14 Gut-Healthy Smoothies That Are High in Protein
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Blend prebiotic foods like bananas and raspberries with probiotic-rich ingredients like kefir and Greek yogurt, and you get these delicious, gut-healthy smoothies. Packed with fiber and at least 15 grams of protein per serving, each refreshing recipe helps you feel satisfied for longer. Plus, the protein in these meals also supports muscle recovery and bone health to help you feel your best. Sips and spoonfuls like our Chocolate-Peanut Butter Protein Shake and Acai Bowl are the perfect to enjoy for breakfast or lunch.
Almond Butter & Banana Protein Smoothie
Almond butter adds nutty flavor plus 7 grams of protein to this healthy, protein-rich banana smoothie.
Berry-Kefir Smoothie
Ana Cadena
Get a probiotic boost at breakfast when you add kefir to your smoothie. Feel free to use any berries and nut butter you have on hand in this healthy smoothie recipe.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Protein Shake
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
This creamy high-protein shake will keep you satisfied for hours and tastes like a chocolate-peanut butter banana milkshake. You don't even need to add protein powder, thanks to the naturally occurring protein in the soymilk, Greek yogurt and peanut butter.
Spinach, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie
Peanut butter and banana is a classic combo that's even more delicious with the addition of tangy probiotic-rich kefir. Plus, this peanut butter banana smoothie helps you up your veggie servings for the day with a bit of mild-flavored spinach mixed in.
Acai Bowl
This homemade acai bowl recipe makes for a delicious breakfast any day of the week. Acai can be very tart, so blending it with banana, coconut water and mixed berries adds sweetness to help balance the flavors. Feel free to switch up the toppings depending on your preferences.
Spinach-Avocado Smoothie
This healthy green smoothie gets super creamy from the frozen banana and avocado. Make ahead (up to 1 day) and store it in the fridge until you need a veggie boost.
Mango-Almond Smoothie Bowl
For this healthy smoothie bowl recipe, be sure to use frozen fruit (not fresh) to keep the texture thick, creamy and frosty.
Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie
This green smoothie recipe is sweetened only with fruit and gets an extra dose of healthy omega-3s from flaxseeds.
Blackberry Smoothie
This blackberry smoothie has plenty of fresh berry flavor and sweetness from banana and honey. And with only 5 minutes from start to finish, it's the perfect breakfast for busy mornings. If fresh blackberries aren't available, feel free to use frozen in this easy and healthy smoothie.
Mixed-Berry Breakfast Smoothie
Smoothies are popular for breakfast, but many don't have enough calories or nutrients to be considered a complete meal. This creamy berry smoothie has the perfect balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat, and will keep you satisfied until your next meal.
Raspberry-Kefir Power Smoothie
Keeping ripe peeled bananas in your freezer means you're always just one step away from a healthy smoothie. Kefir, peanut butter and flaxmeal add protein, probiotics and healthy fats.
Acai-Blueberry Smoothie Bowl
For those mornings when you're looking to up your fruit smoothie game, this healthy smoothie bowl recipe is the perfect answer. Thick enough to eat with a spoon and topped with raspberries, granola, coconut and chia seeds, this healthy breakfast bowl is bursting with flavor.
Banana-Cocoa Soy Smoothie
With plenty of protein from both tofu and soymilk, this banana-split-inspired breakfast smoothie will keep you satisfied until lunchtime.
Anti-Inflammatory Cherry-Spinach Smoothie
This healthy smoothie is not only delicious--it also boosts your daily dose of anti-inflammatory foods. It starts with a base of creamy gut-friendly kefir and includes cherries, which can lower the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein. Heart-healthy fats in avocado, almond butter and chia seeds deliver additional anti-inflammatory compounds to the body, while spinach offers a mix of antioxidants that sweep up harmful free radicals. Fresh ginger adds zing, plus a compound called gingerol, which preliminary studies suggest may improve inflammatory markers of heart disease if consumed daily.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
