These 10 Low Calorie Smoothies range from just 38 calories, to 68 calories! They are packed full of flavor and come with healthy add-ins to boost nutrition. And if 38 calories, to 68 calories is too low for you, feel free to double or triple the recipe. Or add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to make a more filling snack.
10 Low Calorie Smoothies
My healthy smoothie recipes are so popular that I have showcased them on The Today Show. Plus, I have written a best selling smoothie diet book, published by HarperCollins (the US’s oldest and most prestigious publishing house!)
I have also been on The Doctors TV show talking about healthy smoothie diets, you can say I am an authority in healthy and low calorie smoothies!
What You’ll Find in this Article:
Ingredients for Low Calorie Smoothies
Low Calorie Smoothie Ingredients
- Unsweetened Almond Milk – I like to get unsweetened almond milk, this way I can use it in sweet and savory recipes. But sweetened or vanilla will work as well (though they will change the calories a bit). Almond milk naturally boosts metabolism, it’s low in calories, and it adds a nice creaminess to smoothies.
- Water – Along with a bit of almond milk, I like to thin out smoothies with zero calorie water. So if you find your smoothie is too thick, just add a bit of water.
- Frozen Fruit – I like to use frozen fruit. It naturally chills your smooth so you won’t have to add ice. This gives you a better consistency and a thicker smoothie.
Low Calorie Smoothie Add-Ins
- Protein Powder – Add 1-2 scoops of protein powder to your smoothie to boost protein. I like to use vanilla protein powder or unsweetened collagen powder in these recipes.
- Yogurt – To boost protein and add creaminess, add in 1/4 cup yogurt. I prefer 0% Greek Yogurt as it’s both low in calories and naturally boosts metabolism. But you can choose your favorite or what you have on hand.
- Flax Seeds – The best is ground flax seed meal, but whole flax seeds will work too. They are packed with Omegas and can help reduce inflammation and pain too! All you’ll need is 1-2 teaspoons, just add into the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
- Chia Seeds – I love adding chia seeds to my smoothies. I don’t bother to soak them first. I just add them to the blender and blend everything together. They plump up in your tummy and help keep you fuller, longer. All you need is 1 teaspoon to do the trick.
- Oatmeal – Uncooked oatmeal is another great add in to help you stay fuller longer. It plumps up in your tummy just as the chia seeds do. Add 1-2 tablespoons old fashioned or quick oats to the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
- MCT or Coconut Oil – To add some healthy fats to your smoothies you can add in some MCT or coconut oil. Just add 1-2 teaspoons to the blender and blend. MCT won’t change the flavor of a smoothie, but unrefined coconut oil will give it a mild coconut flavor.
Ingredient Swaps:
- Milk – I like to use unsweetened almond milk. It naturally boosts metabolism and works great in smoothies. But any refrigerated milk (coconut, oat, and cows milk) will work.
- Water – Skip the water if you want a thicker smoothie. You can also skip the milk all together and use just water. This will cut an additional 15 calories from your smoothie!
- Fruit – I have supplied you with 10 fruits to choose from in the recipe card below, choose your favorite or use a combination of them.
Healthy Tips and Swaps
Low Carb Smoothies
These smoothies are already low in carbohydrates. But you can lower the carbs more by using water in place of almond milk. You can also choose low carb fruits like blueberries and apples. And finally, you can balance the carbs in the smoothies more by adding in some low carb protein powder.
High Protein Smoothies
To make these smoothies high in protein, add in 1-2 scoops of protein powder. You can also add in some yogurt to boost protein even more.
Low Sugar Smoothies
These smoothies are already low sugar thanks to the unsweetened almond milk. You can also choose low sugar fruits like blueberries. And balance out the sugar more with some unsweetened collagen powder. This will boost the protein and balance the carbs and sugar in the smoothies more.
Gluten-Free Smoothies
These smoothies are already gluten-free, but to ensure you keep them gluten-free double check that any oats or protein powder you choose to add is also gluten-free. Oatmeal is naturally gluten-free, but many brands package them in facilities that have gluten. So be sure to check the package for the “Gluten-Free” notation.
Vegan Smoothies
These low calorie smoothies are already vegan. But to ensure they stay vegan with any chosen add-ins, swap out the yogurt for cashew yogurt and make sure any protein powder you choose to add is vegan.
Low Sodium Smoothies
To make these smoothies lower in sodium, swap out the almond milk for water. All milks have some sodium, so water is your best choice to make these low calorie smoothies low in sodium.
How to Make a Low Calorie Smoothie
Making these smoothies is both easy and fun. Simply add all of the ingredients to a blender, along with any chosen add-ins, and blend. If the smoothie is not blending well, you can add in more liquid one tablespoon at a time until your smoothie blends well, or pulse it to get things moving.
Finally you’ll want to pour your smoothie into a jar (for traveling with you) or a glass. And this part is very important- wash out the blender right away. Even if all you do is rinse it, this is key. The fruit will stick the the blades and the inside of the blender if you don’t wash it right away, making cleanup hard. Just give it a quick rinse, you can always wash it later.
Helpful Tips on Making Smoothies
- Pulse It – I like to pulse my smoothies before blending smooth. It helps get things moving faster. If you have a Ninja Blender like me, use the “Smoothie” mode and it will pulse and then blend for you!
- Thin it Out – To make your smoothie thinner, just add more water. If you want it super thin, double the liquid.
- Make it Thicker – To make the smoothie thicker, add less liquid. Also frozen fruit will help make it thicker, so make sure it’s frozen solid before you start. Here are some more tips to make your smoothie thicker.
- Make it Cold – I am not a huge fan of adding ice to my smoothies. They tend to water them down and give the smoothies a watery consistency. Instead I like to freeze my fruit ahead of time, or buy frozen fruit. You can also add some almond milk to an ice cube tray and freeze. Then add a couple into your blender to make it extra cold and thick.
- Easy Clean Up – Always rinse the blender as soon as you pour your smoothie, and never store leftover smoothie in the blender. You don’t have to “wash” the blender right away, just give it a good rinse and it will make cleanup easier later. Also, hand wash your blender to keep the blades sharp. I do run my blender through the dishwasher about 4 times a year (quarterly) but hand wash it after daily use to keep the blades super sharp.
- Make it a Meal – These smoothies are meant to be snacks, but you can easily turn them into a meal replacement smoothie too! Simply double the smoothie ingredients, and add in some protein powder.
- Keep Costs Low – I like to buy frozen fruit. It is almost always lowering cost than fresh, and it means I can make a fruity smoothie in the cold of winter.
Meal Prep and Storage
Meal Prep
Individual Smoothie Bags – You can add all the ingredients for your smoothies (less the liquid) to individual ziplock bags. I add in my fruit, any greens, protein powder, any ay add-ins and then I freeze the bags. All I need to do to make smoothie is dump the pre-measured ingredients into the blender with some liquid and start blending.
Scoop-able Smoothie Bags – My favorite way to meal prep smoothies is in one big bag. To a gallon freezer bag I combine my fruit, and greens, and a 1/2 measuring cup. Then I add to the freezer, and when it’s time make a smoothie I use the 1/2 cup measuring cup in the bag to grab a scoop of smoothie ingredients and get blending.
Make Ahead Smoothies – Smoothies are best when fresh, but that’s not always possible. If you’re taking your smoothie on the go with you, add the prepared smoothie to a jar with a lid, or an insulated coffee cup and take on the road with you.
Storage
Freezer Storage – As noted above, there are 2 ways you can meal prep these smoothies. These bags will hold in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Leftover Smoothies – If you have any leftover smoothies you can freeze them in an ice cube tray. Once frozen pop them out of the tray and add to either individual smoothie bags (see “Meal Prep”) or right into your blender the next day. You can also use these smoothie ice cubes to prepared smoothies to keep them cold without watering them down.
Repurpose Leftovers – I like to use leftover smoothies in new ways. I have added them to oatmeal and even made salad dressing out of them. For oats, simply add 1/2 cup leftover smoothie to a pot along with 1/2 cup uncooked oats. Add in 1/2 cup liquid (almond milk or water) and cook. For salad dressings I like to use the strawberry, pineapple, or cherry smoothie to a jar with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar (apple cider or balsamic) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Then shake or mix and pour over salads for a homemade fruity vinaigrette.
10 Recipes for Low Calorie Smoothies
More Healthy Smoothie Recipes:
Low Calorie Smoothies (38 Calories)
Equipment
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
Strawberry Smoothie (38 Calories)
- ½ cup frozen strawberries
- ¼ unsweetened almond milk or your preferred milk
- ¼ cup water
Banana Smoothie (68 Calories)
- ½ frozen banana
- ¼ unsweetened almond milk or your preferred milk
- ¼ cup water
Blueberry Smoothie (57 Calories)
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- ¼ unsweetened almond milk or your preferred milk
- ¼ cup water
Kiwi Smoothie (61 Calories)
- 1 kiwi peeled and frozen
- ¼ unsweetened almond milk or your preferred milk
- ¼ cup water
Raspberry Smoothie (47 Calories)
- ½ cup raspberries frozen
- ¼ unsweetened almond milk or your preferred milk
- ¼ cup water
Blackberry Smoothie (46 Calories)
- ½ cup blackberries
- ¼ unsweetened almond milk or your preferred milk
- ¼ cup water
Pineapple Smoothie (56 Calories)
- ½ cup frozen pineapple
- ¼ unsweetened almond milk or your preferred milk
- ¼ cup water
Mango Smoothie (65 Calories)
- ½ cup frozen mango
- ¼ unsweetened almond milk or your preferred milk
- ¼ cup water
Berry Medley Smoothie (55 Calories)
- ½ cup frozen berry medley
- ¼ unsweetened almond milk or your preferred milk
- ¼ cup water
Cherry Smoothie (60 Calories)
- ½ cup frozen cherries
- ¼ unsweetened almond milk or your preferred milk
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a blender.
- Pulse to get it all moving, then blend until smooth.
- Poor into a glass and serve.
Nutrition
About the Author
Hi, my name is Audrey Johns and I am a 4 time best selling cookbook author! All 4 of my low calorie cookbooks are published by HarperCollins (the oldest publishing house in the US!) and have been featured on prominent TV shows like The Today Show, Rachael Ray and The Doctors. I am a low calorie and healthy recipe authority and my delicious recipes are tried and loved by thousands of readers.
After a one year 150 pound weight loss (and I’ve kept it off for 13 years!) I started sharing all of my low calorie recipes with the world. They are always all-natural and geared around weight loss and weight management. I have even made some of these recipes with my Biggest Loser pal Bob Harper! Check out my weight loss story, my best selling cookbooks, and my numerous TV appearances by clicking here.
Nutrition and Calories in Smoothies
The nutrition is based off the strawberry smoothie, made with unsweetened almond milk and water as shown in the recipe card above.
More Weight Loss Recipes:
Lose Weight By Eating Cookbooks
Share these Low Calorie Recipes:
Article History:
- Originally written and published by Audrey Johns February 6, 2023 by Audrey Johns
- Updated on October 26, 2023 by Audrey Johns
