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This cherry vanilla smoothie is diabetes-friendly, but you’d never know it by the taste. It’s creamy, lightly sweet, and incredibly satisfying—without the blood sugar spike. The secret is balance. This smoothie pairs fruit with protein, healthy fats, and fiber to help keep you full, steady, and energized all morning long.
One of the most common questions I get is how to make breakfast smoothies work for blood sugar support. That’s exactly why I created this low-sugar smoothie (and why it’s included in my diabetic-friendly meal plan). It’s designed to fuel your body with intention—so you can enjoy your food and feel good afterward too.
Table of Contents
Diabetic Smoothie Ingredients
I definitely wanted a smoothie that was low in natural fruit sugar yet high in flavor and nutrients. This diabetes smoothie hits all the marks by providing 15 grams of protein, 14 grams of fat and 8 grams of fiber. Here’s what’s in it:
- Unsweetened almond milk: A light, neutral base that keeps added sugars low while blending smoothly.
Buy one of my recommended almond milk brands that are high in protein or learn how to make your own almond milk to avoid an added sugars or gums. - Greek yogurt: Look for one that is full-fat and plain with no sugar added. It might not taste great on its own yet will add creaminess, fat and protein to this smoothie in a seamless way. If you’re vegan, you can try my cashew coconut yogurt.
- Sweet cherries: Naturally sweet with a slightly tart edge. While cherries do contain natural sugar, they are a low-sugar fruit, and pairing them with protein, fat, and fiber helps keep blood sugar more stable. They’re also rich in antioxidants.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and sweetness without added sugar. Always check labels to avoid imitation extracts that include sweeteners.
- Chia seeds + hemp hearts: These small-but-mighty superfoods add fiber, protein, and healthy fats, plus minerals like magnesium that support overall wellness.
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How to Make a Diabetic-Friendly Smoothie
This is one of the reasons I love smoothies—they’re fast, forgiving, and easy. If you’re new to smoothies, check out my recommended blenders for smoothies and my how to make a smoothie guides.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Pour into the glass of your choice and enjoy!
This cherry vanilla smoothie works well as a meal replacement thanks to its protein and fiber content. It’s a simple reminder that diabetes-friendly doesn’t mean boring—it means balanced, intentional, and still delicious.
Ingredient Swaps
Smoothies are meant to be flexible—so use what works best for you:
- No cherries? Frozen strawberries are a great lower-sugar fruit swap and still taste naturally sweet.
- Any unsweetened non-dairy milk works in place of almond milk.
- Swap Greek yogurt for an unsweetened vegan yogurt if needed.
- Use a plant-based protein powder or collagen peptides instead of chia and hemp seeds, or add one alongside them for an extra boost.
- Increase healthy fats by using light coconut milk or adding ¼ avocado.
More Smoothies for Diabetics
While this recipe is one you’ll likely come back to again and again, variety matters—especially when you’re supporting steady blood sugar. Rotating your smoothies helps keep things enjoyable and balanced all month long. Here are a few of my favorite low-sugar options to mix things up:
- Raspberry smoothie: This one tastes like dessert but stays surprisingly low in natural sugar. It’s packed with flavor, and you’d never guess there’s spinach blended in.
- Anti-inflammatory smoothie: A feel-good smoothie designed to support stable glucose while helping calm inflammation. It may look like a green smoothie going in, but it blends into a beautiful deep red.
- Banana oatmeal smoothie: When breakfast needs to be quick and comforting, this sippable oatmeal smoothie hits the spot. It’s hearty, satisfying, and easy to enjoy on busy mornings.
If you make this cherry vanilla diabetic smoothie recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. 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.
Cherry Vanilla Smoothie (Diabetes-Friendly)
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond milk unsweetened
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt plain
- 1 cup sweet cherries frozen
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon hemp hearts
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients until smooth. Stop and scrape down sides of blender as needed.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Helpful Tools
Notes
- To lower the natural sugar from the cherries, swap 1 cup of cherries for 1/2 cup of cherries + 1/2 cup of raspberries. This brings the total sugar per serving to 14g and the total carbs to 28g.
- Add 1 cup of leafy greens like spinach or kale to boost fiber and protein in this smoothie recipe.
- Swap unsweetened almond milk for the unsweetened nut/seed milk of your choice.
- Use at least 1 frozen fruit for a refreshingly cool smoothie.
- Make sure you use plain, unsweetened Greek Yogurt with no added sugar. You can also use the unsweetened, dairy-free yogurt of your choice.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
They can be a great nutritional tool as a snack or meal. Look for smoothie recipes high in protein and fiber and low in natural fruit sugars. Avoid ones with fruit juice as the base and feel free to add leafy greens into any smoothie you consume.
Use whole foods, mostly fruits and vegetables. Focus on low-sugar fruits and try to add as much protein and fiber as you can to help your body easily process the natural sugar from the fruit. Consume a smoothie after eating something savory, and listen to your body! Smoothies are great ways to add nutrition, yet your body will tell you the best time of day to consume one to do the most good.
It all comes down to what is in the smoothie, and when you consume it, to determine if it is a good fit for you. Smoothies low in natural sugar and high in protein and fiber can be great options for people with diabetes. Blueberries are a great low-sugar fruit to include in a smoothie, along with several other kinds of berries.
Very tasty tho I used strawberries reg milk but it still was very good
Hi Alyson! I’m glad you gave this one a try! I bet the strawberries were great in this one.
I’ve recently been diagnosed with prediabetes. I found this smoothie recipe… And 10/10. I love that it’s balanced with some healthy carbs and protein. I do add a bit more vanilla in mine because I love the taste. I also don’t have hemp hearts, so I’ve just been using chia seeds (which I soak beforehand for a smoother texture). I’m wondering what it would taste like with a little bit of cocoa powder in it… Chocolate cherry sounds delicious too. I’m looking forward to trying more recipes from simple green smoothies!
Definitely give it a try with some cocoa powder, you can’t go wrong with making this recipe “your own”!
I love all your diabetic friendly recipes. Making my grocery list for tomorrow right now. Excited to get started on my daily yummy healthy smoothies. Thank you for posting all the info.
You’re so welcome. Let us know how it’s been going for you.
This cherry vanilla smoothie I could drink forever
OMG this is a keeper. I was looking for a good lunchtime smoothie to have after a workout and wanted one that wasn’t super sugary… This is perfect! The yogurt and cherries blend well together and I add in some protein powder to keep me full.
Hi! The addition of protein powder is genius, definitely helps keep you fuller longer! Be sure to check out our homemade protein powder recipe!
Amazing! Just like all of the recipes that I’ve tried.
Hi Lani! Thanks so much for the awesome review, keep rawkin’!