Some Other Ingredients Ideas For A Nutrient
- Chia Seeds Add in a boost of fiber and healthy fats to your smoothie, just a tablespoon should be good.
- Hemp Seeds Another source of healthy fats, protein and omega 3s an 6s for this super green shake
- Collagen Peptides Switch out the protein powder for collagen peptides powder instead for hair, skin and bone health you still have a high protein green smoothie shake!
- Almond butter or Peanut Butter Another good add in for those healthy fats and protein with fiber. To keep it paleo friendly, you might want to use the Almond Butter.
More smoothie recipes you might like:
Green Protein Shake Ingredients
To make this green protein smoothie recipe, you will need the following ingredients :
- Spinach: This is an excellent ingredient to include in shakes, because it is packed with a ton of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
- Pineapple: This is the magical ingredient that naturally sweetens and flavors the shake so well that you cant even taste the spinach.
- Banana: This gives your smoothie a rich and creamy consistency. It is also a great source of potassium and dietary fiber.
- Water: This serves as the liquid base for the smoothie.
- Protein Powder: This boosts the protein content of your smoothie immensely. If you can, use a natural and organic protein powder that contains no additives, fillers, artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives. I love and use this one from Thrive Market.
- Greek yogurt: This adds richness, creaminess and additional protein. I recommend using plain and unsweetened yogurt only, because a lot of flavored yogurts contain a ton of sugar.
- Honey: This adds natural and unrefined sweetness. Not all packaged honey is created equal, so I recommend using one that is 100% pure, raw, and unfiltered for optimal health benefits. I use this one from Thrive Market.
Whats In This Green Protein Smoothie
This green smoothie is the best combo of creaminess and nuttiness that youll ever have! But what exactly is in it?
I cant tell you enough how amazing my body feels whenever I drink these green protein smoothies. Im not kidding! And if theres any ingredient that you prefer to use, go for it. Everything is customizable.
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Can Green Smoothies Help You Lose Weight
Healthy, plant-based fats are good for you and can help you lose weight.
Keep the fat content low, however, as too much fat and fruit in the same green smoothie might cause gas and bloating.
Fat is also a dense source of calories.
Awhile back I mentioned on that we were busy doing smoothie prep and you all emailed or commented that youd like a post on how we prep for our green smoothies, actually its our green smoothie protein shakes as we add protein. First up is the fruit. Please read Freeze Fruit Make Better Smoothies post on how to freeze fruit for smoothies.
Weve found that berries can be a little more tart and watery, so I prefer to add a little banana or mango in just to help make the smoothie a little more creamy. In fact, I like a thicker, creamier shake anyway so it all depends on what you like.
Ingredients And Benefits Of This Low Carb Protein Green Smoothie
Unlike the regular green spinach smoothie that are loaded with frozen or fresh fruit for their sweet taste, this one is made without banana, mango, pineapple, apple, or any other sugar fruit. This is what makes the green smoothie keto and low carb, as well as super healthy.
- Frozen cauliflower This serves the purpose of a volumizer that does not contribute to the taste of the smoothie, but adds in nutrients, vitamins and minerals instead.
- Frozen zucchini Similar to the cauliflower, another no-taste, nutrient rich ingredient.
- Ripe Avocado Adds in a ton of healthy fats and fiber, some more green color to the smoothie, and also makes it super creamy! Win win!
- Spinach These are the greens in here. I would recommend fresh baby spinach since its nice and tender and really adds in a ton of nutrition to this drink. I havent tested the recipe with a frozen version.
- Vanilla Protein Powder Other than the protein boost, this is what gives the green smoothie its sweetness since theres high-sugar fruit that would make it sweet like the usuals.
- Flaxseed meal A dose of healthy fats, fiber and protein all at once from the one tablespoon added in here.
- Cinnamon Turns out this has some nutritional benefit too, but it add a nice warmth to the cool drink!
- Almond Milk Used an unsweetened almond milk to make this green smoothie sugar free, dairy free, paleo friendly and vegan too, but you can replace it with another dairy-free milk or regular milk too.
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Helps You Lose Weight
Protein powders are very low in calories. Therefore, it is very easy to stay in a caloric deficit as long as you choose low-calorie ingredients to add.
Additionally, the calories you consume with protein smoothies are generally quite healthy.
Therefore, they are likely to boost your metabolism as long as you combine them with working out. This opens another avenue for weight loss.
Plant Based Protein Powders
I decided if I was going to invest in my body, then I needed fuel it with real ingredients. I refused to buy into the lie that said certain ingredients were necessary to make a product marketable, or tasty. And I knew organic was the right path to take. Also, amino acids were at the top of my list to include, since our bodies dont produce them naturally.
Plant based protein powders can give you the same results that other powders do. They just leave out all the antibiotics, toxins, and lactose.
Plant based protein powders also have an impressive side effect. By grinding up the plants, the nutrients are pre-digested and ready for your body to absorb immediately. The vitamins, amino acids, and minerals become easily accessible to the body.
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Why Do You Need Protein In Your Green Smoothie
You dont. But heres why I add some once in a while because the benefits of protein are well documented in clinical studies. Protein has been shown to:
- Keep you fuller longer and help you control your weight.
Most adults get enough protein. But older adults and those who exercise may find it hard to eat enough to maintain lean muscle mass especially those who follow a plant-focused diet.
Thats where a good protein powder comes in.
Protein powder can complement your green juice or smoothie by helping improve the flavor and adding a boost of muscle and bone boosting goodness.
However
Heavy Metals In Protein Powders
Protein powders can also contain heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and cadmium that easily build up in the body. These known carcinogens are harmful to the immune system. These elements are found in our soil . You cannot completely avoid it, yet you can be aware and use brands that test their levels and are conscious of this.
Oftentimes, heavy metals go unnoticed because protein powders are considered a supplement and do not need to be approved by the FDA. Your protein powder brand should pay for heavy metal testing as well as easily disclose the results to you when asked. As you can see, its not easy to find a vegan protein powder for smoothies that you can feel really good about!
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Tropical Green Smoothie Recipe
These tropical green smoothies are a cinch to throw together! Frozen bananas, mango, and pineapple are zsooshed together w/ fresh spinach, pineapple mango juice, almond milk, and protein powder so your breakfast can really be finished in 5 minutes flat.
We dont mind having the teensy green specks of spinach in our smoothie, in fact I find them quite beautiful, but if youre a stickler for for fully pureed spinach then I suggest you add the leaves and the liquids together at the beginning and give them a good blend before adding in the other ingredients.
As far as protein powders go, I use Tone It Up Vanilla because it is the cleanest one I can find that doesnt cost one bazillion dollars and is readily available at Target. Im totally open to trying other protein powders so feel free to tell me about what you use!
Top Tips For Making High
Save Time. Making smoothies is already a quick and easy process, but you can trim down the time even more by making ready-to-blend smoothie packs. Place all of your pre-measured ingredients in containers, like Mason jars or plastic bags, and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to blend, just defrost if you like and mix. If you use a jar, it doubles as your drinking glass. You can also blend smoothies and freeze them in ice cub trays. When you’re ready, let the cubes defrost in a glass until they’re the perfect consistency.
Punch Up the Protein. Protein powder is an easy add-in, but there are many other options. You can boost your protein count with milk, or add a few tablespoons of nut butter, yogurt, or cottage cheese .
Keep it Healthy. When you buy smoothies at the store or gym, they can be overloaded with extra sugar, carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats. By making your own smoothies, you can control exactly what and how much lands in the blender. When reaching for milk alternatives, make sure to choose the unsweetened varieties. If you need a touch of sweetness, try stevia or honey instead of sugar. Adding healthy fats, like avocado, makes your drinks extra rich and smooth.
Swap It Out. It’s super easy to make any smoothie vegan. Swap out cow’s milk for non-dairy alternatives like almond, coconut, or soy, or use tofu or avocado in place of dairy yogurt.
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Add Extra Nutrients To Your Chocolate Protein Shake
Want to make your shake super satisfying and load it up with vitamins and minerals? Here are some nutrient-rich protein shake add-ins to try:
- Seeds. Ground flaxseeds, chia seeds and/or hemp seeds are a great source of healthy fats, fiber and minerals. I suggest up to 1 tablespoon of any of these or a combination.
- Greens. Spinach is my favorite leafy green to add to smoothies and shakes. Add 1 to 2 cups and, I promise, you wont even be able to taste it. You can also try baby kale, Swiss chard, arugula, or beet greens. However, in my opinion, spinach is the best. It blends well and is more undetectable than other greens.
- Other veggies. Try adding different veggies to your smoothie. My favorite is frozen cauliflower, which will make your shake extra creamy. One sliced carrot pairs really well with frozen pineapple and vanilla protein powder. And cucumber slices can make for a super refreshing smoothie! It pairs really well with mango, peach, or pineapple.
- Extra protein. In addition to or instead of protein powder, you can add protein to your smoothie with Greek yogurt. I love using fun flavors to go with whatever fruit Im using. Peanut flour is another option, which not only will up the protein a bit, but also add wonderful flavor.
Chocolate Protein Shake Ingredients
Filled with a healthy dose of antioxidants, packed with protein and so delicious, this chocolate protein smoothie is seriously the best. And the recipe is really quite versatile feel free to add or swap in your favorite ingredients. Heres what youll need to make it:
- Milk. I use unsweetened almond or cashew milk in my protein shakes, but feel free to use any milk that you like.
- Chocolate protein powder. Use any favorite brand. I really like the flavor and consistency of Tone It Up organic, vegan-friendly protein powder. I always order it on the Tone It Up website because they frequently offer discounts. This brand can also be found at many grocery stores and Target.
- Frozen banana. Youll need one ripe frozen banana for this shake recipe. I love using bananas in my shakes and smoothies because they are a natural sweetener and they will make your shake super creamy and thick.
- Frozen berries or cherries. Use any combination of berries or cherries or really any frozen fruit that you have in your freezer. When I use chocolate protein powder for my shake, my fruit of choice is usually strawberries for a chocolate covered strawberry flavor. Hello dream smoothie!
- Optional. Try adding even more nutrients with a handful of fresh spinach! The color of your smoothie will be a little funky, but you wont be able to taste it at all. You can also add other ingredients you like ground flaxseed, dates, avocado, peanut butter the options are endless!
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The Easiest Way To Make Protein Shakes
If you drink protein shakes on a daily basis, you need to check out SmoothieBox. SmoothieBox is a protein shake kit delivery service that uses only the best, organic produce with no added sugar or artificial ingredients.
Each box comes with either 20 or 25 single-serving smoothie pouches that contain a blend of flash-frozen fruits, vegetables, and seeds. You also have a choice of either grass-fed collagen, vanilla whey, chocolate whey, vanilla vegan, or chocolate vegan protein powder to add to your box. SmoothieBoxs shake mixes are available in four flavors Green, Berry, Clementine and Cacao.
To make a protein shake, simply empty the contents of a smoothie pouch into your blender. Then add a scoop of protein powder, any liquid you like, and blend until smooth. Depending on how much blending liquid you add, one smoothie pouch will yield one 16-20 ounce smoothie, or two 8-12 ounce smoothies.
The price ranges between $5.56 to $7.44 per smoothie and shipping is always free. You can choose to have a one-time order or a monthly subscription. If you choose to have a subscription, it can be paused, delayed or cancelled at any time. SmoothieBox also offers a 100% money-back guarantee if youre not satisfied. In addition, my readers get a discount on their order using the link and code below:
If you make this Green Protein Shake recipe, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below, because I love hearing from you!
How To Use Protein Powder Smoothies
Most people who use protein powder are looking to lose weight and gain muscle. And thats no different when talking about smoothies and protein powder.
Smoothies with protein powder can help you lose weight and gain muscle if used right.
What does right mean here? It means post workout and in place of a meal.
You want to reduce your calories when losing fat, and you need to increase your total protein when building muscle.
Now, the only hitch when using a smoothie is that it takes more time to make than a regular protein shake. So a lot of people are hesitant about making them and bringing them to the gym.
But, if your gym has a fridge you can use, then you can certainly do that. Or, you can make your smoothie at home and leave it in the fridge. Smoothies will keep in the fridge for a day and still be good to drink, but if you are adding protein to the mix, I would not let it sit for more than half a day.
My Favorite Protein Powders for Smoothies
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Easy Banana Spinach Smoothie
No excuses for skipping breakfast! This healthy, protein-packed Easy Banana Spinach Smoothie recipe takes minutes to make and will keep you full until lunch. Its a great option to refuel post-workout, too!
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, but Im definitely guilty of grab-and-go convenience when mornings are rushed. Which is why I love this Easy Banana Spinach Smoothie recipe.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Green Smoothies
Ok, lets switch gears and talk about why you need to drink green smoothies. And I should clarify, we arent going to switch gears, Im just going to combine the two. Cade and I dont think that drinking just a green smoothie or protein shake is sufficient. We think there is a better option.
2. Easy Digestibility and Nutrient Assimilation. Anything thats easier for your body to digest is better for your body. Processed foods tend to stay in your body longer and the best way that I learned it was, think of a shelf life of a product and then imagine its going to take that long for your body to digest it and work it off. So fresh ingredients will be used by your body, digested and burned off versus building up and sticking to you like processed foods. Hello Twinkies. A long shelf life and a long time on your belly.
3. Increased consumption of antioxidants which are are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals molecules produced when your body breaks down food or is exposed to tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals may possibly play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases so anything to protect against them should be in your daily diet.
8. Clearer Skin and a healthy glow. Weve known for decades that fresh fruits and vegetables help pores to stay clean, open, and skin to be rejuvenated and fresh.
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