Depending on who you ask, a smoothie could be the devil or angel on your shoulder.
Some say that they’re full of unhealthy sugars and saturated fat, while others know that with the right ingredients list — healthy weight loss smoothies do exist.
We don’t deal in good or bad food choices at Juniper, but we do deal in information. We want you to be fully informed about how your diet choices can contribute to your weight loss journey.
With that in mind, here’s the lowdown on drinking smoothies to lose weight.
Are smoothies good for weight loss?
Whether it’s swapping your morning coffee for a refreshing smoothie or having one as a high-protein snack, smoothies can support weight loss. But, you need to be careful of how you prepare them [1].
Most smoothies that you buy in a shop have added sugar or sweeteners, such as honey, maple syrup, ice cream or even flavoured yoghurt. This tends to increase their calories.
If you add too much fruit to a smoothie, it can also lead to excess sugars and acids. This could contribute to tooth decay, as well as extra weight.
Research has also shown that liquid foods are not always as satisfying as solid foods. This might mean you eat more to compensate later in the day which can ruin your weight loss efforts.
But, it’s not all doom and gloom. With the right ingredients and the ideal portion size, you can enjoy a healthy smoothie that still helps you lose weight.
How to make a healthy smoothie
Smoothies are actually preferred to fruit juice for weight loss since they maintain more of the fibre by blending the whole fruit [4]. Not only is this more filling, but it’s a plus for your digestive system too.
It’s recommended that you make smoothies at home to keep control over the ingredients and minimise excess sugars [3].
A healthy smoothie often includes:
- A serve of fruits and vegetables for added vitamins and minerals
- A serve of dairy for added calcium and vitamin D
- A serve of protein which is an essential building block for your entire body
The final piece of the puzzle is portion sizing. For a healthy smoothie, it’s recommended you stick to a single portion which is around 8 ounces or 250mLs.
For context, most smoothies you buy at a store come in at 16-24 ounces or 500-700mLs — so more than double the recommended portion size.
It is also possible for a smoothie to be large in size, but still low in calories. A good rule of thumb for weight loss is keeping snacks to less than 150 calories and meal replacements to around 300 calories [3].
What to add to your smoothies for weight loss
As we said earlier, not all smoothies are healthy by default. Adding the wrong kinds of ingredients can quickly turn your weight loss smoothie into a sugary treat fit for a sweet tooth.
With that in mind, here are the top smoothie ingredients to use as part of your weight loss plan.
Protein
Protein is an absolute hero ingredient when it comes to satisfying, good-for-you smoothie recipes.
There are lots of ways to add a serve of protein — from protein powders to nut butters, chia seeds, flax seeds and Greek yoghurt. Usually, around 20-30 grams of protein per meal is best [4].
If you’re looking for an easy (and delicious) source of protein, we highly recommend the Juniper Nourish Shakes. They contain over 20 grams of high-quality whey protein, plus a vast range of vitamins and minerals to ensure your weight loss plan is fuelling your body in all the right ways.
Why whey protein? Well, it’s known as the easiest form of protein for your body to absorb and it contains high levels of an amino acid called leucine, which is shown to help boost metabolism [3].
Research has also shown that whey protein smoothies are an effective method for weight loss. In one study, participants enjoyed a high-protein smoothie for breakfast for 24 weeks.
By the end of the study, they lost an average of 7kg in weight and 6cm off their waist circumference [5].
This study also included a nutritional education component, which researchers believed to be crucial to their positive results.
We also believe that education is super important for sustainable, long-term weight loss. If you’re struggling to manage on your own — Juniper’s Weight Reset Program might be a good option.
This holistic program combines breakthrough weight loss treatments with the health coaching, guidance and support you need for lasting change. There’s even an app that helps you track your progress and includes plenty more health education from our experts.
Healthy fruits and veggies
Not only will fruits and veggies add flavour to your smoothie, but adding them is also a simple way to boost the nutrition of your favourite drink.
The main thing to keep in mind is portion sizes again. Adding too much fruit can mean excess sugar in your smoothie. You only need 1 or 2 serves of fruit per smoothie [4].
Some of the favourites are:
- Berries
- Mango
- Bananas
- Avocado
- Spinach
- Kale
A top tip is to use frozen fruit or veggies which help thicken up your smoothie and give it a creamy texture [3].
Whether you love frozen bananas, pineapple or peaches — this is also a cost-effective way to enjoy your favourite fruits outside their regular growing season.
Low-fat dairy
Every delicious smoothie has a liquid ingredient to keep it smooth and drinkable.
While some recipes use fruit juice, these tend to be high in sugar. You can also use plain old water, but it doesn’t tend to do much in the flavour category.
A better choice is low-fat milk. This might mean using skim milk or even a non-dairy milk option like unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk or oat milk [4].
Not only are these options lower in calories than full-cream, but they also include some healthy fats to keep you feeling full from your smoothie.
Why flavour matters
It’s not always easy to change your diet and lose weight, but it’s even harder if the foods you’re now eating are not ones that you enjoy.
Research has even shown that eating foods you enjoy helps you feel satisfied for longer, which then means you consume fewer calories throughout the day [2].
One study used smoothies to test this theory — giving people a yummy smoothie on one day and a slightly bitter one the next.
The results showed that when your smoothie tastes good, you feel fuller for longer. On the flip side, after the bitter smoothie, the study participants ended up consuming an extra 77 calories.
Can you drink smoothies every day?
We had a pretty good look and couldn’t find any evidence that having a smoothie every day is a health risk. But, if you are ever worried about how a daily habit could impact your health, it’s best to reach out to your doctor or preferred health expert.
Bonus tip for our daily smoothie lovers — you don’t have to make one every morning. Smoothies are a great option for healthy meal prep as you can freeze individual portions to use later on [3].
6 weight loss smoothie recipes
It would hardly be fair for us to talk all about how to make a healthy smoothie, and then leave you high and dry to blend it up yourself.
Luckily, our dietitian team have provided 6 smoothie recipes that can be enjoyed as part of your weight loss plan.
All of these recipes use Juniper’s Nourish Shakes as a protein powder base, but you can swap it with a protein powder of your choosing. Keep in mind that this will change the nutritional information.
They also couldn’t be any easier to make with just 2 steps:
Step 1: Place all your ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth
Step 2: Pour into a glass and add ice cubes, if desired
We hope you’ll give them all a go and let us know which one is your favourite. Below are the ingredients and nutrition information for each recipe — bon appétit!
1. Mixed berry chocolate smoothie
This berry and banana smoothie has all the flavours you love, while still helping maintain a healthy weight. It might even help you satisfy those chocolate cravings.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Mixed Berry Nourish Shake
- 250mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 150mL of water
- 1 medium banana
- 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
Nutritional information:
- 414 calories
- 35g protein
- 39g carbohydrates
- 11g fibre
2. Berry green smoothie
Who said getting your leafy greens couldn't be fun? This green smoothie recipe gives you all the goodness of spinach, with natural sweetness from mango and berry flavour from our protein powder.
Low-calorie green smoothies like this also make a great healthy snack for any time of day.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Mixed Berry Nourish Shake
- 250mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 150mL of water
- 1 cup raw spinach
- 1 cup frozen mango
Nutritional information:
- 388 calories
- 37g protein
- 41g carbohydrates
- 10g fibre
3. Peanut butter jelly smoothie
Another yummy banana smoothie recipe for your list that packs a protein punch thanks to some added nut butter.
If peanuts are a problem for you, you could also try this recipe with almond butter or cashew butter. Just remember that the nutritional information will change with new ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Mixed Berry Nourish Shake
- 250mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 150mL of water
- 1 tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
- 1 small banana
Nutritional information:
- 435 calories
- 38g protein
- 40g carbohydrates
- 10g fibre
4. Choc-peanut butter smoothie
Skip the slice of carrot cake for dessert and have our chocolate protein powder and peanut butter smoothie instead.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Chocolate Nourish Shake
- 175mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 175mL of water
- 1 tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
- Cinnamon to taste
Nutritional Information:
- 388 calories
- 33g protein
- 15g carbohydrates
- 14g fat
5. Cherry ripe shake
Treating yourself is all part of a balanced diet — but the treats you choose make a big difference when it comes to weight loss.
This healthy smoothie recipe is one of our favourite sweet treats that also happens to include plenty of essential vitamins.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Chocolate Nourish Shake
- 175mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 175mL of water
- ½ cup of frozen raspberries
- 1 tbsp shredded coconut
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
Nutritional information:
- 371 calories
- 32g protein
- 25g carbohydrates
- 13g fat
6. Vanilla chai smoothie
Not into fruit smoothies? We have a recipe for that too. This might be the best use of vanilla protein powder that we ever heard of.
It's super simple to make with just 4 ingredients and even good for you thanks to the protein and healthy fat.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Vanilla Nourish Shake
- 200mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 150mL of water
- 1 chai teabag (brewed chai tea) or ¼ tsp of cinnamon extract
Nutritional information:
- 272 calories
- 30.2g protein
- 14.7g carbohydrates
- 8.5g fat
Looking for more healthy food ideas? We share plenty of weight loss tips on social media — be sure to follow us on Pinterest.
Image credit: Getty Images
Depending on who you ask, a smoothie could be the devil or angel on your shoulder.
Some say that they’re full of unhealthy sugars and saturated fat, while others know that with the right ingredients list — healthy weight loss smoothies do exist.
We don’t deal in good or bad food choices at Juniper, but we do deal in information. We want you to be fully informed about how your diet choices can contribute to your weight loss journey.
With that in mind, here’s the lowdown on drinking smoothies to lose weight.
Are smoothies good for weight loss?
Whether it’s swapping your morning coffee for a refreshing smoothie or having one as a high-protein snack, smoothies can support weight loss. But, you need to be careful of how you prepare them [1].
Most smoothies that you buy in a shop have added sugar or sweeteners, such as honey, maple syrup, ice cream or even flavoured yoghurt. This tends to increase their calories.
If you add too much fruit to a smoothie, it can also lead to excess sugars and acids. This could contribute to tooth decay, as well as extra weight.
Research has also shown that liquid foods are not always as satisfying as solid foods. This might mean you eat more to compensate later in the day which can ruin your weight loss efforts.
But, it’s not all doom and gloom. With the right ingredients and the ideal portion size, you can enjoy a healthy smoothie that still helps you lose weight.
How to make a healthy smoothie
Smoothies are actually preferred to fruit juice for weight loss since they maintain more of the fibre by blending the whole fruit [4]. Not only is this more filling, but it’s a plus for your digestive system too.
It’s recommended that you make smoothies at home to keep control over the ingredients and minimise excess sugars [3].
A healthy smoothie often includes:
- A serve of fruits and vegetables for added vitamins and minerals
- A serve of dairy for added calcium and vitamin D
- A serve of protein which is an essential building block for your entire body
The final piece of the puzzle is portion sizing. For a healthy smoothie, it’s recommended you stick to a single portion which is around 8 ounces or 250mLs.
For context, most smoothies you buy at a store come in at 16-24 ounces or 500-700mLs — so more than double the recommended portion size.
It is also possible for a smoothie to be large in size, but still low in calories. A good rule of thumb for weight loss is keeping snacks to less than 150 calories and meal replacements to around 300 calories [3].
What to add to your smoothies for weight loss
As we said earlier, not all smoothies are healthy by default. Adding the wrong kinds of ingredients can quickly turn your weight loss smoothie into a sugary treat fit for a sweet tooth.
With that in mind, here are the top smoothie ingredients to use as part of your weight loss plan.
Protein
Protein is an absolute hero ingredient when it comes to satisfying, good-for-you smoothie recipes.
There are lots of ways to add a serve of protein — from protein powders to nut butters, chia seeds, flax seeds and Greek yoghurt. Usually, around 20-30 grams of protein per meal is best [4].
If you’re looking for an easy (and delicious) source of protein, we highly recommend the Juniper Nourish Shakes. They contain over 20 grams of high-quality whey protein, plus a vast range of vitamins and minerals to ensure your weight loss plan is fuelling your body in all the right ways.
Why whey protein? Well, it’s known as the easiest form of protein for your body to absorb and it contains high levels of an amino acid called leucine, which is shown to help boost metabolism [3].
Research has also shown that whey protein smoothies are an effective method for weight loss. In one study, participants enjoyed a high-protein smoothie for breakfast for 24 weeks.
By the end of the study, they lost an average of 7kg in weight and 6cm off their waist circumference [5].
This study also included a nutritional education component, which researchers believed to be crucial to their positive results.
We also believe that education is super important for sustainable, long-term weight loss. If you’re struggling to manage on your own — Juniper’s Weight Reset Program might be a good option.
This holistic program combines breakthrough weight loss treatments with the health coaching, guidance and support you need for lasting change. There’s even an app that helps you track your progress and includes plenty more health education from our experts.
Healthy fruits and veggies
Not only will fruits and veggies add flavour to your smoothie, but adding them is also a simple way to boost the nutrition of your favourite drink.
The main thing to keep in mind is portion sizes again. Adding too much fruit can mean excess sugar in your smoothie. You only need 1 or 2 serves of fruit per smoothie [4].
Some of the favourites are:
- Berries
- Mango
- Bananas
- Avocado
- Spinach
- Kale
A top tip is to use frozen fruit or veggies which help thicken up your smoothie and give it a creamy texture [3].
Whether you love frozen bananas, pineapple or peaches — this is also a cost-effective way to enjoy your favourite fruits outside their regular growing season.
Low-fat dairy
Every delicious smoothie has a liquid ingredient to keep it smooth and drinkable.
While some recipes use fruit juice, these tend to be high in sugar. You can also use plain old water, but it doesn’t tend to do much in the flavour category.
A better choice is low-fat milk. This might mean using skim milk or even a non-dairy milk option like unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk or oat milk [4].
Not only are these options lower in calories than full-cream, but they also include some healthy fats to keep you feeling full from your smoothie.
Why flavour matters
It’s not always easy to change your diet and lose weight, but it’s even harder if the foods you’re now eating are not ones that you enjoy.
Research has even shown that eating foods you enjoy helps you feel satisfied for longer, which then means you consume fewer calories throughout the day [2].
One study used smoothies to test this theory — giving people a yummy smoothie on one day and a slightly bitter one the next.
The results showed that when your smoothie tastes good, you feel fuller for longer. On the flip side, after the bitter smoothie, the study participants ended up consuming an extra 77 calories.
Can you drink smoothies every day?
We had a pretty good look and couldn’t find any evidence that having a smoothie every day is a health risk. But, if you are ever worried about how a daily habit could impact your health, it’s best to reach out to your doctor or preferred health expert.
Bonus tip for our daily smoothie lovers — you don’t have to make one every morning. Smoothies are a great option for healthy meal prep as you can freeze individual portions to use later on [3].
6 weight loss smoothie recipes
It would hardly be fair for us to talk all about how to make a healthy smoothie, and then leave you high and dry to blend it up yourself.
Luckily, our dietitian team have provided 6 smoothie recipes that can be enjoyed as part of your weight loss plan.
All of these recipes use Juniper’s Nourish Shakes as a protein powder base, but you can swap it with a protein powder of your choosing. Keep in mind that this will change the nutritional information.
They also couldn’t be any easier to make with just 2 steps:
Step 1: Place all your ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth
Step 2: Pour into a glass and add ice cubes, if desired
We hope you’ll give them all a go and let us know which one is your favourite. Below are the ingredients and nutrition information for each recipe — bon appétit!
1. Mixed berry chocolate smoothie
This berry and banana smoothie has all the flavours you love, while still helping maintain a healthy weight. It might even help you satisfy those chocolate cravings.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Mixed Berry Nourish Shake
- 250mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 150mL of water
- 1 medium banana
- 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
Nutritional information:
- 414 calories
- 35g protein
- 39g carbohydrates
- 11g fibre
2. Berry green smoothie
Who said getting your leafy greens couldn't be fun? This green smoothie recipe gives you all the goodness of spinach, with natural sweetness from mango and berry flavour from our protein powder.
Low-calorie green smoothies like this also make a great healthy snack for any time of day.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Mixed Berry Nourish Shake
- 250mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 150mL of water
- 1 cup raw spinach
- 1 cup frozen mango
Nutritional information:
- 388 calories
- 37g protein
- 41g carbohydrates
- 10g fibre
3. Peanut butter jelly smoothie
Another yummy banana smoothie recipe for your list that packs a protein punch thanks to some added nut butter.
If peanuts are a problem for you, you could also try this recipe with almond butter or cashew butter. Just remember that the nutritional information will change with new ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Mixed Berry Nourish Shake
- 250mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 150mL of water
- 1 tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
- 1 small banana
Nutritional information:
- 435 calories
- 38g protein
- 40g carbohydrates
- 10g fibre
4. Choc-peanut butter smoothie
Skip the slice of carrot cake for dessert and have our chocolate protein powder and peanut butter smoothie instead.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Chocolate Nourish Shake
- 175mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 175mL of water
- 1 tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
- Cinnamon to taste
Nutritional Information:
- 388 calories
- 33g protein
- 15g carbohydrates
- 14g fat
5. Cherry ripe shake
Treating yourself is all part of a balanced diet — but the treats you choose make a big difference when it comes to weight loss.
This healthy smoothie recipe is one of our favourite sweet treats that also happens to include plenty of essential vitamins.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Chocolate Nourish Shake
- 175mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 175mL of water
- ½ cup of frozen raspberries
- 1 tbsp shredded coconut
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
Nutritional information:
- 371 calories
- 32g protein
- 25g carbohydrates
- 13g fat
6. Vanilla chai smoothie
Not into fruit smoothies? We have a recipe for that too. This might be the best use of vanilla protein powder that we ever heard of.
It's super simple to make with just 4 ingredients and even good for you thanks to the protein and healthy fat.
Ingredients:
- 1 sachet of Juniper’s Vanilla Nourish Shake
- 200mL of nut milk (unsweetened) or skim milk
- 150mL of water
- 1 chai teabag (brewed chai tea) or ¼ tsp of cinnamon extract
Nutritional information:
- 272 calories
- 30.2g protein
- 14.7g carbohydrates
- 8.5g fat
Looking for more healthy food ideas? We share plenty of weight loss tips on social media — be sure to follow us on Pinterest.
Image credit: Getty Images
