We love an expertly blended strawberry-banana smoothie, but fruit alone is only satiating enough to hold us over for an hour or two. That’s why we’ve rounded up these 17 high-protein smoothies, which call on yogurt, nut butter, protein powder and other ingredients to make the bevs more substantial. According to Harvard Medical School, the average adult needs about 53 grams of protein a day. Eating your daily recommended amount of protein will not only help you feel full and energized between meals, but it also produces the enzymes that power many chemical reactions throughout your body, as well as the hemoglobin in your blood that carries oxygen, says the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health.
In case it’s been a while since you’ve made a smoothie at home, we have a few tips for easy prep:
- A smoothie is only as tasty as the produce that goes in it. So, if you’re making them regularly, opt for organic or farmers market fruits and veggies.
- Avoid using under-ripe fruit since it’ll be less flavorful and tougher to blend. Overripe fruit, on the other hand, can really enhance the sweetness of your smoothie.
- If your blender has seen better days, warm it up with a few pulses on low before turning up the speed. Give the smoothie a stir before pouring it out to make sure there are no ice or fruit chunks stuck at the bottom.
- Check your smoothie’s consistency between pulses to make sure you don’t over-blend the good stuff.
- Use frozen fruit instead of ice whenever possible to keep your smoothie from getting diluted. If you need to use ice, feel free to smash it in a plastic bag before adding it to the blender.
Read on for some of our favorite ideas, from an Insta-worthy açaí bowl to a Reese’s peanut butter cup in liquid form.