Whether you drink them for breakfast, a mid-afternoon snack, or a meal replacement, smoothies have loads of benefits. Because they’re quick and easy to prepare, smoothies are a popular choice for increasing your nutrient intake, getting more fruits and vegetables into your diet, and even supporting weight loss.
Incorporating smoothies into your routine can be particularly beneficial for weight loss. Fruit and vegetable-packed smoothies can be a good source of dietary fiber. As a result, they can prevent overeating and nourish your gut microbiome, both of which support weight loss. Adding protein further amplifies this weight loss-supporting power.
However, choosing the right ingredients is crucial because certain smoothie ingredients can turn your drink into a sugar or calorie bomb. By carefully selecting your ingredients, such as leafy greens, protein-rich foods like Greek yogurt or tofu, and healthy fats like avocado or nuts, you can create delicious and effective weight-loss smoothies that support your goals and keep you on track.
How to make a weight loss smoothie.
To build a smoothie that supports weight loss, make sure your beverage contains at least one of the following:
- Fiber: Fiber helps reduce feelings of hunger and slows the rate of digestion, so it’s important to add fiber-rich ingredients like chia seeds, flaxseeds, vegetables, or fruit.
- Little to no added sugars: Added sugars are empty calories, and snacking on foods or drinks that are high in these sugars can result in consuming more calories without actually satisfying your hunger. Try using natural sources of sugar (like fruit) in your smoothies instead.
Now that you know the best ingredients for a weight loss smoothie, read on for 25 delicious smoothie recipes that won’t derail your diet. Then, check out 19 Best High-Protein Smoothie Recipes.
Plant-Based Mint Matcha Smoothie
The mixture of mint and matcha has a super refreshing flavor, and this recipe gives you the added health benefits of antioxidant-rich ingredients like spinach, wheatgrass, and matcha tea powder. Research even shows that matcha tea powder can help with weight loss, making it the perfect addition to your weight loss smoothie.
Get our recipe for Mint Matcha Smoothie.
Creamy Paleo Green Smoothie
Some of the best smoothies are the ones that use only a few ingredients, like this Paleo Green Smoothie. Made with avocado, spinach, banana, almond milk, and flaxseed, you’re getting whole food ingredients that are packed full of nutrients. Avocado, for example, can give you healthy fats to improve satiety, and flaxseeds will provide a nice fiber boost to hold you over until your next meal.
Get our recipe for Paleo Green Smoothie.
Kefir Banana Smoothie
This delicious smoothie uses whole milk kefir as its super creamy base, and according to the journal Nutrients, this fermented milk drink can help with weight loss efforts. Add in banana, peanut butter, and dates and you’ll have yourself a tasty and healthy smoothie you won’t want to put down.
Get the recipe for Kefir Banana Smoothie.
Chocolate-Covered Cherry Smoothie Bowl
This smoothie bowl serves up all the sweetness of your favorite chocolate-covered cherry snack without the added sugars you’d expect from a treat this tasty. Using real cherries, cacao nibs, protein powder, yogurt, and pomegranate-cherry juice, you’ll get protein, fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants—all in just one bowl.
Get our recipe for Chocolate-Covered Cherry Smoothie Bowl.
Blood Orange Beet Smoothie
This Blood Orange Beet Smoothie is an immune boost because of the extra vitamin C, but it can also be great for weight loss when you’re in the mood for a sweet, refreshing treat. Instead of turning to an unhealthy store-bought juice or smoothie that will probably have tons of added sugars, you can enjoy this beverage with all of its natural sweetness.
Get our recipe for Blood Orange Beet Smoothie.
Berry Cauliflower Smoothie
Our berry cauliflower smoothie is great for weight loss because it’s packed full of protein and fiber, and it satisfies your sweet cravings without using added sugar.
Frozen cauliflower is the perfect smoothie ingredient because it adds a super creamy texture while also providing a couple of grams of fiber and protein. Along with cauliflower, the peanut butter adds protein and healthy fats, and the berries and chia seeds provide some fiber as well.
Get our recipe for a Berry Cauliflower Smoothie.
Paleo Piña Colada Smoothie
Sip on this paleo-friendly piña colada smoothie and pretend you’re on the beach with your toes in the sand, all year round. This smoothie may not have much in the way of protein or fiber, but it can save you calories and added sugar as a substitute for a typical piña colada, thereby aiding in your weight loss goals.
Get our recipe for a Paleo Piña Colada Smoothie.
Spirulina Piña Colada Smoothie
Like our original piña colada smoothie, but with a superfood twist. This spirulina version uses pineapple, banana, non-dairy milk, and spirulina—a powdered form of seaweed that contains protein and powerful antioxidants and has been found to have possible anti-inflammatory effects.
Aside from the small boost of protein, this smoothie also offers a way to satisfy your sweet cravings without turning to ultra-sugary snacks.
Get our recipe for a Spirulina Piña Colada Smoothie.
Plant-Based Pear Cardamom Oats Smoothie
Made with oats that provide protein and fiber and oat milk that contains protein as well, this smoothie is a great way for plant-based smoothie lovers to have a filling and sweet snack. The combination of pear, cardamom, and oats makes for the perfect fall drink.
Get our recipe for a Pear Cardamom Oats Smoothie.
Raspbery Peach-Swirled Smoothie
One of the easiest ways to up the amount of protein in your smoothie (aside from adding a scoop of protein powder) is to add some low-fat Greek yogurt. Combining the yogurt with raspberry, banana, peach, and a small amount of ginger creates a sweet, mildly tart treat to enjoy as part of your weight loss plan.
Get our recipe for a Raspberry Peach Smoothie.
Key Lime Pie Smoothie
Take the sweet and tangy flavors from key lime pie and make it healthy with this key lime pie smoothie. It uses limes, graham crackers, banana, and oat milk and omits the piles of added sugar that you’d find in a real slice of pie. Although this recipe doesn’t contain high amounts of protein or fiber, drinking it instead of reaching for a snack full of added sugar will help you with your health goals.
Get our recipe for a Key Lime Pie Smoothie.
Low-Calorie Avocado-Lime Smoothie
If you’re trying to lose weight, you know that operating on a calorie deficit is an important part of the equation. This low-cal smoothie recipe can help make sure you’re still burning more calories than you consume without feeling deprived. Coconut, pear, avocado, and lime work together to create this uniquely tasty, bold, and refreshing drink. We love how many nutrient-dense foods are packed into this recipe while keeping the overall calories low.
Get our recipe for a Low-Calorie Avocado-Lime Smoothie.
Coconut Pumpkin Smoothie Bowl
Bet you weren’t expecting to see a smoothie bowl on this list! Take the beloved summer flavor of coconut and combine it with the fall flavor of pumpkin, and you’ll get an unexpected gem of a snack. While it may be served in a bowl, you’re still getting the texture, health benefits, and convenience of a regular smoothie. With canned pumpkin, pepitas, and Greek yogurt, this recipe serves up about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.
Get our recipe for a Coconut Pumpkin Smoothie Bowl.
Chocolate-Coconut-Banana Smoothie
Chocolate and banana is one of the most classic smoothie combinations, and for good reason. Those two flavors are delicious on their own, but when you add coconut, vanilla, and a little bit of Greek yogurt for a protein boost, this smoothie becomes even more impressive. And thanks to that yogurt, this smoothie provides 9 grams of protein.
Get our recipe for a Chocolate-Coconut-Banana Smoothie.
Avocado-Berry Smoothie
For a smoothie that delivers fiber, healthy fats, and flavor while keeping the calories and added sugars to a minimum, try our avocado-berry smoothie. The chia seeds and three types of berries (blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries) provide fiber, while the avocado provides a dose of healthy fats. Combining these nutrients can help slow your digestion, making for a filling midday snack. This one is also paleo-friendly.
Get our recipe for an Avocado-Berry Smoothie.
Paleo Smoothie with Yogurt and Granola
This weight loss snack is a little bit smoothie, and a little bit yogurt parfait. It combines frozen banana, cashew milk, granola, chia seeds, and protein powder, and all of these ingredients together provide you with a high-protein smoothie with a boost of fiber that you can enjoy for breakfast or a snack. The best part? It’s 100% paleo-friendly.
Get our recipe for a Paleo Yogurt and Granola Smoothie.
Cashew Butter and Raspberry Smoothie
People often go for peanut or almond butter in a smoothie, but cashew butter provides similar levels of protein and healthy fats with a bit of a naturally sweet flavor. This smoothie recipe also contains frozen raspberries, cashew milk, and cottage cheese, ingredients that combine to supply you with a boost of protein, healthy fats, and fiber.
Get our recipe for a Cashew Butter and Raspberry Smoothie.
Carrot Cake Smoothie
This healthy Carrot Cake Smoothie is perfect for fall, and it will give you all of the cozy feelings of a piece of carrot cake—without all of the added sugar. It’s made with carrots, chickpeas, oat milk, flaxseed, and a secret ingredient—Neufchâtel cheese, a creamy type of cheese with less fat than a typical cream cheese.
Get our recipe for a Carrot Cake Smoothie.
Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie with Adaptogens
For a smoothie that will give you a hint of the flavors you love in Nutella, you can make this Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie, which uses chocolate hazelnut milk, cauliflower for texture, and Four Sigmatic Organic Protein—a protein powder we love because it provides 18 grams of protein and tons of mushrooms and adaptogens, which can help with energy, stress relief, and immunity. It may not be quite as tasty as a scoop of Nutella, but this smoothie will give you sustained energy and help you toward your weight loss goals.
Get our recipe for a Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie.
Chocolate Tofu Smoothie with Reishi
Another smoothie recipe that utilizes the power of mushroom powder, this Chocolate Tofu Smoothie includes a reishi mushroom mix, as well as a serving of tofu for high-quality, plant-based protein.
Get our recipe for a Chocolate Tofu Smoothie.
Vegan and Paleo Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
As you may have guessed, we are big fans of taking popular desserts and making them into healthy smoothies, like the Key Lime Pie Smoothie or Carrot Cake Smoothie. Another recipe we love is this Pumpkin Pie Smoothie, which is completely paleo and vegan-friendly.
This one takes a bit of prep work because it has you freeze canned pumpkin overnight in an ice cube tray, but the result of a super creamy and delicious smoothie with fiber and healthy fats is worth it.
Get our recipe for a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie.
Pumpkin Spice Smoothie
This Pumpkin Spice Smoothie is a bit lighter than our Pumpkin Pie version, but it’s equally as tasty and good for your weight loss goals. With pumpkin puree, flaxseeds, banana, and protein powder, this smoothie supplies you with protein, fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants—all while helping you get in the festive fall spirit.
Get our recipe for a Pumpkin Spice Smoothie.
Dark Chocolate Banana Nut Smoothie
Some days the chocolate cravings strike with more intensity than usual, and when it does, this Dark Chocolate Banana Nut Smoothie is a no-brainer. Made with dairy-free dark chocolate morsels, banana, almond milk, walnuts, and chocolate protein powder, this smoothie recipe can give you your chocolate fix while also keeping you full and satisfied until your next meal.
Get our recipe for Dark Chocolate Banana Nut Smoothie.
Peaches and Kale Smoothie Bowl
The issue with green smoothies is that they don’t always contain enough protein, so even though they’re full of healthy nutrients, they may not fill you up. This peaches and kale smoothie bowl solves that problem by providing all of the leafy greens and fruit you love from a typical green smoothie, plus 11 grams of protein thanks to yogurt and almonds.
Get our recipe for a Peaches and Kale Smoothie Bowl.
Mexican Chocolate Smoothie Bowl
With tofu, almonds, Greek yogurt, chocolate, and raspberries, this Mexican Chocolate Smoothie Bowl packs in 11 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, and the fact that it uses both chocolate almond milk and bittersweet chocolate is great news for chocolate lovers.
Get our recipe for a Mexican Chocolate Smoothie Bowl.
This story has been updated since its original publish date to include additional entries and remove outdated information.
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