It’s so easy to make healthy smoothies in a blender at home. These 17 smoothie recipes are packed with nutrients and take just 5 minutes to prepare.
Healthy Smoothies
A healthy smoothie is a pureed drink made with nutritious ingredients, like fruits, vegetables, and seeds.
In general, a smoothie is considered healthy if it’s high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
It can also have anti-inflammatory fats, complex carbohydrates, and protein.
There are many possible ways to make a healthy smoothie. The trick is to use the right proportion of ingredients to ensure it’s tasty and satisfying to drink.
RELATED: 17 Best Fruit Smoothie Recipes
5 Smoothie Health Benefits
1. Supports Good Digestion
Healthy smoothies are often high in fiber, an essential nutrient for digestion.
The body needs fiber for regular and comfortable bowel movements. This can help prevent digestive issues.
Most people don’t get enough fiber. But drinking healthy smoothies can increase your intake.
2. Controls Oxidative Stress
Fruits and vegetables, the main ingredients in healthy smoothies, can decrease oxidative stress.
These ingredients are rich in antioxidants, or compounds that protect cells from oxidative stress.
This is important because oxidative stress can increase the risk of disease, especially as you age.
Seeds and nut butters also contain some antioxidants.
3. Helps Immune Function
Vitamins C, A, and E are needed for immune function.
The best sources of these nutrients are fruits and vegetables, which are found in healthy smoothies.
Recipes with yogurt are also helpful, as the ingredient contains probiotics.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that support the gut. Having a healthy gut is essential for good immunity.
4. Promotes Hydration
All smoothies contain a liquid base, like oat milk or apple juice.
The liquid contributes to your daily fluid intake. This keeps you hydrated, which is important for bodily functions like digestion and metabolism.
Fruits and vegetables contain some water, further increasing hydration.
5. Increases Satiety
The fiber in healthy smoothies can help reduce hunger.
Fiber takes a long time to digest. This means it stays in the gut for a while, which keeps you full.
High-protein smoothies, like those made with dairy milk, soy milk, or yogurt, will increase satiety as well.
You can make a smoothie even more filling by adding protein powder.
RELATED: 17 Best Strawberry Smoothie Recipes
17 Best Healthy Smoothies
1. Green Smoothie
Naturally sweet and refreshing, this easy green smoothie is packed with essential nutrients.The bright green color comes from baby spinach, one of the best foods for brain health. If you don't have spinach, you can use kale instead.Dairy milk, which is high in calcium and protein, gives the drink a creamy consistency. But plant-based versions, like soy or almond milk, will also work.Apple gives adds sweetness to the smoothie. For a substitute, try pineapple or mango.Ingredients: Milk, baby spinach, Medjool date, apple, frozen banana
GREEN SMOOTHIE
2. Dragon Fruit Smoothie
It takes just 5 minutes to make this vibrant pink dragon fruit smoothie.The pink color comes from frozen red dragon fruit, which has more fiber and anthocyanins than white dragon fruit.Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants that protect your cells. They're linked to better brain health.Since dragon fruit has a mild flavor, it helps to use a natural sweetener. Date syrup is a healthy choice, but you can use chopped Medjool date or honey.Ingredients: Unsweetened almond milk, date syrup, chia seeds, banana, frozen dragon fruit
DRAGON FRUIT SMOOTHIE
3. Acai Smoothie
Made with just 4 ingredients, this acai smoothie is a delicious healthy drink.It's made with frozen acai berry puree, which adds thickness and flavor to the recipe. It can usually be found in the frozen fruit section of the supermarket.You'll need to thaw the frozen acai puree before adding to your blender.The recipe also uses frozen mixed berries. But you can just use one or two types of berries, if that's what you have on hand.If you want to use acai powder, add more frozen berries. This will help thicken and chill the smoothie.Ingredients: Unsweetened almond milk, frozen acai puree, banana, frozen mixed berries
ACAI SMOOTHIE
4. Banana Smoothie
The next time you're craving a nutritious snack, make this creamy banana smoothie.Its liquid base is oat milk, which is especially tasty with banana. But you can use other types of milk, like almond milk or hemp milk.For the best flavor, use ripe bananas. Look for ones with a yellow peel with some dark areas.Avoid using unripe bananas, which have some green on the skin. These are too bitter for smoothies.To make this smoothie without vegan-friendly, replace the honey with date syrup, chopped Medjool date, or maple syrup.Ingredients: Oat milk, vanilla extract, honey, frozen bananas
BANANA SMOOTHIE
5. Cherry Smoothie
Drinking this 4-ingredient cherry smoothie is an easy way to get more essential nutrients.Cherries are high in anthocyanins, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They even contain melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep.The smoothie gets its sweetness from date syrup. However, if you want to add more fiber, use a chopped Medjool date instead.You can also omit the date syrup if you prefer less sweet smoothies.Ingredients: Unsweetened almond milk, date syrup, chia seeds, frozen cherries
CHERRY SMOOTHIE
6. Blueberry Smoothie
This blueberry smoothie is a simple and easy pureed fruit drink.Blueberries, like other berries, are packed with anthocyanins, vitamin C, and fiber.Anthocyanins decrease the risk of chronic disease, including those that affect the brain. That's why blueberries are known as brain-friendly foods.Thanks to the milk and Greek yogurt, the drink is also good for your bones. They have calcium, an important mineral for bone health.Ingredients: Milk, Greek yogurt, banana, Medjool date, frozen blueberries
BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE
7. Raspberry Yogurt Smoothie
For a filling and satisfying drink, make this raspberry yogurt smoothie.It's high in protein due to the milk, yogurt, and vanilla protein powder. Protein is important for satiety and muscle growth.If you want to focus on skin and joint health, replace the protein powder with powdered collagen. This healthy smoothie comes together in just 5 minutes in a blender at home.Ingredients: Milk, yogurt, vanilla protein powder, frozen raspberries
RASPBERRY YOGURT SMOOTHIE
8. Avocado Smoothie
Avocado gives the drink a thick and creamy texture. Plus, avocado is high in omega-3 fats. These are healthy fats that fight inflammation in the body.Always use ripe avocados for the best flavor and texture. They should feel firm, not hard, and have a dark green skin.Baby kale makes this smoothie even healthier. It's a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.Kale also has an earthy flavor, but it's balanced by honey, vanilla extract, and banana. The mild flavor of avocado also helps.Ingredients: Oat milk, honey, vanilla extract, chia seeds, kale, avocado, frozen banana
AVOCADO SMOOTHIE
9. Peach Smoothie
This healthy smoothie is made with fresh bananas and frozen peaches. The combination is slightly sweet and delicious.Peaches are excellent sources of vitamin C, which is needed for immunity. Vitamin C also has antioxidant properties, so it reduces oxidative stress in the body.Both peaches and bananas have fiber. This nutrient is needed for good digestion.White grape juice is the liquid base in this smoothie. It's naturally sweet, but it's important to use 100% juice to keep it healthy.Ingredients: White grape juice, chia seeds, bananas, frozen peaches
PEACH SMOOTHIE
10. Carrot Smoothie
For an easy way to eat more carrots, make this 4-ingredient smoothie recipe.It's made with apple juice, which tones down the earthy flavor of carrots. Be sure to use 100% apple juice without added sweeteners.Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a type of antioxidant. Beta-carotene is needed for healthy vision.Ready in 5 minutes, this drink is also high in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C.Ingredients: Apple juice, chia seeds, carrots, frozen bananas
CARROT SMOOTHIE
11. Raspberry Mango Smoothie
High in antioxidants and fiber, this raspberry mango smoothie is a nutritious snack.Antioxidants are helpful for reducing the risk of disease, while fiber is good for digestion.Also, mango is an excellent source of potassium. This mineral is needed for controlling blood pressure.The drink is made with almond milk, but you can use oat milk, soy milk, or hemp milk.Ingredients: Unsweetened almond milk, date syrup, raspberries, frozen mango
RASPBERRY MANGO SMOOTHIE
12. Purple Sweet Potato Smoothie
Purple sweet potato powder is used to make this 5-minute purple sweet potato smoothie.Rich in antioxidants, purple sweet potato is a root vegetable. It's also known as the Okinawan sweet potato.The powdered version makes it easy to use it in smoothies. Plus, it gives the drink a nice purple color.When blended with frozen blueberries, the powder becomes even tastier. But you can use frozen mixed berries instead.Ingredients: Unsweetened almond milk, purple sweet potato powder, chia seeds, frozen blueberries
PURPLE SWEET POTATO SMOOTHIE
13. Matcha Smoothie
If you're looking for a healthy energy boost, make this matcha smoothie.Matcha is finely ground green tea. It contains antioxidants and caffeine, so it can help you feel more awake.However, unlike coffee, the caffeine in matcha provides a slow boost of energy. This reduces the chances of a caffeine crash.Frozen banana is used to tone down the earthy flavor of matcha and spinach. Make sure the banana is ripe before freezing.Ingredients: Oat milk, date syrup, matcha, baby spinach, frozen banana
MATCHA SMOOTHIE
14. Fruit Smoothie
In this nutritious smoothie, different fruits are blended together for a naturally sweet drink.Mango and pineapple have a bright tropical flavor, while strawberries add a tart sweetness.White grape juice is also used, as it works well with many fruits. Choose a 100% juice without added sugars to ensure the drink is healthy.To increase the drink's nutrient content, add chia seeds for extra fiber and plant-based protein.Ingredients: White grape juice, mango, frozen pineapple, frozen strawberries
FRUIT SMOOTHIE
15. Beet Smoothie
This smoothie is made with fresh beets. It offers a tasty way to eat the root vegetable, which is packed with vitamins and minerals.Beets have an earthy flavor that's similar to leafy greens. However, this is balanced out by the sweetness of apple juice and frozen mixed berries.It's best to use 100% apple juice for this drink. Choose one that has little to no sweeteners and additives.If you prefer creamier smoothies, replace the apple juice with a plant-based milk. Good options include unsweetened almond milk or soy milk.Ingredients: Apple juice, baby spinach, beet, frozen mixed berries
BEET SMOOTHIE
16. Mango Smoothie
For a tropical and healthy treat, make this 5-ingredient mango smoothie.It uses frozen mangos, which have a creamy consistency. The ingredient is high in vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber.If you want to freeze your own mangos, make sure they're ripe for the best flavor. Look for mangos that have a red-orange skin.The recipe also calls for almond milk, but you can use coconut milk from the carton to intensify the tropical flavor.Ingredients: Unsweetened almond milk, hemp seeds, banana, frozen mangos
MANGO SMOOTHIE
17. Berry Smoothie
Rich in antioxidants, this berry smoothie takes just 5 minutes to prepare in a blender.Frozen mixed berries are pureed with apple juice, creating a sweet and tart drink. This smoothie also has baby spinach for extra nutrients. You can barely taste it due to the sweetness of apple juice and berries.Most store-bought berry mixes have blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. But you can also use just one or two types of berries.Ingredients: Apple juice, chia seeds, baby spinach, frozen mixed berries
BERRY SMOOTHIE
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