BEST Green Smoothie Recipes (Tips, Benefits and More)

It’s a fact that every once in a while you’re just having a day you’re feeling that you need to cleanse your body with a refreshing green smoothie. It’s a go to smoothie whether you want to recover from a long weekend, are looking for a detox after too many cheat meals or just feeling out of energy. Getting your daily greens in will never be easier after you try out any of the green smoothie recipes which you’ll find below!

For more smoothie recipes read our “Best Protein Shake & Smoothie Recipes” article.

What Makes the Green Smoothie Green?

The answer is actually simpler than you think – the green color in green smoothies comes from using leafy greens and any green colored fruit such as an avocado. The more greens you use, the greener your smoothie will be. When choosing leafy greens for a green smoothie, be aware that some sorts of spinach and kale can be also red or purple which can make your smoothie the same color too, not that it really matters in the taste though.

How Much Proteins Are in Green Smoothies?

Greens such as leafy greens or fruits such as avocados by itself actually don’t contain a lot of protein, but together with other ingredients it will finally all add up. So if you’re chasing for some extra gains in proteins, I definitely recommend adding a scoop of protein powder. For getting the best overview of proteins in smoothie ingredients with some great tips, be sure to read our “High Protein Sources For Smoothies & Shakes” article.

Examples of proteins in greens in a green smoothie:

• Avocado (100g): 2g protein / 160 calories / 6.7 g fibers
• Spinach (100g / 3.5 cup): 2.9g protein / 23 calories / 2.2 g fibers
• Kale (100g / 5 cups): 2.9g protein / 35 calories / 4.1 g fibers

What are The Ingredients for a Best Green Smoothie?

For a regular green smoothie, I find the easiest way to follow a popular 60/40 method of using 40% greens and 60% of fruits. It’s the easiest trick not to make the smoothie taste too earthy or leafy but at the same time still be worthy of calling it a green smoothie. Personally I’m a fan of also adding some sort of dairy product(or a vegan substitute) for creaminess and also a scoop of protein powder to make it a bit more filling.

Best Leafy Greens for a Green Smoothie

• Spinach or baby spinach are the most classic option for leafy greens for a green smoothie. They’re actually the same thing, only differences in size as baby spinach is harvested earlier, meaning that regular spinach leaves are just a bit bigger. Spinach is known for its mild taste and its nutritional benefits consisting of many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It’s definitely my favorite pick for smoothies as it gives a punch of freshness and blends great in a smoothie!
• Kale, also known as a leaf cabbage is the second most popular option, which has a bit more of a specific taste. Still, lots of people are known to love it, so why not give it a try yourself as well.

Best Fruits for a Green Smoothie

• Bananas are the best base for any smoothie. They go well with everything, bring a great neutral, yet delicious sweetness and a perfect amount of creaminess for your smoothie. If you have the time for it, be sure to use frozen bananas to get a nice icy consistency for your smoothies.
• Avocado in a green smoothie is a definite must try and a personal favorite. If you think it’ll taste like guacamole, be not afraid because it’s definitely not the case! It will just bring a smooth earthy neutral taste and a layer of extra freshness and velvety creaminess to your smoothies.
• Pineapple is one of my favorite fruits to add in green smoothies as it brings a nice tropical touch of sweetness to it. Be sure to always use fresh or frozen pineapple, as the canned pineapple is higher in sugars and calories and lowers the taste of freshness.
• Mango goes well with basically any other fruit or ingredient, and has a great neutral tropical sweetness to smoothies. Be sure to use frozen or fresh mangos, as canned mangos are typically high in sugars and calories.
• Apple in a smoothie sound strange? Think again! Apples bring a nice fresh and sweet flavor to your smoothie and contain a lot of vitamin C, fibers and antioxidants. You can add apples with or without the skin and as always, frozen fruits are the best for smoothies.

Best Dairy (or Vegan Substitute) Product for a Green Smoothie

• Greek yogurt is a great source of extra proteins while giving a great silky smooth texture for your smoothie. Be sure to not buy any flavored greek yogurts, as they contain a lot of added sugars and extra calories.
• Almond milk or skim milk is a great addition to your smoothie if you like it a bit more liquidy, which I personally do. In case you’re not adding greek yogurt, then either one of these will be a great substitute for it and still give your smoothie a creamier texture.
• Coconut milk gives a great creamy texture and a really pleasurable tropical nutty flavor. Be aware though that coconut milk does contain a lot of calories, so if that’s something you’re worried about, then go for a Alpro coconut drink or any other coconut drink.

Best Protein Powder for a Green Smoothie

Unflavored or vanilla flavored protein powder will work the best in green smoothies, as any other flavor protein powders will likely swallow the flavor of the green smoothie. Be sure to read more about different protein powders from our “High Protein Sources For Smoothies & Shakes” article.

How to Make the Best Green Smoothie?

To make the best green smoothie, use your blender to blend together any of your preferred leafy greens, frozen fruits, dairy products and a scoop of protein powder displayed previously in the article. As mentioned before, the easiest way for making a green smoothie is to follow the 40/60 rule of the ratio 40% greens and 60% fruits. Be sure to test with different ingredients and amounts to find your favorite consistency and flavor.

• If your smoothie is lacking sweetness, add more frozen fruits or natural sweeteners to it such as honey, agave nectar or maple syrup.
• If the smoothie is too sweet, add some ice or water. 
• If your fruits are not frozen, add some ice to your smoothie, nobody likes a warm smoothie. 
• If your smoothie is too liquidy, add some more fruits, leafy greens or protein powder to the smoothie.
• If your smoothie is too thick, add some more dairy products(or vegan substitute), water or ice. 

For more tips and tricks, be sure to read our “Best Protein Shake & Smoothie Recipes” article.

3 Secret Tips for Green Smoothies

• Freezing leafy greens for smoothies: This will give your smoothie a nice cold consistency similar to frozen fruits. If your leafy greens are not prewashed, wash them yourself and dry thoroughly, put them in a ziplock bag and place in the freezer. This way they will last about a month, which is a lot more comfortable as you don’t have to restock as often as you would when keeping them in a fridge.
• Adding lemon or lime juice: Use 2-3 tablespoons of lime or lemon juice to make your green smoothie extra fresh and bright!
• Adding mint leaves or basil leaves for a different punch of flavor: Give your smoothie a minty kick or basil leaves for some additional earthy flavor!