Smoothie King offers a wide variety of smoothies that cater to different health goals and dietary needs. But how healthy are their smoothies really? Here we evaluate the Smoothie King menu based on ingredients, nutrients, and health benefits to determine which smoothies are the healthiest options.
Nutritional Content of Smoothie King Smoothies
Smoothie King provides nutritional information for all of their smoothies on their website and in stores. This makes it easy to analyze the calorie, sugar, protein, and other nutrient content of each smoothie.
On average, a 20 oz Smoothie King smoothie contains:
- Calories: 210-350 calories
- Total fat: 0-5g
- Saturated fat: 0-2.5g
- Trans fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0-15mg
- Sodium: 10-200mg
- Total carbs: 45-90g
- Dietary fiber: 0-8g
- Sugars: 35-65g
- Added sugars: 30-60g
- Protein: 5-25g
Smoothie King uses real fruits and vegetables along with fruit juices, yogurt, ice, and other add-ins like whey protein to make their smoothies. They do not add any artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners.
However, many Smoothie King smoothies are high in natural sugars from fruit juices and added sugars from syrups and sweeteners like honey, agave nectar, and cane sugar. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25g of added sugars per day for women and 36g for men.
Smoothie King Menu Analysis
Here is an analysis of some of the most popular smoothies on the Smoothie King menu:
Gladiator Smoothie
The Gladiator smoothie contains whey protein, fiber, vitamins, and nutrients from strawberries, bananas, and yogurt. With 30g of protein, it provides an excellent nutrient boost for building muscle and satisfying hunger. However, it is high in added sugars with 50g per 20 oz smoothie.
Slim-N-Trim Smoothie
The Slim-N-Trim smoothie is lower in calories and carbs than most Smoothie King Smoothies, with only 180 calories and 37g carbs per 20 oz serving. It contains metabolism-boosting green tea extract along with high fiber oats and apples. But it still has 30g of added sugar.
Angel Food Smoothie
The Angel Food smoothie combines spinach, bananas, strawberries, and yogurt for antioxidant vitamins A and C. With 8g of protein and 6g of fiber, it makes a filling, nutrient-rich meal replacement. But its 45g of total sugars is higher than ideal.
Strawberry X-Treme Smoothie
With three types of berries plus banana, the Strawberry X-Treme smoothie packs in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It has 25g of protein along with 7g of fiber. But its 70g of total sugars and 60g of added sugars are alarmingly high.
Caribbean Way Smoothie
The Caribbean Way smoothie contains pineapple, mango, bananas, and coconut milk for tropical flavor. However, with 480 calories, 96g carbs, only 2g fiber, and no protein, it lacks nutritional substance despite vitamins from fruit. It also contains a whopping 68g of added sugars.
Smoothie King Smoothie Ingredients
Analyzing the most commonly used ingredients in Smoothie King smoothies can further demonstrate their nutritional value:
Fruit
Smoothie King uses fruit like strawberries, bananas, pineapple, mango, and blueberries to provide antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Fruit adds nutrients along with natural sugars.
Vegetables
Some Smoothie King smoothies incorporate vegetables like spinach, kale, and carrots for extra vitamins, minerals, and fiber without spiking sugars. However, many smoothies lack veggies.
Yogurt
Smoothie King adds yogurt to most smoothies to provide protein and probiotics for digestion and immunity. Greek yogurt provides more protein than regular yogurt.
Whey Protein
Whey protein powders like in the Gladiator smoothie pack a protein punch, with 20-30g per serving. Added protein helps build muscle, control hunger, and provide nutrition.
Fruit Juices
To improve flavor and texture, Smoothie King uses fruit juices like orange, apple, and pineapple juices in smoothies. However, these significantly spike the sugar and calorie content.
Sweeteners
Smoothie King acknowledges that they add sweeteners like cane sugar, honey, agave nectar, and fruit syrups to their smoothies. Added sweeteners boost the sugar content without nutrients.
Ice
Smoothie King adds ice to achieve the smooth, thick texture customers expect from smoothies. Ice helps blend the ingredients together while cooling the beverage.
The Healthiest Smoothie King Smoothies
Based on the nutrition facts, ingredients, and health benefits, here are some of the healthiest smoothie options at Smoothie King:
| Smoothie | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Slim-N-Trim | Lower in sugar and calories, provides metabolism-boosting green tea extract |
| Angel Food | Provides filling fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals |
| Strawberry Kiwi Breeze | Rich in vitamin C and fiber with lower sugar |
| Vegan Berry | Packed with antioxidant-rich mixed berries and fiber |
When ordering, request no added sweeteners and less fruit juice for a healthier smoothie with less sugar. Also opt for veggie add-ins like spinach to boost nutrition.
Unhealthiest Smoothie King Smoothies
On the other end of the spectrum, here are some of the unhealthiest Smoothie King smoothies based on high sugar, low fiber and nutrients:
| Smoothie | Why It’s Unhealthy |
|---|---|
| Caribbean Way | Very high in calories, carbs, and added sugar; low in nutrients |
| Cotton Candy | Child-targeted, packed with added sweeteners totaling 56g sugar |
| Chocolate Covered Cherry | High added sugars with chocolate and cherry syrup adding little nutrition |
| Peanut Butter Cup | High in fat and added sweeteners with low fiber and protein |
Smoothies with candy or dessert themes tend to be the unhealthiest options, packing added sugars and fat without balancing nutrients.
Making Smoothie King Smoothies Healthier
If you love Smoothie King but want to improve the nutrition of your go-to order, here are some customization tips:
- Ask for less fruit juice and no added sweeteners like syrups, honey, or agave.
- Add spinach, kale, or carrots to boost vitamins, minerals and fiber.
- Select Greek yogurt for more protein and probiotics.
- Include whey protein powder for extra protein without the added sugars.
- Replace tropical fruit with mixed berries for less natural sugar.
- Order a smaller 12 or 16 oz smoothie instead of 20 oz to reduce calories, carbs, and sugar.
- Avoid candy-themed smoothies packed with added sweeteners.
Smoothie King allows and encourages customers to customize smoothie recipes to meet their preferences and health needs.
Are Smoothie King Smoothies Healthy Overall?
Smoothie King smoothies provide nutritious fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and protein for vitamins, minerals, and muscle-building protein. However, many also contain excess added sugars, fruit juices, and calories that negate some of the benefits.
Overall, Smoothie King smoothies can be a healthy meal or snack option in moderation and when customized properly. Selecting vegetable-rich smoothies with Greek yogurt, whey protein, and minimal added sweeteners provides satisfying nutrition without the excess sugars and calories. Avoiding syrupy, candy-themed smoothies with little nutritive value is also important for health.
No smoothie, even customized healthier versions, should completely replace whole fruits and vegetables which provide filling fiber. But as an occasional meal replacement or snack, Smoothie King can offer convenient nutrition in line with a balanced diet.
Conclusion
Smoothie King uses real, nutritious ingredients like fruits, vegetables, yogurt and protein in their smoothies. However, many also contain high amounts of fruit juices and added sweeteners that spike sugar and calories. Choosing options like the Slim-N-Trim with metabolism-boosting ingredients or customizing recipes with less juice, more veggies, and no added sugars allows Smoothie King Smoothies to be a convenient healthy option. Overall, Smoothie King smoothies can provide nutrition but should be consumed in moderation as part of an overall balanced diet focused on whole foods.
