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Weight loss smoothies, especially those featuring low-calorie greens and nutrient dense ingredients, are scientifically proven to boost metabolism and burn fat for a leaner body. My own experience with fat-burning smoothies began after having two kids back to back. I struggled to lose weight due to stress eating and fatigue and decided to overhaul my breakfast.
I replaced my bagel and cream cheese breakfast with a nutrient-dense, fiber-rich smoothie to get natural energy boost that motivated me to exercise. In just one week of having a fat-burning smoothie each day— I saw encouraging results. Some days, I’d have two smoothies as a meal replacement because I loved the flavors, how I felt and seeing the weight loss on the scale. I’ve used scientifically proven ingredients in each smoothie recipe to decrease body fat and reveal a healthier and leaner body.
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. Smoothies can be a simple meal replacement on a busy day, helping to avoid less healthy, on-the-go choices. Here’s a few tips when making smoothies to help you lose weight:
- 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.
I started having this fat-burning smoothie 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 the healthiest smoothies to lose weight (that’s what led to me becoming a food blogger). Now I get to show you how to blend my favorite smoothie recipes for weight loss to help you achieve your goals.
Sign up for my free Smoothie Challenge to get a 5-day smoothie plan, grocery list and tasty smoothie recipes to support your weight loss goals. If you wanna go even farther, join my 21-Day Plant-Based Cleanse.
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
According to scientific 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 fat-burning smoothies 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, while nut butter adds healthy fats that keep you feeling full and support vitamin absorption.
- Avocados and 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 and 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 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.
How to Make a Fat-Burning Smoothie
I’ve tried so many fat-burning smoothies, and while I love a lot of them, this one is hands-down my favorite. It’s packed with metabolism-boosting greens, fiber, and fat-burning 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.
10 Fat-Burning Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss
These fat-burning smoothie recipes for weight loss are low-calorie recipes to nourish your body while boosting the metabolism. 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
This is the best fat-burning smoothie to lose weight, thanks to some serious metabolism-boosting nutrition with 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 frozen peaches, which are low in sugar, and you’ve got yourself a high-protein smoothie for breakfast.
Apple Celery Smoothie
275 calories | 19 g fiber
The 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 are all included for weight-loss benefits.
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.
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!
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 tbsp 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.
Equipment
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.
Got a kick to it from the grapefruit but I like it! I will update on weight loss in a week or two. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi, update please??!!
I was surprised how much I like this smoothie. It has become part of my morning routine. It’s a good, refreshing smoothie.
What can I substitute the grapefruit with? I can’t use because of blood pressure meds.
Hey Melanie – great question! Since we’re talking about interactions with medications, I can’t recommend replacing with another citrus fruit, but you can def omit the grapefruit altogether. There may be a different smoothie that’s great for weight loss that you could try. How do you feel about chocolate? Chocolate Weight Loss Smoothie
Just tried this smoothie. It was wonderful! Definitely gave me a boost to start my day.
I swapped the celery for cucumber and added 3/4 tbs of milled chai seeds and 1/2 tbs of milled flaxseed, almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts &CoQ10.
I like it, except for the bitterness from the grapefruit (i’ll try and use just the segments next time) and I don’t like mint. Can I swap the mint for another herb or reduce it?
That sounds delish! Def try just the grapefruit segments as the pith is bitter, however its full of fiber and vitamin C so it can be a balancing act. As for a mint swap you can def try it’s cousin basil. You could also try one of many other varieties of mint, such as spearmint, apple mint or pineapple mint. Let us know which is your fav!
Wow just tried it this morning and it is super good! Added 1/2 tbs of chia seeds and of linseeds and 1/2 tbs of coconut oil! Feels like I am at the beach this morning! Thank you
You need to soak the linseed overnight otherwise you will damage your intestine’s membrane in the long run.
I found these page educative for someone like me.
I never leave reviews on anything but I really feel like I needed to on this! I really wasn’t sure what it would taste like and must admit, I was pretty apprehensive, however I was absolutely blown away! It was delicious!! Slightly bitter from the grapefruit (I assume) but not in a bad way! It tasted sooo refreshing and filled me up right through until the evening (in my job, I very often skip lunch so tried this as a replacement), and curbed my snacking habits! Now I’ll just give it a few weeks to see how it aids me in my weight loss journey! Thank you so much for this lovely recipe!
I call that SUCCESS! Way to try it even if you weren’t sure about it!
I really want to try this recipe however I am allergic to avocados! Do you have any suggestions on a healthy fat alternative? I love my healthy fats and don’t want to lose them completely! Thank you!
So sorry you’re allergic avocados, however you can def replace it with any other healthy fat such as coconut oil, cashews, flaxseeds, Chia seeds, and olive oil.
Hi what can I use instead of pineapple as I’m allergic to it
Hey Angela, That’s a great question! I would recommend oranges, mangos or peaches (depending on the smoothie). For the Fat Burning Smoothie, I think I’d go with oranges if you like a lot of citrus or peaches if you want to limit the extra citrus. We have a great Rawkstar Substitution Guide that makes amazing recommendations for these exact situations. Check it out —-> Rawkstar Substitution Guide
This smoothie is great ,I also add in a dash of ceylon cinnamon for extra fat burn boost.
Excited to begin. However, can I make alot and store for a few days or does it need to be blended daily?
Thank you.
YAY! If you’re going to blend them ahead of time, I’d def recommend freezing them. The max I keep mine in the fridge is a day.
This looks really good but I don’t like mint or pineapple are there any replacements.
Super duper tantalizing… Tempting treats for the tastebuds without iota of guilt
Now the three star not you’re fault I would try it but where I am the ingredients are to expensive I will try it if I can though thank you
Why would you even leave a review if you didn’t even attempt to make it or try it? Please delete, this is completely unfair to the OP.
The reviews is for the recommended smoothie recipe. Not because you find the ingredients too expensive. It’s not fair to the editor.
Silly review, which should be deleted. The title is not “A Cheap Fat Burning Smoothy”
I’ve tried about 15 different smoothie recipes on here so far, but this is the one I keep coming back to. It is so good!
I love finding a reliable fave! Glad you found yours!
Hi, can I just have the smoothies and no solid food meals?
The most smoothies we recommend in a day is two and that is combined with a couple of nutritional snacks and a healthy meal.
Anything I can substitute grapefruit with? Can’t take with high blood pressure meds, even though I love them.
Melanie, I think I’d go with oranges if you like a lot of citrus or peaches if you want to limit the extra citrus. We have a great Rawkstar Substitution Guide that makes amazing recommendations for these exact situations. Check it out —-> Rawkstar Substitution Guide. Def check with your health care provider if you have any questions.
Love the smoothie! It’s really a life saver! Will definitely make it again.
The Nutrition label listed below is that for one serving?
Yes, this recipe and nutrition info is written for 1 – 16 oz serving. Great question!
How many shakes do I need to have per day? Do I just choose one from the recipes and have one in the morning, or is this intended for multiple times per day?
We think 1 smoothie per day is a great habit, Hailee. At most, we replace two meals per day with green meal replacement smoothies – yet that’s during a shorter period of cleansing. Regular plant forward meals for your other two meals are best when rawkin a 1 green smoothie a day habit. 🙂
Can you replace water with almond milk
Great question Shari! You can def swap in some almond milk here. Yet, please be aware it will change things like the calorie and healthy fat content. The result will be a slightly thicker, ‘smoother’ smoothie.