to help improve my inflammatory gut score. Bananas contain resistant starches to help feed beneficial probiotics and restore microbial diversity in the colon.
After taking IV antibiotics after labor, I got the viome gut health test done, and my microbial diversity was extremely low. One of the cons of using antibiotics is they also wipe out the good bacteria with the harmful bacteria. For this reason, it is essential to focus on eating gut-healthy foods such as papaya and banana to provide prebiotics for the microbiome.
I also scored below average on my metabolic fitness score, which is associated with insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels. My metabolic fitness score was interesting as I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I was able to manage it through diet, but I was borderline insulin-resistant.
Diet, inflammation, gut health, weight loss, and insulin resistance are intimately connected in various ways.
This papaya smoothie for weight loss benefits gut health, SIBO, IBS, and insulin resistance and in line with the dietary recommendations in the Mastering Diabetes program for weight loss and reversing insulin resistance.
It is ultra-smooth, creamy, and naturally sweet. It is made five ingredients only: papaya, banana, vanilla protein powder, almond milk, and hemp seeds. The papaya smoothie tastes delicious with a dash of cinnamon, a great spice for weight loss, gut health, and diabetes.
Macronutrient and Nutritional Profile
According to Cronometer (a fantastic app for tracking your caloric and nutritional intake) this papaya and banana smoothie contains:
- calories: 365
- protein: 19 grams
- carbs: 38 grams
- fat: 14 grams
Plus the papaya smoothie is exceptionally high in vitamin C and packed with many other vital B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium which is beneficial for weight loss and energy production. Enjoy this tropical and creamy papaya banana smoothie!
If you are looking for more weight loss smoothies, be sure to check out these 16 healthy smoothie recipes.
You can also sign up to access my downloadable healthy smoothies for weight loss and liver detox E-book. The E-book is designed to be printed on standard paper to create your own recipe book binder or upload it to your Google Drive for easy access to these delicious and healthy smoothies.
Papaya Smoothie for Weight Loss – Creamy & Refreshing
Equipment
- High speed blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh papaya
- ½ frozen banana
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 cup almond milk
- 2.5 tbsp Botanica Perfect Protein, Vanilla
- 4 ice cubes
Instructions
- Chop a medium to small papaya in half and peel the skin off half using a knife. Take the seeds out. Place in the blender with banana, vanilla protein powder, hemp seeds, and almond milk. Add in 4 ice cubes and blend on high until creamy.
Notes
For more weight loss smoothie recipes check out this green smoothie for weight loss, matcha mango smoothie, and learn how to make the best smoothie for weight loss.
You may also like this activated charcoal smoothie with papaya for gut health and detox! Or try this refreshing and hydrating watermelon smoothie for weight loss.
References:
Anti-obesity effect of Carica papaya in high-fat diet fed rats
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