This weight loss smoothie recipe will help your boost your metabolism using plant-based whole foods.
The #1 question I get at Simple Green Smoothies is...
Will a smoothie help me lose weight?
There are TONS of smoothies and shakes out there claiming to do this, but forget the labels and ads… and think about what's gonna work for YOU.
When it comes to a weight loss smoothie, it’s gotta hit 3 things for me to call it a winner:
- It must be affordable to continue doing this every single day.
- It has to deliver the results it promises: boost my metabolism, keep me full and not hangry, actually nourish my body, etc).
- It's gotta taste great (and not be loaded with tons of sugars, artificial flavors or “fake sugars” to trick your tastebuds and ravage your cravings). I want to crave this day after day and feel better when I have it!
The recipe I'm sharing here helped me lose 7 pounds when I was a young exhausted mom of 2 under 4…with no energy and a few post baby (by a few generous years) extra pounds I needed to lose. They say "you've gotta exercise to lose the weight", but when you’re too tired to do that— you’ve gotta try something else. And this is the secret sauce to jump start my energy levels and my weight loss journey.
Homemade metabolism boost shake
Today, I want to share a weight loss smoothie that I've been using as a breakfast meal replacement smoothie. And yes, it's a green smoothie because these are the BEST way I've found to lose weight naturally AND feel great while doing it.
Unlike most “weight loss smoothies” (which require expensive powders, artificial ingredients and taste chalky and nasty… and leave you hungry) this one is the complete opposite. It truly tastes good and is good for you. You can drink they smoothie every morning for breakfast, which is a great way to set a healthy routine for your day.
I've also had this for lunch as a meal replacement smoothie too. Some days I just don't have time to make lunch and a quick smoothie is the way to go. Other days, I'll sip this down while doing dishes, driving the kids to practice, running errands, after a long trail run, you name it— the beauty of a smoothie is you can "eat and run."
Top weight loss foods to blend
If leaning up if your goal, the ingredients you use in your smoothie can work against you... or for you. I'm gonna break down the ones I used in this smoothie to help you see WHY I used them to hit my summer body goals: turn my fat into muscle and have the energy to workout.
Spinach: Full of phytonutrients and fiber to minimize any blood sugar spikes from the natural sugars in the smoothie.
Almond milk: Contains a little bit of protein and promotes a creamy smoothie base.
Banana: Adds a little natural sweetness to give you an energy boost.
Almond butter: Curbs your appetite and helps your digestive system
Cacao powder: Boosts your energy levels and metabolism
Hemp hearts: Have twice as much protein as chia seeds.
Cinnamon: helps regulate your blood glucose levels. The last thing you want from your smoothie is a sugar rush, which can give you quick energy and then have you crash real hard.
Cayenne pepper: Helps curb your appetite and boost you metabolism naturally.
Chocolate Weight Loss Smoothie
Rate this Recipe Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
- 1 cup spinach
- ½ banana
- 2 tablespoon cacao powder
- 2 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 tablespoon hemp hearts
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Add leafy greens and liquid to blender, blending until all chunks are gone.
- Add in remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
Video
Notes
- If you prefer your smoothies extra cold, feel free to pour smoothie over a glass of ice.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Quin
I tried this and love it! Hemp seed isn't readily available here so I subbed with ground flax seeds. It was a bit too chocolatey for me so I would lessen the cocoa next time. I also lessened the cinnamon to 1/3 tsp since i thought it might overpower the drink. Best tip I guess is to use a ripe/very ripe banana if you're after that sweet taste without additional sweetener.
Denny
That was disgusting. Sorry.
Simple Green Smoothies
Aww! So sorry to hear that Denny. Most of the ingredients are not sweet (except the 1/2 banana) and cacao can be bitter to many people, so I get it! This recipe is designed to boost your metabolism and help curb cravings later on by not spiking your blood sugar. However, if you're looking to make this smoothie sweeter, using Medjool dates is a great way to add that sweetness without using refined sugar.
You may want to try our Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie or our Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie if you're looking for something a bit more decadent. Thanks for the honest feedback!
Joel Ruiz
it’s not supposed to be delicious
Wendy Rowdy
Great recipe! Really didn't think I would like the cayenne, but it has a great taste! Can you tell how well they taste if made before hand? How does it take if it was frozen? I am thinking about making more than one since thr recipe calls for 1/2 a banana - so making more than 1 at a time and freezing it or saving it for the next day. Thanks!
Simple Green Smoothies
Hi Wendy,
That's a really great question! My recommendation for smoothie prep is to make smoothie packs.
So, rather than blend the smoothies and then freeze (you can lose some of the amazing plant-based nutrients and benefits), I would put your smoothie ingredients (minus the liquid base and pantry items) into a freezer bag, mason jar or other air-tight storage container of your choice and stick those packs in your freezer.
Then, whenever you're ready for them, dump it into your blend, add the liquid base and blend away!
Still saves you lots of time and the leftover smoothie ingredients won't go to waste!
If you'd like, we have a whole article about prepping smoothies that you can check out ---> How to Meal Prep Smoothies
Sandy
I really enjoy this smoothie! I'm trying it as a meal replacement once a day, so we'll see how that goes! I've had a hard time losing the extra baby weight since my daughter has never been a good sleeper, so I'm always tired. My diet is very alkaline and I go on hiking trails with her at least twice a week, but I'm hoping this smoothie will give me the extra boost I need to lose some weight.
Cheyenne
Will it give me the same results if I don't do spinach and the cayenne pepper?
Simple Green Smoothies
Cheyenne, that's a great question. While the spinach is full of phytonutrients and fiber to minimize any blood sugar spikes from the natural sugars in the smoothie you can also get some of the same benefits from other greens such as kale, arugula, swiss chard, romaine lettuce, beet greens, carrot tops, collard greens, or celery to name a few. As for the cayenne pepper it helps curb your appetite and boost you metabolism naturally. Some swaps you could try would be matcha powder, chia seeds, or even avocado.
Cindy Frye
I have diverticulitis and have to be careful eating things that have seeds. What can I exchange for the hemp hearts?
Simple Green Smoothies
Hey Cindy,
That's a great question! Lots of the suggested substitutions for hemp hearts are other seeds, so I def wouldn't recommend that to you. You could absolutely omit the hemp hearts in this recipe. I bet it would still be every bit as delicious! Maybe add a different nut butter to add a little extra nutty flavor - my second favorite nut better is sunflower seed butter or Sun Butter (brand).
Alicia Moon
Hulled hemp hearts are an option...same benefits, easily digested without running the risk of them getting hung up in the intestinal tract.
Pete the cat
Gross and watery.
Robin
Loved this smoothie. The recipe didn’t indicate how much cayenne pepper to use so I took a wild guess and used the same amount as the cinnamon 1 tsp. Probably a little too much but it wasn’t so strong that I couldn’t stomach it! Maybe you could add the amount to the recipe for future smoothie fans:) Thanks for this smoothie… delicious!
Simple Green Smoothies
Wow, Robin I'm glad it wasn't too spicy for you. Yes, we'll def add that information. For most recipes calling for cayenne pepper we recommend to taste as everyone can handle a different level of spice.
Roz
I’d love to try these but they all have almond butter or almond milk in them and I’m highly allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, cashews ect. I know I can replace the almond milk with oat but what can I use to replace the almond butter that would have the same effect and mix well into the smoothie I’m not much of a cooker but I’m trying to get healthier and loose weight
Taye
mashed avocado, mashed banana, Greek yogurt, or unsalted butter
Kim
You might try sun butter.
Simple Green Smoothies
1,000% YES! Great suggestion, Kim! Sunbutter is incredible! Great recommendation.
Kay
Maybe sunflower seed butter?
Simple Green Smoothies
Hey Kay - great suggestion! Sunflower seed butter totally works for this recipe. Feel free to swap sunflower seed butter any time a different nut butter is used. 🙂
Natalie Hughes
Hi I really REALLY do not like banana, how can I replace these in my drinks.
Monika Burmann
My daughter is 51 and she is struggling to lose weight.she hates the feeling of hunger pains her weight is now again 200 and her height is 5.6.
She has her own business and does not have much time for hourly workout outs.she also has bad knees and just had Bunyan surgery done. She is so disgusted with her weight.I am trying to help her,this way,by doing research. THANK YOU SO VERY FROM FRO. MY WHOLE ❤. sincerely Monika Burmann
Brihony
Hi I’m in Australian just wondering if I can use hemp powder and what would you use to sweeten choc weight loss smoothie.
Sheryn
Delicious! I did not expect this to taste so good, it was nicely filling too - perfect for lunch 🙂
I didn't have any hemp hearts though so I swapped with chia seeds, is that ok nutrition-wise? I think it made my shake a bit lumpy as it soaked over night, but that's ok.
Thank you for this great recipe!
Les MacDill
My wife and I discovered this recipe while determining what we could do with a massive amount of organic hemp hearts what was mistakenly shipped to me (it was supposed to be erythritol). I am a Type 2 diabetic, so I have to be very careful of what I consume in the way of carbs and sugar. That said, we both really liked this smoothie! It has everything we could want and need for a breakfast or midday treat. I don't typically want either, but now we just whip up a batch and put it in the refrigerator. Problem solved.
THANK YOU!
Simple Green Smoothies
So awesome Les!!! Way to be resourceful with that accidental shipment. 🙂