

This smoothie from Men ’ s Health nutrition advisor Mike Roussell, PhD packs in a whole cup of blueberries, and you ’ll also get a dose of omega-3 fats-good for your brain and heart-from the walnuts and flax.ģ89 calories, 33 g protein, 17 g fat, 34 g carbs 14. Nutrients in deeply colored fruits and vegetables like beets and cherries can boost athletic performance and help with muscle recovery, says Amy Culp, R.D., a sports dietitian at the University of Texas at Austin.ģ29 calories, 28 g protein, 4 g fat, 52 g carbs, 11 g fiber Try one of these 25 protein-rich smoothie recipes for a tasty, nutrient-packed drinkable snack.įor each recipe, place the ingredients in the order listed and blend until smooth.ĥ25 calories, 58 grams protein, 12 g fat, 46 g carbs, 8.5 g fiber (accounts for using water as the fluid instead of milk or yogurt) "A store needs to make sure their customers come back again, so they’re more focused on the flavor of their smoothies, instead of avoiding added sugars, or keeping them super balanced," Largeman-Roth says. Serendipitously, these all work well in a smoothie, both in terms of taste and texture.įourth, try to avoid adding extra sugar, but if you think you need a little extra sweetness, it's totally okay too mix in a ½ teaspoon of honey or pure maple syrup.Īnd speaking of sugar: try to avoid store-bought smoothies, from the grocery store and a shop.

Healthy fats-think unsaturated-are found in avocados, nuts and seeds, and nut butter, for example. Third, always add a healthy fat, and is crucial for heart health. If plant-based is your only option, stick with soy-milk, which is roughly equivalent to dairy milk in terms of protein. Plant-based milks often don't contain enough protein to matter and the flavored ones can come with added sugars. One cup of dairy milk contains eight grams of complete protein-that means it's got all nine essential amino acids. Leafy greens also add fiber and bulk, to keep you feeling full. Leafy greens like spinach or kale are some of the best vegetables for smoothies because they're mild in flavor and blend really well.

Juices, like orange juice, certainly contain nutrients like vitamin C and, in many cases, are fortified with vitamin D and calcium, but they tend to be more concentrated when it comes to sugar and lack that fiber, which is oh-so-important to feeling full. One, always use whole fruits and vegetables as part of your base. Note: Smoothies are far more awesome-tasting than taking a fiber supplement.īut before you start loading up your blender, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to building the best smoothie. "Most Americans aren’t getting enough produce or fiber in their diet, so smoothies can be a fun and delicious way to make up for that," says nutrition expert Frances Largeman-Roth, R.D.N., author of Smoothies & Juices: Prevention Healing Kitchen. What's more, smoothies are also a tasty way to consume one key nutrient you're probably not consuming enough of: fiber. In some cases, high-protein smoothies can even serve as a mini-meal if sitting down to lunch just isn't going to happen. Smoothies might just be one of the best ways fill up on important nutrients and dismantle the myth that healthy snacking can't be delicious.
