How to Make a Healthy Smoothie

Smoothies are a go-to healthy breakfast and snack for a reason. They can be packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats and whizzed up in minutes. But, of course, it all depends on what you’re adding to your smoothies.

Not sure what to throw in the blender? We’ll go over how to make a healthy smoothie in detail, which ingredients to go for, and a few of our favorite recipes for inspiration.

How to Make a Healthy Smoothie 

Let’s start with the basics. To make a smoothie that’s healthy and actually tastes good, consider these key building blocks when choosing ingredients.

Protein for Smoothies

Protein is a key macronutrient, playing a role in everything from hormone regulation and immune system function to muscle growth and maintenance. Protein can also help you feel fuller for longer and curb post-meal cravings, making that smoothie even more filling and satisfying.

For your smoothie, choose from protein sources like:

• Greek yogurt

• Peanut butter

• Almond butter

• Cashews

• Silken tofu

• Protein powder

Nut butters provide some protein, but they’re also sources of healthy fats. Our guide compares peanut butter versus almond butter.

When it comes to protein powders, you have a few options:

• Whey

• Casein

• Soy

• Egg

• Pea

Complete proteins (like whey, casein, egg, soy, and pea protein isolate) are considered good options because they contain all nine of the essential amino acids your body needs but can’t make itself. According to research, casein and pea protein may help you feel fuller compared to other types of protein when consumed before a meal.

The choice is yours, but go for protein powders with minimal added sugars to make a healthy smoothie.

Healthy Fats for Smoothies

Healthy fats are needed for hormone regulation, brain function, and heart health. They can also help lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation.

In a smoothie, you can get healthy fats from:

• Avocado

• Chia seeds

• Ground flaxseed

• Hemp seeds

• Almonds

• Nut or seed butters

Some of these ingredients — like nuts and seeds — also provide protein and fiber, giving you real nutritional bang for your buck.

Fruits and Veggies for Smoothies

Smoothies are an easy way to get one to three servings of fruits and veggies in a single drink. Depending on the vibe you’re going for, you can bring together different fruits and veggies in a custom blend.

For example, you could go for combinations like:

• Fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries

• Kale, apple, and fresh ginger

• Baby spinach, banana, and avocado

• Mango, carrot, and ginger

• Pineapple, kiwi, and banana

• Cucumber, avocado, and mint

Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium. They’re also high in fiber, which can help you feel fuller and improve digestion and gut health.

Liquid Base for Smoothies

While you can whiz up a bunch of ingredients and hope for the best, adding a liquid can give your smoothie a thinner consistency (possibly easier to drink with a straw) and provide more hydration.

You can choose from:

• Water

• Soy milk

• Oat milk

• Almond milk

• Low-fat or fat-free dairy milk

• Coconut water

Some of these liquids provide extra nutrients. Cow’s milk, for instance, gives your smoothie more protein and calcium, and almond milk contains fiber, vitamin E, and sometimes vitamin D.

If you’re going for plant-based milk, choose an unsweetened product to avoid added sugars. And it’s best to avoid fruit juices, like orange juice, which are high in sugar.

Herbs, Spices, and Other Add-Ins for Smoothies

Herbs, spices, and additional ingredients can amp up the flavor or texture of a smoothie.

Consider adding:

• Mint

• Basil

• Cinnamon

• Honey

• Nutmeg

• Turmeric

• Cocoa powder

• Lime juice

• Oats

• Matcha powder

• Vanilla extract

Many of these ingredients come with health benefits, too. Oats, for example, can provide fiber and thicken your smoothie, cinnamon has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and cocoa is linked to a reduced heart disease risk.

Avoid Added Sugars in Smoothies

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, you should get less than 10 percent of your daily calories from added sugar. It’s easy to accidentally have too much sugar without realizing when consuming it in drinks. So, for a healthy smoothie, try to minimize how much sugar you add.

If you want a sweeter smoothie, you can add:

• Cinnamon

• Dates

• Banana

• Mango

• Pears

• Vanilla extract

• Honey

• Maple syrup

• Stevia

• Monk fruit extract

You’ll get natural sugar and carbohydrates from fruit and dates, though they also offer vitamins and fiber.

Honey and pure maple syrup provide some minerals — just try not to go overboard with them, as they’re high in sugar. As a rough guide, try half a tablespoon of honey to sweeten up your smoothie mix.

Now let’s get down to making your smoothie. Here’s exactly how to make a healthy smoothie, step by step:

1. Pick your ingredients. First, choose which ingredients you’ll use in your smoothie. Aim for a source of protein and healthy fats, one to three fresh fruits and veggies, a liquid base, and any other spices or extras you want for flavor.

2. Chop up your fruits and veggies. Pre-chopping your fruits and veggies makes them easier to blend.

3. Add ice if you like a thicker smoothie. If your blender can handle it, ice cubes make for a thicker smoothie. Using frozen fruit (like frozen berries or pre-peeled bananas) also works.

4. Blend until smooth. Add more ice or liquid until you get the texture you want. Enjoy it as a stand-alone drink or turn your smoothie into a smoothie bowl. Sprinkle with granola and whole fruit for a more substantial breakfast.

Smoothies are best served fresh, but you can make and store them for a day or two — if you want to pre-make a breakfast smoothie the night before, for example. Keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to drink it. You can also meal prep and freeze smoothies.

No single ingredient is king for a healthy smoothie. Ideally, you’ll want to include a mix of protein, healthy fats, and fruits and veggies for fiber and vitamins. This combo ensures your smoothie has a good macronutrient balance, delivers micronutrients, and is filling.

That said, if you’re looking for one thing to add, consider the rest of your diet and what you might be missing out on.

For instance, if you struggle to get enough protein (a protein calculator can help you figure that out), make high-protein smoothies with Greek yogurt, nuts, or protein powder.

If it’s veggies you’re lacking, make sure your smoothies contain leafy greens, celery, beets, or carrots. Even cauliflower can work well in a smoothie (you can’t taste it — trust us). Add some naturally sweeter fruits like apple or mixed berries for flavor.

A registered dietitian can help you out here, if needed.

Smoothies can be healthy for weight loss — though it depends on what you’re putting in them, of course.

For a healthy weight loss smoothie, remember to add these key ingredients:

• Protein. Protein helps control appetite and curb cravings, helping you stick to healthy portion sizes and avoid overeating. Eating plenty of protein can also help you hold onto muscle mass as you’re losing body fat (there’s a risk you’ll lose both if you’re not eating enough protein).

• Fiber. Fiber can also help you feel fuller for longer, making it easier to stick to nutritious food choices and portions. Fiber has also been linked to lower cholesterol and blood sugar.

• Water or other liquids. Drinking water before a meal can reduce appetite and promote weight loss. So, a hydrating smoothie for breakfast could help you avoid snacking or overeating later in the day, especially if you’re usually too busy for breakfast and end up skipping it.

When it comes to how to make a healthy smoothie for weight loss, try to minimize added sugars and highly processed ingredients, and watch out for high-calorie ingredients.

For example, nut butters are great for protein, healthy fats, and flavor, but they’re high in calories. That doesn’t mean you need to avoid them — just check serving sizes, and make sure you’re not accidentally adding too much.

Overall, when on a weight loss journey, smoothies make for excellent breakfasts, snacks, and fuel before or after workouts. If you’re not confident making them yourself or don’t want to get the blender out, meal-replacement shakes can also aid weight loss.

Not all shakes are made equal, though, so watch out for added sugars and too many artificial ingredients. Our meal-replacement shakes, for instance, contain 27 grams of protein and 24 vitamins and minerals, making them a nutrient-packed option you can use as a meal or snack.

The fun thing about smoothies is there are endless variations. Mix and match ingredients to suit your mood, eating preferences (like if you’re dairy-free or vegan), and whatever you’ve got in the fridge, pantry, or spice rack.

Here are some smoothie recipes to get you started.

Superfood Smoothie 

Our superfood smoothie is full of, well…superfoods! It contains kale, apple, mango, chia seeds, and protein powder (among other ingredients) to give you a nourishing mix of fiber, vitamins, healthy fats, and protein.

There’s also grated ginger for a warming kick and optional honey for sweetness.

Spinach Avocado Smoothie

This green smoothie recipe is one of our hormone-balancing smoothies. It contains spinach, avocado, banana, and cinnamon and uses unsweetened almond milk as the liquid of choice.

This smoothie is a delicious way of getting more greens into your day.

Strawberry Chia Smoothie

Another of our hormone-balancing smoothies, this fruit smoothie contains strawberries, orange, chia seeds, vanilla protein powder, and unsweetened vanilla almond milk for a refreshing, sweet smoothie option.

Coconut Banana Smoothie

Our final hormone-balancing smoothie contains frozen banana, protein powder, and unsweetened coconut milk. The recipe also calls for turmeric, ginger, and a dash of black pepper to make a delicious smoothie with a flavor twist.

Smoothies pack a lot of nutrients into one glass, and they’re endlessly customizable. For a healthy smoothie, remember to include a source of protein and healthy fats, fruits and veggies, and minimal added sugar.

Looking into smoothies to help with weight loss? Don’t forget about the other key pillars to help you achieve your wellness goals. They include:

• Eating nutritious foods, beyond your morning smoothie

• Doing more movement

• Getting enough sleep

When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, weight loss medication — like semaglutide or metformin — can help. If you’re looking for more support with weight loss, take our free online assessment to see if weight loss medications are right for you.