How to Build a Balanced Smoothie: A Nutritionist's Guide

I don’t know about you, but personally the second the weather starts warming up, smoothies re-enter my life as an everyday staple in my diet.

They’re refreshingly delicious, super efficient to make, and can easily add so many nutrients into your day!

Now there’s a big difference between the blended ice-and-fruit style smoothie and a filling breakfast to kickstart your day. 

Let’s go back to the basics of building a healthy meal. A balanced meal consists of your proteins, carbohydrates and fats alongside those colourful micronutrients for your fruits and vegetables.

But what does that all mean? Let’s take a bit of a deep dive into how you can make the most out of your smoothie!

Start with the base 

I’m talking your liquid and your flavour. Are you craving a refreshing fruit smoothie? Maybe frozen berries or mango with some coconut water! Maybe you’re in the mood for a creamy choc peanut butter smoothie? Banana and your favourite milk will be your perfect base!

Choosing your flavour first will help guide your liquid choice to enhance your flavour. 

Want something crisp and refreshing? Water, juice or coconut water will be your best bet.

Want something creamy and smooth? Your favourite milk, whether plant or dairy based, will help you get there. 

Next, add a protein source

Protein is the macronutrient that helps rebuild, repair and maintain our muscles = but in our meals, adding protein can make you feel a lot more satisfied by the foods you eat!!

Now the obvious is to reach for a protein powder here which can not only help provide flavour to your smoothie (hello Chocolate Swirl or Caramel Biscuit THRIVE Plant Protein… bonus points for the added nutrients in these ones too), but there’s other options that can be a great addition to include.

If you can tolerate dairy, adding a tablespoon or two of Greek yoghurt can help to not only increase the protein content of your smoothie, but also add an extra boost of calcium to your day. 

If plant-based is more your style, adding tofu can add a silky smooth texture to your smoothie while boosting the protein content. If that’s not for you, adding chia seeds can be a great alternative to provide a little bit of extra protein and fibre to your smoothie. 

Some extra fibre? Carbohydrates?

Depending on what your smoothie is for, adding some extra complex carbohydrates can help give you lasting energy throughout the day and get you a little closer to your daily fibre intake goal. As someone who doesn’t love bananas (and I call myself a nutritionist?! I know!), oats are my favourite way to sneak in some extra carbohydrates. As a general rule though, sneaking in a serve of fruit like berries, banana, mango or passionfruit or a wholegrain serve of carbohydrates like oats or quinoa flakes can help give you the fuel to get through the day if you’re turning your smoothie into a meal. 

Next, some fats

Like protein, fats can help to increase satiety after eating among a number of other benefits for your body. The trick is, deciding if you want to add the fats for their nutritional value or for their flavour.

Nut butters, like peanut and almond butter, can add the nutritional benefits of healthy fats but also contribute to the flavour of your overall smoothie. Peanut butter contributes that delicious peanut taste we know and love, while almond butter can add a caramel undertone to any smoothie combination.

If you’re more interested in adding the nutrients without affecting the flavour, adding some avocado can be a game changer. It creates a smooth texture without affecting the flavour, giving you the boost of healthy fats without impacting your delicious flavour combo!

And finally, some extra goodness

Personally, if I’m having a smoothie, I’m adding as many different colours as possible to increase the nutrients. Adding veggies like spinach or zucchini can boost the different kinds of nutrients you’re adding into your end product without affecting the actual flavour, while adding your daily supplements like collagen (for glowy skin) or creatine (to help you focus) can be an easy way to stick to your consistent routine. Finding different ways to supercharge your smoothie without blowing your budget on expensive “superfoods” (that really don’t necessarily do *that* much for you and your body) can help take your smoothie from being nutritionally good to great!

Now, putting it into practice is the fun part! You can get as creative as you like when it comes to building a smoothie, adding whatever ingredients tickle your fancy on any given day. Some of the best combos (in my opinion)?

• Coconut water with frozen mixed berries, passionfruit pulp, zucchini, Tropical Punch THRIVE Plant Protein, oats and chia seeds
• Coconut milk with banana, peanut butter, Chocolate Swirl THRIVE Plant Protein, dates and cinnamon
• Milk with banana, cinnamon, honey, greek yoghurt, Vanilla THRIVE Plant Protein and spinach (if you don’t mind the colour)

Smoothies will forever be a staple in my summer diet and finding your favourite combinations is all part of the fun! Testing out different combos and learning how to supercharge them without the “superfood” price tag can make all the difference in fuelling your day efficiently and deliciously.