Smoothies are a great out-the-door option for a quick and nutritious breakfast or snack. With berry season in full bloom, there’s no better time to enjoy a refreshing smoothie when it’s already 80 degrees at 8 a.m. (thank you, Minnesota summers). However, before you start your morning with the classic strawberry banana smoothie, let’s talk smoothie nutrition basics. 

While smoothies can be an easy way to get your daily fruit and veggie servings, they can also be a blood sugar rollercoaster waiting to happen. If you enjoy smoothies as a morning treat, we recommend making them yourself rather than purchasing one. Most commercial smoothies are fruit-heavy and use fruit juices and purees to provide sweetness. In fact, many can have as much as three to four servings of fruit and up to 50 grams of sugar. This amount of fruit in one serving, even with added fat or protein, will still overload your blood sugar. To support more stable blood sugar and sustained energy, we recommend limiting fruit to ½ to 1 serving per smoothie. 

To help you make a smoothie that will taste great and keep you energized, we’ve created a simple smoothie formula for you to follow. The key to a nutritious smoothie is to make sure it contains a balance of protein, fat, greens/veggies, and high fiber carbohydrates. The protein, fat, and fiber will keep you full while the veggies give you an extra nutrient boost. Side note: Make sure to pick a high quality protein powder. We’ll be writing a blog post about how to pick a good brand soon, but for now here are a few of our favorites: Metagenics, Designs for Health, Vital Proteins (collagen), ProMix, and Aloha.

The Balanced Smoothie Formula 

• Protein: ½ to 1 scoop protein powder or ½ to 1 cup Greek yogurt 
• Fat: 1 tsp. coconut or MCT oil, 1 Tbsp. nut butter, flax seeds, or chia seeds 
• Greens/Veggies: 1 to 2 large handfuls of leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, or beets
• Fruit: ½ to 1 cup of fruit 
• Liquid: 1 to 2 cups milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy)

4 of Our Favorite Smoothie Recipes

Dr. Cassie Wilder

Dr. Cassie Wilder is a registered Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD) and founder of MIMC. Her passion is empowering her patients through education, understanding, and support through their healing journey. After graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Health, Dr. Wilder earned her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences, a fully accredited and nationally recognized institution in Phoenix, AZ. During her clinical training, she received extensive hands-on training with many leading experts in the field of functional medicine and developed a passion for treating hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, cardiovascular concerns, and adrenal fatigue.