A breakfast smoothie is a nutritious blended drink made from fruits, vegetables, dairy or dairy alternatives, and other ingredients. Smoothies make for a convenient, portable breakfast when you’re short on time in the morning. They can also help you get in servings of fruits and veggies. When creating a balanced breakfast smoothie, there are many different ingredients you can include. Choosing the right combinations of healthy whole foods will provide you with sustained energy, vitamins, and minerals to start your day off right.
What are the basic ingredients for a breakfast smoothie?
Most breakfast smoothies contain a liquid base, fruit and veggies, greens for extra nutrients, protein for staying power, healthy fats for satiety, mix-ins for extra nutrition, and natural sweeteners if desired. Let’s go through each smoothie ingredient.
Liquid bases
The liquid base forms the foundation for your smoothie. Typical options include:
- Dairy milk: Cow’s milk provides protein, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. Choose unsweetened dairy milk.
- Dairy-free milk: Milk alternatives like almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk work for dairy-free smoothies. Choose unsweetened varieties.
- Yogurt: Greek yogurt adds protein and a creamy texture. Choose unsweetened plain yogurt.
- Kefir: This fermented milk provides probiotics for gut health.
- Juice: Fruit or vegetable juices add natural sweetness.
- Water: For lower-calorie smoothies, use water as your base.
- Coffee/tea: Brewed coffee or tea can provide some caffeine to energize your morning.
Fruits
Fruits lend natural sweetness, flavor, nutrients, and texture to smoothies. Common fruits to use include:
- Bananas: Bananas blend to a creamy, smooth texture.
- Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries add antioxidants.
- Mangos: Mangos have a tropical, sweet flavor.
- Pineapple: Pineapple boosts the sweetness.
- Cherries: Both sweet and tart cherries work well.
- Peaches: Peaches pair nicely with other stone fruits and berries.
- Apples: Apples add a touch of tartness.
- Pears: Pears provide a mild sweetness.
- Citrus fruits: Oranges, grapefruits, lemons or limes add bright acidity.
- Melons: Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew or other melons make smoothies sweet and refreshing.
Aim for 1-2 servings of fruit per smoothie. Mix and match for a flavorful blend.
Vegetables
While fruits lend sweetness, veggies provide low-sugar volume and nutrients. Consider adding:
- Spinach, kale or lettuce: Leafy greens pack a nutritional punch.
- Cucumber: Cucumbers have a mild flavor and high water content.
- Carrots: Carrots have a slightly sweet taste.
- Beets: Beets have an earthy flavor.
- Sweet potatoes: Baked sweet potatoes add creaminess.
- Zucchini or other summer squash: Zucchini blends easily into smoothies.
- Broccoli or cauliflower: After steaming, they blend easily into smoothies.
- Tomatoes: Add a juicy texture and savory note.
- Bell peppers: Red, yellow or orange peppers blend well in smoothies.
Use around 1-2 servings of vegetables in your breakfast smoothies.
Greens
Adding a handful of leafy greens helps pack extra nutrients into your morning smoothie. Consider using:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Collard greens
- Swiss chard
- Romaine lettuce
- Arugula
The mild flavors of most greens blend seamlessly into smoothies.
Protein
Adding a protein source can help you stay full and energized until lunchtime. Protein powders are easy smoothie additions:
- Whey protein powder
- Plant-based protein powder, like pea, soy, hemp, rice or ancient grains
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Nut butter
- Chia seeds or flaxseeds
- Edamame or other beans
Aim for 15-25 grams of protein in a breakfast smoothie.
Healthy fats
Healthy fats promote satiety and sustained energy levels. Sources to include:
- Avocado
- Nut butter
- Chia seeds
- Flaxseeds
- Coconut
- Seeds like hemp, sunflower or pumpkin
- Omega-3 rich oils like flaxseed oil or walnut oil
1-2 tablespoons of healthy fats is plenty for smoothies.
Mix-ins
To customize your smoothie nutrition, consider these extra additions:
- Moringa powder: For an antioxidant boost
- Cocoa powder: For richness and antioxidants
- Coffee: For a caffeine kick
- Matcha powder: For focused calm energy
- Probiotics: For gut health
- Hemp hearts: For omega-3s
- Oats or granola: For extra fiber and a thicker texture
- Chia seeds: For omega-3s and fiber
- Shredded coconut: For healthy fats
- Ground flaxseed: For omega-3s
Use sparingly, about 1-2 tablespoons of any extras per smoothie.
Natural sweeteners (optional)
If you want added sweetness beyond the fruits:
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Medjool dates
- Banana
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
Use just 1-2 teaspoons of sweeteners like honey or maple syrup as needed. Ripe banana and spices like cinnamon add sweetness with natural ingredients.
What are good recipes for breakfast smoothies?
Now that we’ve covered the main categories of smoothie ingredients, let’s look at some tasty recipes to blend for breakfast:
Green breakfast smoothies
Green smoothies pack plenty of produce into a drinkable meal. Try recipes like:
- Green Morning Refresher: Baby spinach, mango, banana, milk of choice, Greek yogurt, ground flaxseed.
- Mint Chocolate Green Smoothie: Spinach, avocado, banana, cacao powder, milk, mint leaf.
- Green Sunshine Smoothie: Mango, pineapple, kale, Greek yogurt, orange juice, lime juice.
Fruit and veggie smoothies
Highlight the natural sweetness of fruits and veggies with recipes like:
- Berry Beet Smoothie: Beets, strawberries, blueberries, Greek yogurt, milk of choice.
- Carrot Cake Smoothie: Carrots, banana, walnuts, Greek yogurt, cinnamon, milk.
- Purple Power Smoothie: Blueberries, blackberries, pomegranate juice, spinach, avocado, Greek yogurt.
Protein-packed smoothies
Keep hunger at bay all morning with extra protein from:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie: Banana, peanut butter, cacao powder, whey protein powder, milk of choice.
- Vanilla Almond Smoothie: Banana, almond butter, almond milk, vanilla protein powder, cinnamon.
- Chocolate Coconut Smoothie: Spinach, banana, coconut milk, cacao powder, hemp seeds.
Meal replacement smoothies
For a grab-and-go breakfast, blend up:
- Southwest Breakfast Smoothie: Black beans, bell pepper, spinach, Greek yogurt, salsa, avocado.
- Overnight Oats Smoothie: Rolled oats, chia seeds, banana, almond milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder.
- Apple Pie Smoothie: Apple, cinnamon, oats, almond milk, vanilla protein powder, almond butter.
What are the best smoothie boosters to add in?
You can customize your breakfast smoothies for your needs and goals by adding these extra boosters:
For energy
- Coffee or matcha powder
- Cocoa powder
- Fresh ginger
- Chia seeds
For weight loss
- Leafy greens like spinach
- Cruciferous veggies like broccoli
- Avocado
- Green tea or oolong tea
- Apple cider vinegar
For gut health
- Probiotics
- Kefir
- Yogurt
- Fermented veggies like kimchi or sauerkraut
For immune boosting
- Berries
- Citrus fruits
- Pineapple
- Carrots
- Ginger
- Turmeric
For muscle recovery
- Whey or plant protein powder
- Leafy greens
- Healthy fats like avocado or nut butter
- Cherries or tart cherry juice
For healthy aging
- Blueberries
- Pomegranate juice
- Cocoa powder
- Spinach
- Green tea
For bones and joints
- Spinach
- Collard greens
- Broccoli
- Fortified non-dairy milk
- Tofu
So pick your goals, then add any of these smoothie boosters to target health benefits.
Should smoothies be made ahead of time or fresh?
Ideally, you’ll get the best taste and nutritional quality from smoothies made fresh and consumed right away. Certain ingredients like greens and berries start to degrade quickly after blending.
However, making smoothies 12-24 hours ahead of time and storing them in the fridge can still work well, as long as you follow proper storage methods. Here are some tips:
- Leave space at the top of your blender jar or other container to allow for expansion as the smoothie chills.
- Use a tight-sealing jar or bottle to prevent oxidation and loss of nutrients.
- Keep pre-made smoothies toward the front of the fridge, not the door where the temperature fluctuates.
- Give your smoothie a good shake or stir before drinking to recombine any separation.
- Add fresh ice as needed just before consuming your pre-made smoothie.
- Enjoy within 24 hours for best quality.
Making 3-4 days worth of smoothies and storing them in the fridge can save you time during your busy mornings. Just be mindful of best storage practices.
You can also freeze individual servings of smoothies in freezer-safe jars, bottles or bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge then give a good shake before drinking.
How long do smoothies last in the fridge or freezer?
Properly stored, here is how long smoothies will last:
| Storage Method | Shelf Life |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 3-5 days |
| Freezer | 2-3 months |
Tips for maximizing smoothie shelf life include:
- Store in an airtight container like a mason jar or insulated bottle.
- Minimize air exposure by leaving only 1/2 inch of headspace.
- Use freezer-safe packaging for smoothies stored in the freezer.
- Portion into single servings before freezing for easy grab-and-go.
- Freeze smoothies as soon as possible after making for best quality.
Follow your senses – if a refrigerated or thawed smoothie smells, looks, or tastes off, err on the side of caution and discard it.
Are smoothies better than juice?
Smoothies and juices are both ways to increase your fruit and vegetable consumption, but smoothies have some advantages over juice:
Smoothies retain fiber
When making juice, the pulp and fiber gets stripped away, leaving just the liquid nutrition. Smoothies keep the fiber from the whole fruits and veggies blended in. The fiber helps you feel full, promotes healthy digestion, and helps feed the good bacteria in your gut microbiome.
Smoothies have fat and protein
Smoothies allow you to blend in nutritious ingredients like Greek yogurt, nut butters, avocado, protein powders, and more. These additions provide fat, protein, and nutrients. Juices are lower in macronutrients.
Smoothies are lower glycemic
The fiber in smoothies helps slow the absorption of sugars into your bloodstream, preventing blood sugar spikes. Juice causes rapid sugar absorption and can lead to an energy crash soon after drinking.
Smoothies are more filling
With protein, fat, and fiber, smoothies are more likely to keep you full and satisfied for hours compared to juice. Juice often leaves you hungry shortly after drinking.
So while juices have a place for quick nutrient delivery, smoothies tend to provide more balanced, sustainable nutrition as a meal or snack. Blend up those smoothies!
Conclusion
A hearty breakfast smoothie can provide a nutritious boost to start your day. By including fruit, veggies, protein, healthy fats, and mix-ins, you can create a balanced beverage tailored to your goals. Make fresh or prepare batches ahead to grab-and-go. Add boosters to target specific wellness benefits. Just be mindful of proper storage times and techniques. So grab your blender and whip up some wholesome, delicious breakfast smoothies. Your body will thank you!
