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My favorite green smoothie recipe is really a tropical energy drink in disguise. With over 1,300 5-star reviews, it’s time for you to see why blending spinach into a smoothie is a tasty morning habit.
I know a green smoothie doesn’t sound (or look) very appealing at first sight, but it can be beyond delicious. I’ve blended this recipe in kindergarten classrooms (and the kids ask for seconds)! I’ve made it for my teenage daughter’s volleyball friends and they chug it down. I drink this green smoothie recipe almost every morning to boost my energy levels and nourish my body.
Table of contents
Benefits of a Green Smoothie
Drinking this green smoothie is what gave me the body and energy levels to do some incredible things in my late 30’s after having two kids. I’ve run 47 miles of the Grand Canyon, rode a motorcycle across Morocco in a 7-day race, hiked Angel’s Landing and created a backyard garden for my kids.
This simple green smoothie is great for beginners because it’s naturally sweetened with fruit (no added sugars) and loaded with greens and protein. Some of the benefits I’ve noticed when I drink a green smoothie every day are:
- More energy from the natural fruit sugars
- Don’t get sick (my immune system is strong thanks to all the nutrients)
- My digestive system is happy with all the fiber and hydration from a green smoothie
This daily habit has kept my kids healthy when we didn’t have health insurance, energized us in between school and sports and nourished us so we rarely get sick. And when we do, we can usually bounce back with some of my own natural remedies.
My kids started drinking green smoothies when they were 2 years old. Now, they’re teenagers and still drink them. Here’s some photos of them over the years (they have no clue I put these on here!).
When I created this green smoothie recipe, it changed my family’s life in more ways than I ever imagined. It was love at first sip for me, my two kids and 1 million others, who were intimidated by spinach (just like me!). Since them, I’ve published a best-selling green smoothie cookbook and shared my recipes live on The Doctors TV Show…twice!
Best Green Smoothie Ingredients
Everything you need to make a green smoothie is found in a garden, farmer’s market or the produce section of your grocery store. The closer we eat to nature, the better we feel. This smoothie recipe is a great way to start eating healthier foods. Here’s the ingredients we’ll be blending:
- Fresh spinach: Baby spinach is the most mild version to use in smoothies, and also the most easy to find. I suggest using organic spinach because it’s one of the Dirty Dozen. The right ratio of spinach to fruit makes it sweet, as well as helps you reap all the health benefits.
- Frozen pineapple: I buy frozen pineapple at Costco in bulk to make Frozen Smoothie Packs. If it’s on sale, I’ll cut up pineapple and freeze it myself.
- Frozen mango: You’ll find this next to the ice cream in the freezer section. I love how it’s already peeled and cut for you and ready to add to the blender. If fresh mango is on sale, you can always cut the mango and freeze yourself.
- Fresh banana: Bananas add a creaminess to smoothies that is hard to replicate. It’s magic!
- Water: The liquid base in the smoothie is water. Use filtered water to avoid any unnecessary chemicals or pollutants. I like using a Berkey Water Filter that I keep on my countertop.
Fresh VS frozen fruit
I prefer using frozen fruit because it chills down your smoothie without using ice, which can dull your blender blades overtime. I use fresh bananas in my smoothies because I like how creamy they make it.
How to Blend a Green Smoothie
The only equipment you need to make a green smoothie is a high-speed blender for smoothies. A juicer or food processor won’t work to get you a creamy drink you’ll want to make over and over. Once you have a blender, you can successfully make the best green smoothie recipe following the steps below.
Blend spinach with liquid base
Blend 1 cup of spinach (or another leafy greens of your choice) in a blender with 1 cup of liquid. Adding spinach to your smoothie boosts the phytonutrients and fiber, which then slows down the absorption of sugars into your body. Blend until all leafy chunks are gone.
Beginner Blending Tip
When you’re making your first few green smoothies, follow my Green Smoothie Formula to get the perfect blend. Don’t just throw spinach and kale in the blender. Chances are, it’ll taste nasty if you wing it right out of the gate.
Add frozen fruit to blender
Toss in frozen mango, pineapple and bananas in the blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. If you want your smoothie to be extra chilly or possibly even be a smoothie bowl, use more frozen fruit. You can freeze your favorite fruits like ripe bananas, grapes, pineapple or berries.
How to sweeten a smoothie
If the smoothie isn’t as sweet as you would like, add in some natural sweeteners like bananas, mango, oranges, honey or pitted dates.
Scoop in the superfoods
Once the smoothie is nice and creamy, you can add in superfoods. Chia seeds, hemp hearts and flax seed are all great choices. You can turn any smoothie recipe into a meal replacement by adding a serving of homemade protein powder to any smoothie recipe.
Blend smoothie on high speed
In order to break down the cell walls of the plants, you need to blend on high speed. You shouldn’t have any leafy chunks in your smoothie if your blender is powerful enough.
Drink green smoothie immediately
To get the maximum amount of nutrients from a smoothie, drink it immediately after blending it. The longer your smoothie is exposed to oxygen, the more it breaks down and the nutrients deteriorate. This is called oxidation. To minimize this, you can store your smoothe in the fridge with an air-tight lid for up to 48 hours, yet I think it tastes best if consumed within 4 hours after blending.
Green Smoothie Recipe Variations
It’s easy to swap ingredients based on what you have on hand. If you’d like more green smoothie recipes, check out these popular ones below:
- My son is obsessed with this mango orange smoothie recipe.
- Try this tropical pina colada smoothie to head to the beach asap.
- Want to boost your metabolism? Then this is a great fat burning green smoothie recipe.
- This kale smoothie will surprise even your taste buds.
Best Green Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup pineapple frozen
- ½ cup mango frozen
- 1 banana
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Measure: Tightly pack spinach in a measuring cup.
- Add: Put spinach to blender with water. Blend together until all chunks are gone. (Should resemble green water when blended well).
- Toss: Pineapple, mango and banana to blender. I like to use frozen pineapple and mangos to chill the smoothie down and save time cutting and prepping. It’s a win-win!
- Blend: It all together until smooth and creamy. Depending on your blender, this could take as little as 30 seconds or as long as 2 minutes.
- Pour: Into a glass and serve immediately.
- Store: In the fridge with a lid until ready to drink.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Not a fan of bananas? Swap it for 1/4 avocado, additional 1/2 cup mango or 1/2 cup peaches.
- You can use 1 cup pineapple if you’re out of mango.
- Frozen fruit is recommended to chill the smoothie (and save time cutting and washing).
Nutrition
Common Questions
You won’t be able to taste the spinach if you use the proper ratio of fruit to spinach. This green smoothie tastes like a mango pineapple smoothie with a hint of banana flavor.
Green smoothies are the healthiest fast food out there. Blending spinach and fruit into a smoothie is a great way to boost your immune system, increase fiber intake, and boost your energy levels. A kale or spinach smoothie has incredible health benefits with additional phytonutrients. What we eat can truly transform our bodies and our lives in powerful ways.
Most smoothies you buy or find online are made with just fruit and fruit juice. This makes them crazy high in sugar, which can cause inflammation and consuming excess calories. A green smoothie, on the other hand, is made with fruit, vegan milks and leafy greens, typically spinach or kale. They’re loaded with iron, potassium, fiber and vitamins galore. If you’re not sure which leafy greens to use in your smoothie, check out my Ultimate Leafy Greens Guide for Smoothies.
Any blender will work, yet to get the creamiest green smoothie you’ll need a high speed blender. Check out my Best Blenders for Smoothies guide, where I reviewed countless blenders to find the best ones for green smoothies. The key is to get rid of leafy chunks, blend quickly and provide tons of value for the price. Hint: not all of them cost $400.
For busy weeks, you can create Frozen Smoothie Packs that you prep on the weekend and enjoy all week, or month. It’ll only take you 5 minutes every morning to have a green smoothie ready to go. You can also blend your smoothie the night before and store it in your fridge until ready to drink.
I am loving your recipes, including this one, but I would like to up the protein content by adding greek yogurt! Do you have a suggestion for how to add it and how much, should I do it by leaving out some of the water? I am also interested in increasing the greens and fruit ratio to 40:60 if that might make a difference, as I don’t mind a slight taste of spinach if I can get more healthy greens into my breakfast. I was amazed that I could not detect any spinach taste in the original recipe! Any help would be much appreciated by this green smoothie newbie! 🙂
Hi Megan,
Thanks so much for reaching out! Personally, we try to avoid dairy. We’ve talked with a lot of nutritionists and milk isn’t all that it’s been hyped up to be. Dairy is one of the highest diet allergies (and often goes undiagnosed), yet can cause inflammation and if you aren’t buying organic milk, you’re also getting doses of antibiotics, hormones, etc that can tip your own body out of whack. For that reason, we lean towards using plant-based proteins. Here are some of our favorites…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/plant-based-protein-powder
It’s definitely a personal choice, and you just have to decide what works best for you.
And of course, ADD MORE GREENS! If you love leafy greens and don’t mind the taste, we love switching up the ratio to include more delicious greens! Experiment and find what works + tastes best for you!
Rawk on!
I’m very allergic to Mango, Pineapple and Kiwi. Any replacements for these fruits? Veggies are always encouraged.
Hi Kristin,
Our recipes are here to inspire you, so don’t feel like you need to follow them to a T. It’s all about finding what works for you, especially if you have allergies. Here are some substitution suggestions, or you can always double up on an ingredient in any recipe that doesn’t conflict with your allergies. Orange, tangerine, + lime all make great replacements for kiwi, while orange + grapefruit are great in place of pineapple! We also love to use papaya in place of mango!
Hope this helps!
I would like to share a green smoothie that I make using:
spinach
swiss chard
apples
cinnamon
coriander
It is delicious to me, try it
Measure to your taste
Cinnamon and coriander are medicinal and add sweetness
if you desire a little sweet to the greens. The apples help with
the greens, also.
Hi Gwendolyn,
Thank you so much for sharing! We love blendin’ with apples + cinnamon. 🙂
So I have yet to figure out how to blend a smoothie without the little bits of greens (not sure if it’s suppose to be there or not, but when I think smoothie I think no chewing, lol). So I instead juice my greens every couple of days and use that as my liquid base. Is this okay? I mean I know I’m losing some nutrients, but will the benefits be, for the most part, the same? And how much green juice, typically kale juice, would you recommend in the smoothies?
Hi Stephanie,
Great question! To help blend leafy greens, we suggest blendin’ your leafy greens + liquid base first until it resembles a juice consistency, then add your remaining ingredients. It also helps to include at least one frozen fruit!
When you juice your leafy greens you’re getting plenty of nutrients, but you’re missing out on the delicious fiber that will help keep you full longer! If your juicing instead of blendin’ your leafy greens, we suggest experimenting + finding what amount works best for you!
Hi I hope you can answer my question. I am looking forward to start a 30 days smoothie challenge but because I am diabetic (diabetic 2) I am not sure if adding fruits is healthy or not. With fruit I am talking of banana and pears.
Could you please design a smoothie for diabetic people?
Many thanks
Hi Manish,
Thank for reaching out to us. Since we are not doctors or nutritionists, we suggest that any member of community with health concerns to speak to their healthcare provider to confirm that green smoothies and the natural sugars are okay for their eating plan. Here is a link to our favorite low sugar fruits.
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/low-sugar-fruits
Hope that helps.
Hi,
I’m trying to lose some weight and want to try out the green smoothie method like Jadah did. Can you please tell me how she did it? Ie.when is the best time to drink the smoothie as replacement meal ( before or after breakfast/ lunch/ dinner)?and how many time a day? And is there a specific green smoothie recipe she used or just any green smoothie recipe from your website will do? Thank you so much!
Hi Lisa,
Jadah lost 25 pounds in 3 months by replacing one meal with a green smoothie! Jadah usually enjoys her smoothie as a breakfast replacement, but you can replace any meal! If you’re planning on using your smoothie as a meal replacement, we suggest adding a protein + healthy fat to ensure you’re getting a complete meal. Here are our favorite meal replacement boosters…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-replacement-smoothie
While you can use any green smoothie recipe, our favorite smoothie for weight loss is the Kiwi Berry Punch!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/fat-burning-smoothie
To learn more about Simple Green Smoothies’ story, check out our Facebook post today! 🙂
I have type 2 diabetes and control it with diet and exercise. I did well at first but have slipped back into old eating habits and exercising sometimes. Since I’m not on med I need to count my carbs. Do you know what the carb count would be in a 16 oz smoothie?
Hi Pam,
Our main focus is adding healthy options to our diet, so we don’t post carbs or calories, but we understand it’s necessary to know when you have certain health restrictions. We love using sites like LoseIt.com to determine calories + nutritional information!
I am thrilled to start and try all of these drinks. My big problem is I have never eaten breakfast. And I have truly never eaten way healthy. I have started drinking a lot of water, but my question is where I normally don’t eat breakfast and my only real meal is dinner and munchies thru the day. If cutting out all bad munchies and drinking my green smoothie for breakfast am I going to gain weight due to all of the fruits and sugars??? Should I drink a smoothie for lunch because I never truly eat lunch either.
Hi Lorie,
While everyone’s body is different, weight gain is not common when adding green smoothies to your diet, just the opposite! You’ll find that when you consume more nourishing whole fruits and veggies, you will not only feel full longer, but you’ll also have lessened cravings for high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods.
The best part about a green smoothie–you can use a smoothie as a low-calorie meal replacement because they are full of fiber which keeps your body feeling fuller longer. Green smoothies make a great option for both breakfast + lunch, and will help cut your cravings for unhealthy snacks throughout the day.
Find our meal replacement tips here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-replacement-smoothie
Could you use Aloe vera juice as one of the liquids? I don’t see it as one of the options, but im really interested in using it.
Hi Samantha,
If it’s a liquid base that you enjoy, go for it! 🙂
Hi , I just joined today Wednesday 13 May 2015. I am so excited.
I really need to loose 75 pounds. I just had surgery have been on antibiotics and steroid inhalers for several months now, and have gained an extra 22 pounds to the previous weight, I attempted to loose prior to meds, for allergic asthma and sinus surgery.
I had some raw collard greens and , apples, cucumber on hand, so I made my first green smoothie this morning after visiting your website, and I feel so good and I feel full. The smoothie taste awesome. so happy I found this simple green community. My health is too important to me so I’ m for good. Thank You So Much !!
Hi Deborah,
We are so excited to have you blendin’ with us! Jadah started one simple habit in the summer of 2011: drinking green smoothies everyday. And in three months, she lost over 25 pounds by replacing one meal with a green smoothie. Simple Green Smoothies are a great kickstart to making healthy eating a lifestyle – not a diet. Our community has seen great results – increased energy, weight loss and craving healthier foods.
Keep us updated on your progress, and let us know how we can help along the way!
Cheers 🙂
I want to do the challenge to lose some weight but i worry that the sugars in the fruits wont let the weight loss happen…. what do you think?
Hi Mpoita,
Thanks for the message. Each smoothie recipe makes 2 servings (32 oz) and has 3 cups of fruit in it. It is recommended that an adult has 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit a day. When you drink 16oz of our green smoothie recipe you will be meeting, or just under your daily intake for fruit. If you feel like that is too much fruit, feel free to do 2 cups of fruit in each smoothie with 3 cups of leafy greens. Hope that helps. 🙂
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/low-sugar-fruits
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/
If your goal is to lose weight during the challenge, our co-founder Jadah lost 20lbs in 3 months by replacing one meal with a simple green smoothie. This is not a fast or a restrictive diet, so you can eat regular meals during this challenge. If you decide to drink green smoothies as meal replacements, make sure to add a protein boost (plant-based protein powder, nut milk, nut butter), or snack on some nuts or a hard-boiled egg 30-60 minutes after you drink your green smoothie.
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/plant-based-protein-powder
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-replacement-smoothie
hello,
I just want to know what is a cup for you in gram please
Hi Celine,
Here is our suggested conversions for our recipes, hope this helps!
Spices | Proteins | Superfoods:
½ tsp = 2mL
1 tsp = 5mL
2 tsp = 10mL
1 TBSP = 15mL
2 TBSP = 30mL
Fruits:
Mango | Pineapple | Strawberries | Beets | Carrots | Blueberries | Raspberries | Leafy Greens
1 cup = 250mL
1 ½ cups = 375mL
2 cups = 500mL
Liquids:
Water | Coconut Water | Coconut Milk | Almond Milk | Fresh Squeezed Juice | Rice Milk
½ cup = 125mL
1 cup = 250mL
1 ½ cups = 375mL
2 cups = 500mL
Grams:
1 cup of leafy greens = 30g
2 cups of leafy greens = 60g
I’m diabetic and cannot handle all that fruit in a smoothie. Any suggestions. Thanks
Hi Diane,
Thank for reaching out to us. Since we are not doctors or nutritionists, we suggest that any member of community with health concerns to speak to their healthcare provider to confirm that green smoothies and the natural sugars are okay for their eating plan. Here is a link to our favorite low sugar fruits.
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/low-sugar-fruits
Hope that helps.
I’m not a mango or pineapple fan what could I substitute these fruits with ?
Hi Ashley,
Not a fan of mango + pineapple, no worries! Papaya + kiwi are great replacements for mango. And grapefruit + orange are great replacements for pineapple!
Cheers 🙂
is this smoothie okay to drink before a workout?
thanks
Hi Aria,
Try adding one of our 5 pre-workout boosters!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/pre-workout-smoothie
Hi !
I really love smoothie but i hate banana , is there any substitute so i can get rid of this taste ?
Also , your website has been really helpfull for me, as a smoothie begginer, all the recipe looks so yummy ! 🙂
Hi Raphaelle,
Not a banana fan? We got you covered!
Some great banana substitutes are: Mango, Papaya, Pear, Chia seeds, Fresh dates, Nut Butters, Unsweetened applesauce, Avocado (won’t add the sweetness, but will definitely add the thick and creamy texture)!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/avocado-smoothie
Hi Jen and Jadah- Thank you TONS for sharing your wisdom, time, and energy with the community. You both rock!
I had one question regarding the basis of green smoothie. As part of reviews of a blender i was buying, there were links to few articles where it was suggested that leafy greens should come towards the end i.e. after the fruit has been blended with the liquid. In essence, the order was reverse of what you have offered on your website.
The ‘logic’ behind was to prevent extra blending of greens which could lead to browning and nutrient loss through oxidation. I was wondering if you have also come across this and how to reconcile what seems like differing view points?
Thanks!!
Hi Studentsim,
We do believe that nutrients begin to “go away” and oxalate, but we don’t believe this happens right away. Our stance is that green smoothies stay good for you for up to two days, as long as they are in a sealed container in the refrigerator. So it shouldn’t effect the order you blend your ingredients. We suggest blendin’ your liquid base + leafy greens first, to ensure a smooth and delicious consistency.
Hope this answers your question!