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These tasty smoothies for weight loss include low-calorie green smoothies and filling protein powder blends to burn fat and supercharge your metabolism. I’ve used scientifically-proven ingredients in each smoothie recipe to decrease body fat and reveal a healthier and leaner body.
Sign up for my Smoothie Challenge to get a comprehensive smoothie plan, weekly grocery lists and tasty recipes that are low in calories and get you results, naturally. If you wanna go even farther, try our Plant-Based Cleanse with daily smoothies and plant-based snacks and meals.
Table of Contents
Why Smoothies Help You Lose Weight
I started drinking smoothies for weight loss when I was in my 30s. I had two toddlers and was having a hard time losing the last 10 pounds after my second kid. Didn’t help that I was stress eating after a cross-country move and always felt too tired to work out. Something had to change.
I swapped my go-to breakfast (plain bagel with strawberry cream cheese) for a weight loss smoothie loaded with vitamins, hydration and fiber. My goal was to replace a bad habit with good one— and it worked. The energy boost from the natural sugars and minerals was almost immediate and the weight loss started that weekend. No joke.
- 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.
- Simple portion control: Measure out the ingredients 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: Using 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 that are packed with nutrients and scientifically proven to burn fat.
I started having one of these healthy smoothies for breakfast every day. I was never hungry thanks to all the fiber. It took five minutes a day. And I loved how it tasted. I became obsessed with smoothies (that’s what led to me becoming a food blogger). Now I get to teach you how to blend a smoothie to achieve your weight loss goals.
10 Fat-Burning Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss
These fat-burning smoothies are low-calorie recipes that’ll nourish your body while boosting the metabolism. I can’t wait for you to see just how tasty and simple weight loss can be. These fat-burning smoothies are a great place to start if you want to eat more plants and nourish your body from within. Which one will you blend first?!
Meal Replacement Smoothie
343 calories | 10 g protein
This high-protein, high-fiber smoothie has an unexpected combination of 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!
Creamy Banana Smoothie
364 calories | 18 g protein
Is it a dessert or a smoothie? This creamy, banana smoothie 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). Our tropical treat is infused with spinach, yet no one can taste it— including our kids. Add a scoop of plant-based protein powder and you’ve got the tastiest weight loss smoothie.
Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie
155 calories | 9 g fiber
Beets are one of the best ingredients to blend when dealing with inflammation, which keeps our bodies from reaching their full potential. Fight inflammation head-on with this citrus-packed smoothie recipe.
Peanut Butter Smoothie
497 calories | 14 g protein
Plant-based nutrition is all about combining nutrients with flavors that make you wanna keep consuming it. This yummy chocolate-filled smoothie that uses frozen bananas has natural energy and helps burn fat, too.
Vanilla Yogurt Smoothie
371 calories | 26 g protein
If flavor is your jam, this tart vanilla smoothie is what is missing in your life. Pair it with frozen peaches, which are low in sugar and you’ve got yourself a high-protein, probiotic smoothie for breakfast.
Apple Celery Smoothie
275 calories | 19 g fiber
The green smoothie is a 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 are all included for weight-loss benefits.
PINEAPPLE GINGER SMOOTHIE
263 calories | 9 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.
Vanilla Matcha Smoothie
370 calories | 17 g protein
This high-protein (thanks to the addition of raw cashews), fat-burning, energy-boosting smoothie will satisfy your sweet tooth and can all be made in under 5 minutes.
What to Put in Smoothies for Weight Loss
Focus on blending ingredients 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 just 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. 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 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 weigh 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. And 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 kinds 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 smoothie wen trying to lose weight.
- Dairy: Milk, yogurt, 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 our recipe below.
- 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.
Ingredient Combinations to Promote Weight Loss
According to studies, there’s certain food combinations that can help burn belly fat and lead to overall weight loss. We use these combinations in our healthy smoothie recipes to get the best weight loss results.
- Green apple and nut butter: Apples are chock-full of fiber, a nutrient that can help reduce visceral fat, paired with a healthy dose of nut butter can keep you feel full and aid in vitamin absorption.
- Avocados and spinach: This leafy green that can help you slim down by filling you up and giving you a healthy dose of vitamins K and A.
- Green tea and grapefruit: Blend grapefruit into your smoothie along with a chilled green tea, which contains pectin and polyphenols. Both of which have been proven to help people feel fuller and lose weight, according to a study published in Journal of Medical Food.
- Cacao and almonds: Packed with flavanols, cacao can prevent people from gaining weight, according to a study published in BMJ, and may increase energy expenditure.
- Oats and 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.
Weight Loss Smoothie Recipes FAQs
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 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 then together into a delicious smoothie to consume them easily and effectively.
The best way to get weight loss results is being consistent— and a daily meal replacement smoothie is perfect for that. Swap you 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 replacements is the most effective way to hit your weigh loss goals and maintain them for life.
Fat Burning Smoothie for Weight Loss
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- 4 leaves fresh mint
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- ½ cup green tea cooled
- ½ grapefruit peeled and seeded
- 1 cup pineapple frozen
- ¼ avocado
- dash cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place spinach, mint, celery and green tea into blender.
- Puree until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients.
- Blend again. Best when served chilled.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- 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.
This Smoothie is amazing and works fast on melting fat.
I was wondering if you can you use frozen tropical fruit instead of just pineapple. I can’t find frozen pineapple right now. I am going to start this tomorrow.
I buy fresh pineapple cut it up and flash freeze it. Then I store it in my reusable silicone bag in the freezer to have it ready for smoothies. I try to buy 2 when they go on sale as well. But I go through frozen pineapple quite a bit.
nos sirvio demasiado…….
I love this smoothie! I definitely had to swap out the grapefruit. I used oranges instead. I filled up a ton of mason jars and froze them. Hopefully that’ll work well. I work really early and never have time to make breakfast. Fingers crossed to feel great and shed a few pounds.
Making smoothies ahead is a great help, Jolleen! Freezing in mason jars can get a bit tricky, so be sure not to fill all the way so your smoothie has room to expand when freezing. And keep in mind you’ll need to mix well after thawing. We love making these DIY Freezer Smoothie Packs for a quick way to have a fresher smoothie in the morning. You’ve got this!
Regarding Fat burn Smoothy. I cannot have Grapefruit due to my Medication. Could I substitute Lemon or Lime in this Smoothy.
Hi Michelle- you could swap the grapefruit with lemon to keep the sugars low and the vitamin C high. I love lemon so I could see this being delicious and keeping the smoothie aligned with your health goals. Yet if you aren’t a huge lemon fan, I would probably do half an orange and half a lemon to cut the sourness down a bit.
What can be substituted for grapefruit because it inter acts with a medication I use?
I would suggest using a green apple instead and use a little bit more water. The high fiber content in the apple plus the low sugars will balance the smoothie and still get you the benefits. You could also swap with an orange yet it’ll be sweeter (which isn’t always a bad thing, right?)
Hi there,
I’m not able to find mint for sone reason. Can I swap with anything else?
Ginika
Hi Ginika! Growing your own is a great option, so be sure to check your local garden center for fresh mint plants. 🙂 Swapping in basil could work here – or you could drop in the tiniest amount of a natural peppermint extract or high quality food-grade peppermint oil instead. Let us know what you try and what you thought!
Would this recipe still be good for weight loss if I were to substitute water for the green tea? Also, I am allergic to pineapple, may I please get a suggestion for a substitute? Thanks so much in advance!
Hi Abbey— absolutely. Water is my #1 substitution for all recipes where weight loss is a goal. Instead of pineapple, you could use frozen cherries. That would be my recommendation since cherries are lower on the GI index (won’t spike blood sugar levels and are just insanely delicious.)
I cant have grapefruits due to a medication I take is there something else I can replace the grapefruits with that will work just as well
What are alternative suggestions to replace green tea? My body can’t handle caffeine very well.
I would swap with water for the liquid base to stay hydrated and not add any more calories. The spinach and grapefruit will still help with your metabolism and digestive system, which all promotes healthy weight management.
Honestly tastes like drinking pure bile but will to see if it helps no one said weight loss was easy or tasted good lol
Some people say it’s to bitter but man I’m used to drinking Campari (Italian aperitif) so I think I should be good, I’m gonna try this
Way to much so it’s 2 servings for me
Since these are best served chilled, can I make them ahead?
You can totally make any smoothie ahead and store it in your fridge using a tightly sealed container for up to 24 hours. Just be sure to share well before sipping! 🙂
I really hate the taste of celery. Can it be left out or substituted for something else?
Oooh, we totally have a friend here at SGS that feels the same way about those pale green stalks, Jessie! 🙂 You can leave it out altogether or even opt to add in a touch more spinach and/or mint.
It’s too bitter. Won’t be using grapefruit again.
If you’d like to give it another blend, you could always reduce the amount of grapefruit and increase the pineapple slightly.
Will definitely be trying this
Note to people on blood pressure medication it is not advisable to consume grapefruit ,check with your doctor first and read the p amphlet that comes with medication re grapefruit as it speeds up the rate medication is absorbed in your system.I would strongly advise to avoid grapefruit.
Wow didn’t know that thanks will do
Yes and anyone taking staten drugs and heart medications must avoid taking grapefruit as well.
Great advice Jennifer. Thanks for looking out for your fellow rawkstars! You can swap out the grapefruit for orange or lemon if you need to.
Waaay too much mint. Overpowering. Made it very bitter, for my taste anyway. (And I LOVE mint) Otherwise it was very good! I’ll continue to use the recipe but I recommend starting with 1/2 Tbsp. You can always add more but you can’t take it out. To each his own! Thanks for sharing with one!
This is delicious! I have it for breakfast.
That’s so awesome! Glad you’re blending and loving it!
Hi I have started drinking this I’m on day 3 , just wandering if this amount is to be drunk in one or two servings ? I’ve been drinking it all for breakfast…
Many Thanks
Emma
Hey there Emma – great question! The recipe is 1 – 16 oz.serving, which we consume all at once. So you’re good! Keep up the blending awesomeness and keep us posted on how things go for you!
Am happy for the recipe.
Awesome! Hope you love it as much as we do!