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Weight loss smoothies made with low-calorie greens and nutrient-dense fruits can jumpstart metabolism and support fat loss, aka: burn fat. I discovered this first-hand after having two kids back-to-back, when stress eating Goldfish and complete exhaustion made losing weight feel impossible.
Instead of my usual bagel and cream cheese, I started blending a smoothie each morning. The natural energy boost gave me motivation to start working out, and within just a week, I began to see results. Some days I even swapped in a second smoothie as a meal replacement—because it tasted so good! Plus, I felt energized, and the scale kept moving in the right direction.
Table of contents
Why Smoothies Help You Lose Weight
Smoothies can be a great tool for weight loss due to their versatility and nutritional density. There’s no easier way to pack in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and protein sources, which can help you feel full and satisfied while reducing your overall calorie intake. Here’s why they work:
- Fiber keeps you full: Blend a variety of fruits (banana, strawberries, oranges) and leafy greens (spinach, kale, chard) together to create a high-fiber drink that’ll keep you full and satisfied. Check out my leafy greens guide.
- Simple portion control: Measure out the ingredients before you add to the blender to make portion control easy.
- Proper hydration curbs false hunger cues: Use 1 cup of liquid (almond milk, water, coconut water) to hydrate your cells, curb hunger, and help your body function properly.
- Ideal meal replacement: Use a combination of plant-based protein (chia seeds, protein powder, etc) and healthy fats (superfoods, nut butter, coconut milk) to create an ideal meal replacement.
- Burns fat: Use ingredients, like green tea and grapefruit, that are packed with nutrients and scientifically proven to burn fat.
Free 5-Day Smoothie Plan
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What to Put in Smoothies for Weight Loss
Focus on blending ingredients for your fat-burning smoothies that are scientifically proven to burn fat and boost metabolism, which leads to weight loss. It’s important that the calories we consume are quality calories, especially if we’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or improve our overall health.
ingredients proven to burn belly fat
- Soluble fiber: Soluble fiber, found in fruits, vegetables, oats and legumes, absorbs water and forms a gel that helps slow down food as it passes through your digestive system. This helps keep you full, so you naturally eat less. Huge plus!
- High-protein: Observational studies show that people who eat more protein tend to have less abdominal fat than those who eat a lower-protein diet. Adding a plant-based protein powder or unsweetened Greek yogurt to your smoothies can be a great way to do this. If you’re doing HIIT workouts, using smoothies as a post-workout protein weight loss shake is highly effective in burning belly fat and promoting muscle recovery.
- Low-sugar foods: Using fruit as your natural sweeter is a great way to cut down on sugar (and avoid the highly processed refined sugars which contribute to belly fat). Using a combination of natural sugars and high fiber foods helps stabilize your blood sugar levels, which helps with weight control.
- Green tea: Using chilled green tea as your smoothie base can help boost your metabolism and energy levels, thanks to the natural caffeine and antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate. According to one 10-year study, people who drink green tea regularly have nearly 20 percent less body fat than those who don’t. EGCG, the unique ingredient in green tea, can deactivate the genetic triggers for diabetes and obesity.
ingredients to avoid when trying to lose weight
- Fruit juice: Avoid using any kind of fruit juice in your smoothie because it adds extra sugars without the nutrients found in whole fruits. It’s much better to blend an apple than to add apple juice to your smoothies for weight loss when trying to lose weight.
- Dairy: Milk, yogurt, and protein powders that contain dairy can cause inflammation in the body… making it harder to lose weight and burn fat. We avoid these in all of these recipes.
- Added sweeteners: Avoid honey, maple syrup, sugar, monk fruit, and stevia in your smoothies because they are high in calories and low in nutrients. Plus, they can spike your blood sugar levels and train your taste buds to crave high-sugar foods throughout the day.
Fat-Burning Ingredient Combinations
Certain food combinations can help burn belly fat and lead to overall weight loss. I try to use these combinations in my fat-burning smoothies recipes to get the best weight loss results.
- Green apple + nut butter: Apples are chock-full of fiber, a nutrient that can help reduce visceral fat, while nut butter adds healthy fats that keep you feeling full and support vitamin absorption.
- Avocados + kale: This leafy green can help you slim down by filling you up and giving you a healthy dose of vitamins K and A.
- Green tea + grapefruit: Blend grapefruit into your smoothie along with chilled green tea, which contains pectin and polyphenols. Both of these have been proven to help people feel fuller and lose weight, according to a study published in the Journal of Medical Food.
- Cacao + almonds: Packed with flavanols, cacao can prevent people from gaining weight, according to a study published in BMJ, and may increase energy expenditure.
- Oats + blueberries: Oats are high in fiber, helping you stay full. Toss in some berries and it’s a power combo! A study out of the University of Michigan found that rats who had blueberry powder mixed into their meals had less abdominal fat than rats on a berry-free diet after 90 days.
10 Smoothies for Weight Loss
I can’t wait for you to see just how tasty and simple weight loss can be with a daily smoothie habit. When you start your day nourishing your body, you begin to crave healthier foods all day long. The more healthy foods we put in our body, the less room there is for junk food. Let’s blend to our health!
Fat-Burning Smoothie
Nutrition: 360 calories | 10 g protein
Blend the best green smoothie for weight loss, thanks to some serious metabolism-boosting nutrition with kale, grapefruit, celery, and green tea.
Meal Replacement Smoothie
343 calories | 10 g protein
This high-protein, high-fiber smoothie has oats, almond butter, banana and low-sugar blueberries to keep you full for a very long time. This is truly a filling and satisfying weight loss meal replacement on the go!
Vanilla Matcha Smoothie
370 calories | 17 g protein
This high-protein (thanks to the addition of raw cashews), energy-boosting, fat-burning smoothie will satisfy your sweet tooth and can all be made in under 5 minutes.
Creamy Banana Smoothie
364 calories | 18 g protein
Is it a dessert or a smoothie? This creamy, banana smoothie for weight loss is healthy, tasty and packed with protein thanks to the raw cashews and homemade cashew milk.
Best Green Smoothie
203 calories | 6 g fiber
This is the best green smoothie on the internet (and for good reason). Add a scoop of plant-based protein powder and you’ve got the tastiest weight loss smoothie.
Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie
336 calories | 18 g fiber
Beets are one of the best ingredients to blend when dealing with inflammation, which keeps our bodies from reaching their full potential.
Peanut Butter Smoothie
497 calories | 14 g protein
This yummy chocolate-filled smoothie for weight loss uses frozen bananas with natural energy that help burn fat, too!
Vanilla Bean Yogurt Smoothie
371 calories | 26 g protein
If flavor is your jam, this tart vanilla fat-burning smoothie is what is missing in your life. Pair it with low-sugar peaches and you’ve got yourself a high-protein breakfast.
Apple Celery Smoothie
275 calories | 19 g fiber
This weight loss green smoothie is what you’d find celebs sipping at a 5-star wellness resort in Costa Rica. Fresh squeezed lemon juice, low-sugar green apples and fresh ginger root support weight loss.
Pineapple Ginger Smoothie
296 calories | 8 g protein
If Venus Williams can drink this, we can too. If stronger and leaner is on your health goals, then sip this fresh ginger smoothie blended with naturally sweet pineapple.
How to Make a Fat-Burning Green Smoothie
I’ve tried so many fat-burning smoothies, and while I love a lot of them, the one I’ve included below is hands-down my favorite. It’s packed with metabolism-boosting greens, fiber, and superfoods that help curb cravings and keep me feeling energized. If you’re looking for a go-to smoothie to support your weight loss journey, this is the one!
- Fill your blender with kale, cucumber, celery, and cooled green tea.
- Puree together until the ingredients reach a smooth consistency.
- Add grapefruit and frozen pineapple. If you want to lower the bitterness of the grapefruit, be sure to remove the inner membrane in addition to the peel. If you can’t tolerate grapefruit, swap with oranges and lemon.
- Blend the ingredients until combined.
- Pour into a glass and serve chilled for the most refreshing taste.
Let me know which of these fat-burning smoothies for weight loss is your favorite. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Fat-Burning Smoothie for Weight Loss
Ingredients
- 1 cup kale
- 1 cucumber chopped
- ½ grapefruit peeled and seeded
- ½ cup green tea chilled
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 cup pineapple frozen
- 3 tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Place kale, cucumber, grapefruit and green tea into blender.
- Puree on high-speed until smooth.
- Add celery and pineapple to blender.
- Blend again on high-speed until everything is pureed.
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Notes
- Swap grapefruit with 1/2 naval orange and 1/4 lemon wedge.
- The pith and peel of the grapefruit are extremely bitter but are beneficial in small amounts. To lessen the bitterness of the grapefruit, remove the fruit from the inner membranes as well as peel before using.
- Drink 1-2 smoothies a day as meal replacements to get the weight loss benefits you’re looking for.
- Adding homemade protein powder is a great way to add high-quality protein that won’t affect the delicious taste of the smoothie.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
Swapping a meal for a smoothie can be a great way to lose weight. You’ll want to make sure your smoothie is packed with fiber, low in sugar, and under 500 calories to help with portion control. Don’t add any sugars or sweeteners and choose a liquid base that is unsweetened. To keep you full, make sure your smoothie has healthy fats and protein to make it a complete meal replacement.
Look for a smoothie recipe that contains grapefruit and green tea to help burn fat. My fat-burning smoothie has these specific fat-loss smoothie ingredients that boost the metabolism, plus healthy fats that are necessary for your body to break down carbs and protein
A good smoothie with protein, healthy fat, and whole-food carbs is a great combo for a healthy snack or meal that can promote weight loss. These weight-loss smoothies contain a variety of spinach, mint, celery, green tea, grapefruit, pineapple, and avocado.
Look for grapefruit, pineapple, mint, celery, leafy greens, and herbs to help burn fat, especially around the belly. Try blending them together into a delicious smoothie to consume them easily and effectively.
The best way to get weight loss results is to be consistent— and a daily meal replacement smoothie is perfect for that. Swap your typical breakfast for a fat-burning smoothie to kick-start your weight loss goals. This high-fiber low-sugar recipe is truly a healthy smoothie in 5 minutes or less.
Juicing and blending can both help with weight loss, yet only one is sustainable for the long run: smoothies. We believe committing to drinking 1-2 fat-burning smoothies as a meal replacement is the most effective way to hit your weight loss goals and maintain them for life.
Yes, fruit smoothies can be great for weight loss when made with whole fruits instead of fruit juices. Whole fruits contain fiber, which helps slow digestion, keeps you full longer, and prevents blood sugar spikes. In contrast, fruit juices strip away fiber, leaving mostly sugar, which can lead to energy crashes and increased hunger. For a weight-loss-friendly smoothie, use whole fruits, balance with protein and healthy fats, and avoid added sugars.
Smoothies that support weight loss are packed with fiber, healthy fats, and metabolism-boosting ingredients. Look for recipes with whole fruits, leafy greens, protein, and ingredients like green tea, grapefruit, and avocado to help burn fat and keep you full. Avoid added sugars and fruit juices, which can spike blood sugar and lead to cravings. Check out my #1 fat-burning smoothie recipe below for a delicious, weight-loss-friendly option!
Is there a replacement that can be used for the mint leaves?
Mint can be tricky to replace, yet the closest we’ve found is it’s cousin basil. If it’s just that peppermint isn’t your jam, you could try one of many other varieties of mint, like spearmint, apple mint or pineapple mint (which would be totally fab in this recipe!). Let us know what you blend and how you liked it!
I can’t remember if I’ve already commented on this recipe…but I had to again, just to be sure! I LOVE this smoothie. What’s funny, though, is I can’t stand grapefruit, and I usually only like celery in soups! But my body was craving not-so-sweet smoothies, so I did a search through the SGS smoothies and came up with this one (admittedly, the “fat burning” part caught my eye too :). I decided to take the plunge and check it out, and it has actually become one of my favorites, which is still a shock to me. It’s light but filling, and I love that you can adjust the sweet-tart ratio by adjusting the grapefruit and pineapple. This one is going in regular rotation.
That is such an awesome discovery Holly! We love, love, love how green smoothies can help us get those foods in that we otherwise wouldn’t eat.
Hi is there any replacement I could use for the avocado?
I just made this shake 5 minutes ago and it is delicious left some of the pith and peel out all I can say is delicious not bitter give this smoothie a try you are going to be surprised thank you !!!!!
i cant eat grapefruit because of a medicine i take. can you recommend a substitute that would be just as good?
We love oranges, tangerines or clementines when grapefruit isn’t an option. 🙂
It’s a bit bitter but it’s still easy to consume. I’m enjoying the challenge since I’m trying to shed 20lbs .
Hi Destiny! You can try adding a touch more pineapple to this to adjust the taste if the grapefruit is too strong. So glad you’re rawkin some more plants using smoothies. You’ve got this!!!
I really do need to lose weight because I had a right hip replacement so I can’t put that much weight on my hip and also trying to lose belly fat
Oh wow! Hope you heal well and that this smoothie is helpful to you!
Will this help me burn my fat and loose the weight whilst I am doing exercises in the week . I run pretty much every day or when I can.
This smoothie, combined with the awesome running you’re doing, should def help with weight loss. Remember, losing weight is different for every body though. Usually we see the best results over time.
Hi, could you confirm how much of mint needed please.It says 2 Tbsp cup…but i guess you can’t measure mint leaves with spoon I am definitely trying this smoothie.Thank you
Oooh – thanks for catching that Ju! We’ve corrected it to read ‘2 Tbsp’, which is equal to about 10-12 mint leaves. Happy blending! 🙂
I started my smooties today.. ill be waiting for thr result very soon..thank you for giving this very simple but very effective smoothies to lose weight.. salute to the Simple green smoothies
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the smoothies. They’re a quick and simple meal on the go!
Hi
Thanks for this guide, I wanna ask the alternatives to spinach, celery and mint leave, these are not really common in my country.
Secondly can I use cashew nuts in place of plant based protein?
Hi there! Kale, collard greens, cabbage and Swiss chard are great swaps for spinach if you have those. Fennel, leeks or even carrots can be used in place of celery. And instead of mint, give basil a try. They are similar, yet basil will have a more peppery taste. Cashews are super delish and great sources of plant-based protein! 1 oz. of cashews will provide about 5 g of protein. 🙂
I have devoted myself to trying this for one week. So far, so good. Weight loss is at 1 pound for the first week. I like it slow, that’s okay. My question is about the celery. I have read all the other comments about substitution, but nothing about how important the celery is….it is quite overpowering for me, I have cut down to 1/2 a stalk and it’s still hard to drink. Do I need to go back to a whole stalk for best results or is there a substitute? I have also cut down on the mint leaves because of strong taste. I love all the other ingredients!
thanks so much, i read the comments farther and saw how helpful and effective this smoothie was for other to lose weight so i will not be adding apple cider vinegar. i am making this smoothie today to freeze and save for the week, i have 2 questions, 1. how many does this smoothie serve? 2. what aspect in this smoothie help with weight loss?
thanks so much and i will still be posting a comment on how this smoothie went.
Yay Abigail! This recipe for our Fat Burning Smoothie serves 1. And the ingredients are specifically geared toward helping increase metabolism and to help you feel full longer.
Hi I am very excited to try this I was wondering can I replace the tea with water???
Hi there Nicole! You can def use water instead of tea. We like green tea here because the caffeine in tea contains antioxidants that may help burn fat a bit quicker by aiding the liver in converting fat to energy. Totally up to you! 🙂
I like it
Yay!
Can I substitute pomelo for grapefruit?
Pomelo would totally work here, yet they don’t contain as much juice as grapefruit. You may need to add a touch more water to compensate for that, yet give it a blend and let us know what you think!
this looks amazing!! i have been looking for a on the go green smoothie to help with weight loss! i was wondering, would it mess up the weight loss rachio if i added apple cider vinegar to this smoothie, i’ve heard it help curb your appetite and helps with weight loss.
thanks so much, and i will be adding another comment soon to see how it went!!
Cool question! While it wouldn’t necessarily change what the other ingredients are doing to help with weight loss, the ACV would def change the taste. Looking forward to your next comment to see how it blended up! 🙂
Can i use banana instead of avocado in this pineapple?
Hey Suzee! The answer here is yes and no. In terms of consistency, banana and avocado would be trade subs for each other – so yes, when it comes to that. However, they are very different nutritionally. The avocado is a source of healthy fat, whereas the banana isn’t yet ups the sweetness of your smoothie. Keep us posted on what you choose!