Ten Different Protein Smoothies
Protein smoothies and shakes are a leading tool for a healthy diet. Your muscles need protein, not just to grow, but simply to exist. Without protein in your diet your muscles would whither away. Protein is one of the essential macro-nutrients our bodies need.
A protein smoothie is not just for bodybuilders. It is a great addition to most diets. It goes hand in hand with anyone looking to become more active, stronger, or even those looking to loose weight. The more muscle your body has, the more calories it burns per day. Protein is the building block of these muscles.
When looking at protein smoothie or protein shake recipes, the biggest thing to look for is how much of the calories come from protein. Carbohydrates and protein both provide 4 calories per gram. Fats provide 9 calories per gram of fat. When looking for high-protein foods, the trick is to see how many calories come from protein.
The following high-protein recipes are all different in some shape or form. Some avoid protein powders, some are vegan, some are aimed at pre or post-workouts, some are low calorie and some are high calorie. Look over the list and see which ones match your dietary and fitness goals.
Simple High-Protein Smoothie
A high protein, high calorie smoothie does not need to be overly complicated. There are a list of good smoothie ingredients which can be mixed and changed around to create a lot of different flavors and nutritional combinations.
This simple protein smoothie has four easy to get ingredients. The protein to calorie ratio of this smoothie is actually similar to that of ground beef. That’s pretty impressive. And if you use vegan protein powder instead of whey protein powder, the recipe becomes fully vegan.
This simple recipe has 660 calories, 276 of which are from protein (276/660 = 42%).
Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie
Chocolates and raspberries go great together. This recipe combines chocolate flavored protein powder and strawberries to create that great flavor. It also adds some Greek yogurt for extra thickness and some additional protein. The result is a really good tasting smoothie with a bunch of protein.
The total calories are 301, 176 of which come from protein (176 / 301 = 58%).
Low Calorie Keto Protein Smoothie
The keto diet attempts to limit carbohydrates as much as possible. This smoothie has 27 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat and only 2 grams of carbs. It’s very low in calories, and is not as thick as some other smoothie recipes. However, you can add some keto-friendly ingredients, such as heavy cream to add some more calories.
The flavor is a refreshing minty chocolate.
This smoothie has 137 calories, 108 of which are from protein (108/137 = 79%)!
High Protein Vegan Soy Smoothie
The truth is, many smoothie recipes can be turned vegan by simply using a plant-based milk and vegan protein
This vegan smoothie creates a result similar to Greek yogurt in terms of texture and consistency. The flavor in not overwhelming and you can add more flavor by using something like vanilla extract or adding some fruit.
This smoothie has 508 calories, 176 of which come from protein (176 / 508 = 35%).
A Better Protein Shake
A lot of people who drink protein shakes simply take some protein powder and water, mix it together and drink that. They might add some ice, but that’s about it. I’ve tried this before and always thought it tasted gross. Protein powders just don’t taste that great.
This smoothie recipe is designed to increase the flavor (and nutrition) of a simple protein shake. It adds a bunch of flavor using dates and bananas and increases the thickness of the shake. It still uses two scoops of protein powder, but adds more flavor and texture to the shake.
The total calories are 585, 212 coming from protein (212 / 585 = 36%).
Thick and Tasty High Protein Milkshake Recipe
If you are on a diet or a cut, but still want a delicious milkshake, check out this recipe. It’s low in calories, high in protein, and best of all it tastes like a real milkshake. But without all the processed sugars and other additives most places add to their milkshakes.
The protein in this shake comes from protein powder, and cocoa is added for extra flavor. Unlike many other milkshake-style smoothie recipes, this one does not use heavy cream.
This milkshake alternative comes in at around 245 calories, 104 of which are from protein (104/245 = 42%).
Protein Green Smoothie
What would a smoothie list be without at least one green smoothie? Green smoothies are very popular and for good reason. Most of us can use more greens in our lives, especially leafy greens like spinach or kale.
This smoothie recipe has a cup of kale leaves in it. Kale is one of the best all around foods you can eat. You can always throw in a cup of spinach or substitute the kale for spinach if you would like.
This green smoothie recipe has 338 calories and 108 of those are from protein (108 / 338 = 32%).
Pre-workout Protein Smoothie
This is a light and yogurty pre-workout smoothie recipe. It includes a peach and blueberries, both of which have a lot of really good nutrients. This smoothie will give you a boost of energy and protein that you can use to train extra hard when going to the gym or whatever exercising you might be doing.
You don’t want to consume too many calories before working out. This smoothie has only 296 calories, 100 of which come from protein (100/296 = 34%).
Post-workout Smoothie
Two things you want to do as soon as you are done working out is rehydrate yourself and consume some protein so that your muscles have nutrients to grow from. This simple smoothie does both.
This smoothie uses watermelon to provide a burst of hydration. Watermelon has a high in the glycemic index value. This means that watermelon will act quickly in bringing your blood sugar up and helps make you less tired after your workout. This will give you a quick recovery boost.
This smoothie is low in calories, coming in at 222 total calories, 100 of which comes from protein (100 / 222 = 45%).
Before Bed Mango Protein Smoothie
This mango flavored protein shake uses casein protein powder rather than whey protein. The main difference between casein and whey is the rate at which the protein is absorbed by your body. Casein is absorbed slowly through a longer period of time. This makes it a better choice for a protein shake that will be consumed before going to sleep. Casein will provide a constant stream of protein through most of the night.
When you sleep your body does not receive any nutrients for those eight hours. This shake helps the existing nutrients last longer.
This protein shake totals 277 calories, 132 of which are from protein (132/277 = 48%).
The above are only ten of the smoothie recipes found on this site. There’s plenty of other great recipes and workout tips. I hope some of the above meet your fitness and dietary goals and help you achieve the strength and body you are working towards.
