10 Healthy Smoothie Recipes

If you drink smoothies regularly, it’s always exciting when you find some new tasty smoothie recipes to try out. 

They are a great option if you have a busy lifestyle, you’re looking for something healthier to enjoy on weekends, or if you are trying to cut back from a multiple-cups-of-coffee-daily habit. 

Healthy smoothies can also help you to stay on track with healthy eating and fitness goals — the key is knowing what ingredients should go into them to make them as nutritious as possible.

To help you choose healthy smoothie recipes that are suited to the nutritional needs of your goals, we’ve collected the recipes for a few of our favourites!Jump to:

• Are smoothies healthy?

• How to keep your smoothies healthy

• Healthy breakfast smoothies

• Healthy smoothies to feel fuller for longer

• Easy smoothie recipes for general health

Are smoothies healthy?

While it might seem like a no-brainer, there are some types of smoothies that can be unhealthy. 

Adding too much of some ingredients can lead to an overload on fructose (the sugar found in fruit), fat, or protein. As with any meal or snack, it's about balance, so keep the quantity in check. Measuring out the ingredients makes it easier not to go overboard. 

Another factor to consider is portion control. 

When you eat food, your stomach sends messages to your brain to let you know you are full, which happens during the time it takes to eat the meal or snack. With drinks, including smoothies, it’s easy to consume them quite quickly, and you may not realise you have started to feel full. This happens because you’re drinking faster than your stomach can send messages to your brain. That’s why it’s a good idea to follow smoothie recipes that are nutritionally balanced and help you to get essential vitamins and minerals without consuming too much.

How to keep your smoothies healthy

Smoothie recipes can be healthy or unhealthy, depending on what they are made with. If you want to stay on track with your health goals, there are a few things to be mindful of.   

• Avoid adding ingredients like fruit juice, ice cream or sorbet if you are trying to minimise your intake of refined sugars or fat. These offer little in the way of nutritional benefit and adding these along with fruit can give you a sugar hit you may not have been expecting.

• Choose whole fruits that are low in natural sugar, as these can help to ensure a slower release of energy. Look for smoothie recipes with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches and apricots as these offer flavour and fibre without too much sugar.

• A simple way to keep your smoothie recipe healthier is to try using a maximum of five ingredients, especially when it comes to fruit. Otherwise, they can become very energy-dense. A good rule of thumb is if you couldn’t eat all of the ingredients in their whole form, don’t add them all to one smoothie.

If you want some help staying on track, try some of these nutritious and tasty smoothie recipes!

Healthy breakfast smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to easily increase your intake of essential vitamins and minerals, especially if you find it hard to get all of your daily fruit and vegetable servings through your meals and snacks. 

Layered Smoothie

Berries and banana are a delicious healthy smoothie combination and when you can make them into a smoothie that is full of colour — wow! This recipe for a layered smoothie was originally created to celebrate the 4th of July but it is too good to keep it for just one day a year. 

Each layer of the smoothie combines fruit with plain yoghurt and some honey for a sweet drink that has protein, carbohydrates and fibre. With both milk and yoghurt, this smoothie helps to increase the amount of protein you’re getting, which is great for keeping you feeling satisfied for longer.  

Green Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

Adding some greens to a smoothie is a great way to pack in more nutrients without adding sugar. Vegetables such as spinach, kale or cucumber can be easily added to smoothies for extra goodness that doesn’t impact the taste. This Green Breakfast Smoothie recipe uses spinach for extra folate and fibre!

This healthy green smoothie has some included spirulina, which can be a source of protein and it can help to reduce inflammation. If you’ve been increasing weights at the gym or you simply want to stay on track with your fitness, this smoothie can help with your body’s recovery. 

Quinoa And Berry Smoothie

The combination might sound unusual but quinoa can be a great way to add more fibre and protein to your breakfast smoothie recipes! In this quinoa and berry smoothie, the quinoa helps to make your drink extra thick and boosts the nutritional content with extra iron, manganese, potassium and folate.  

Remember to cook the quinoa first — that way your body is able to digest the grain more easily and can absorb more nutrients. 

Healthy smoothies to help you feel fuller for longer

You don’t have to say goodbye to drinking smoothies if you want to have a healthy, balanced diet. Being mindful of which ingredients to use less of (or less frequently) means you can still have your smoothie and drink it too! 

As explained above, sorbet, fruit juice and ice cream may add high levels of refined sugar or fat to a smoothie. While you may get extra bulk and taste, it is usually relatively low in nutritional value. Instead, make the smoothie more filling with protein, such as nut butter, seeds or protein powder. 

If you are buying a cafe smoothie, read the ingredients list carefully so you know what is going into it. Homemade smoothies make it easier for you to control the ingredients and the amount you use, so bookmark your favourite healthy smoothies that will help you feel fuller for longer.

Berry Coconut Smoothie

This berry coconut smoothie is a good choice for a tasty, healthy smoothie. Both the berries and the coconut provide some sweetness without giving you too much natural sugar, while the Greek yoghurt provides your body with some protein to keep you feeling fuller for longer. 

Ingredients:

• 125ml reduced-fat dairy milk or milk of choice

• ½ medium banana, frozen

• 1 large handful of frozen mixed berries

• 1 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut

• 50g plain Greek yoghurt or yoghurt of choice

• 1 handful of ice cubes.

Method:

1. Place all of the smoothie recipe ingredients into a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. 

2. Pour the smoothie into a glass and enjoy!

You can add more liquid if you prefer a runnier consistency or add some extra ice cubes to make it ice cold! 

Green Smoothie

Green smoothie recipes can be so versatile because you can include different superfoods, depending on what your body needs at the time. With a good healthy green smoothie, you can sub in any other superfoods, like goji berries, spirulina powder or maca for some variety. 

Another bonus of this green smoothie? Made with coconut water and spinach, it can help to keep you hydrated. So, not only is this smoothie sweet and packed with goodness, it can help you to hit your hydration goals as well. Adding in the chia seeds means you get some extra protein, which means you are more likely to feel full for longer.

Chocolate Milkshake Protein Smoothie

If you love a rich, super thick but healthy smoothie, this is a great recipe to try! Made using chocolate protein powder, Sweat trainer Kelsey Wells' Chocolate Protein Smoothie recipe is great for a quick post-workout pick-me-up. 

Creamy and rich, this recipe is different to a lot of healthy smoothies for weight loss because it resembles a protein shake only with some added fruit. The frozen banana helps to keep this smoothie cold so you can take it with you on the go. If weight loss is your goal, look for smoothie recipes that will help to give you energy and keep you feeling full. 

Make yours more filling by reaching for smoothie ingredients that include protein, such as Greek yoghurt, quinoa, protein powder, nuts and seeds.

Easy smoothie recipes for general health

Sometimes, when you’re feeling unwell or a bit run down, you might want to have something quick and easy. Some smoothies can help to rehydrate you or to give your immune system a boost. Smoothies are also a great way to incorporate superfood powders into your diet, helping to boost your nutrition.

Immune Support Smoothie

If you feel like a healthier smoothie, you can customise any recipe to include immune-boosting ingredients. In this immunity smoothie recipe, there is a combination of orange, turmeric, honey and ginger, all of which can help to support your immune system. 

This smoothie recipe is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, which can assist your body to repair faster. Including orange is a great way to get some vitamin C as well!

Mint Chip Protein Smoothie

As most of us know, stress can be really taxing on the body. This mint chip protein smoothie includes ingredients known as adaptogens, which are often referred to as natural stress fighters. Adaptogens can not only help to support your body through periods of stress — whether that is stress caused by tight deadlines or the physical stress that regular training can put on your body. 

Maca powder is a common adaptogen that can be easily added to a smoothie — simply add a teaspoon prior to blending. The texture of this smoothie is similar to that of a milkshake, so enjoy it!

Sweet smoothie recipes

If you have a craving for something sweet, try these healthy smoothies. They can help to satisfy a craving and provide nutrients to your body with natural sugars, instead of relying on heavily processed sugars. 

Coffee Smoothie

Blending some frozen coffee gives a coffee smoothie thickness and adding Medjool dates is a natural way of making it sweeter. On a hot day, this smoothie can be so refreshing and you can top it with cinnamon, a sprinkling of coconut or even some chia seeds. Delicious!

Nutty Banana Smoothie

Adding bananas to your smoothie means you can benefit from a boost to your energy level and your mood! Bananas are the only fruit that contains both the amino acid tryptophan and vitamin B6, the combination of which can help to produce serotonin, often referred to as the ‘happy hormone’. This is a great smoothie if you need an afternoon pick-me-up. 

This is such an easy combination, you can throw everything into the blender and take your healthy nutty banana smoothie with you as you rush out the door.

Enjoy these healthy smoothie recipes!

There are so many different types of smoothies you can have in a healthy, balanced diet.

Smoothies can be a great way to increase your nutrient intake, as well as helping to keep you feeling satisfied. If you’re trying to avoid snacking on unhealthy highly processed convenience foods mid-afternoon, a healthy smoothie can be a great option. 

What’s your favourite smoothie recipe? Let us know in the comments!