The Best Keto Smoothie Recipes
Can you drink smoothies on the keto diet?
You might think going keto means you can’t enjoy your morning smoothie anymore. Too many carbs and too much fruit and sweet, sweet mixers for the ketogenic diet, right? WRONG! You absolutely can still drink smoothies on a keto diet, you just need to know what to use and how to customize them.
What is the keto diet?
The ketogenic (keto) diet means specifically eating foods that are super high in fat (YES you read that correctly), foods super low in carbohydrates, and a moderate amount of protein. Here’s how that breaks down on a daily basis:
- Fats: 75-80% of your daily calories
- Protein: 15-20% of your daily calories
- Net Carbs: Less than 5% of your daily calories
Obviously, this looks pretty different than the commonly recommended macronutrient distribution of of 20 to 35 percent protein, 45 to 65 percent carbohydrates, and 10 to 35 percent fat! But there’s an important reason for that: Ketosis.
Keto smoothie flavors: The good, the bad and the unexpected
The issue we see a lot of people say they have with keto smoothies is the flavor – and we totally get it! If you’re not used to keto products, have just started the keto or low-carb diet and are starting to cut sugars…keto products in general just taste different than you’re used to.
Some people aren’t used to the slightly different flavors of monkfruit and zero-sugar sweeteners, some people expect more sweetness than keto products deliver, and some people just plain old don’t like it!
BUT, don’t give up just yet! Even when you’re keto, smoothies can be an efficient, on-the-go refreshing, nutrient-packed way to get even more fruits and veggies into your diet in a delicious way. Keto smoothie recipes may just need a little more finesse to get them to taste just right (for you).
In this post, we’re going to go over all the different mix-ins and additions you can use to make your keto smoothie recipes taste as amazing as they are good for you! Also, check out How to Make the Best Keto Smoothie Bowls.
Which liquids are best for making a keto smoothie recipe?
Obviously, you don’t just have to be careful with fruit(s) on a keto diet…you’ve got to put a little more thought into what you mix with your whole ingredients when you’re making a keto smoothie recipe. Here are some of the best, most versatile mix-ins for your keto smoothie:
Plant-based milks for keto smoothies
The key with plant-based milks for your keto-friendly smoothies is UNSWEETENED. Choose nut or plant-based milks that do not have any added sugar to make sure you keep those net carbs and sugars down!
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Coconut milk
- Macadamia nut milk
- Flax milk
- Soy milk
- Cashew milk
- Pea milk
- Hemp milk
Safe dairy milks for your keto smoothie
You can also use some animal dairy products in keto smoothies, but it’s much more limited. Because milk contains a lot of sugar and net carbs, you have to be careful. Half-and-half and heavy cream are keto-friendly milk options.
Coconut milk or coconut water
Is Coconut Milk keto? YES! Coconut milk is absolutely a great part of the keto diet. Plus, coconut milk, coconut oil or MCT oil have been shown to have a beneficial effect on your health in so many ways.
Vegetable juice is a great option
While fruit juice is generally not the best choice for keto smoothie blending, juiced vegetables on the other hand can be a great choice! Again, choose a keto-friendly vegetable, but if you choose one that’s low in net carbs, you can easily use this to make your green keto smoothie even more green! Still, keep in mind that juicing removes most of the nutritious fiber from the veggies unless you choose to drink the pulp.
Here are some of the best keto-friendly vegetables to use in a green keto smoothie:
But what if you don’t have a juicer? Well, you’re in luck, due to the recent rise in keto popularity, there are store-bought juices available. Just be sure to check the label on bottled veggie juice – sometimes they can pack more sugar than you think, or be mixed with other, higher-carb juices to boost flavor.
Add tea to your smoothies for an antioxidant boost
While it might not be the first thing you think of, tea is actually a GREAT natural option that contains almost literally no carbs! Tea generally has less than 1 gram of net carbs per cup, and is packed with antioxidants, making it a perfect keto smoothie recipe addition.
- Black tea: Made from aged tea leaves, giving it a more robust flavor, darker color, and higher caffeine content, black tea gives you a great energy boost.
- Green tea: This tea is made from fresh tea leaves, lending it a more floral flavor, lighter color, and less caffeine.
- White tea: This tea is made from young tea leaves ad has a very mild, delicate flavor when compared with both black and green tea both black and green tea.
Plus, tea is calorie-free + packed with antioxidants. Green tea is rich in epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a powerful antioxidant that might actually have legitimate anticancer benefits anticancer benefits.
Coffee and cold brew are tasty options with an energy boost
Coffee is another tasty, nearly calorie- and carb-free favorite for blending keto smoothies! Like tea, coffee or cold brew are both great options that can add a lot of flavor to your smoothie subscription as well as tons of antioxidants.
Plus, coffee (like tea) has caffeine, which may give your metabolism a boost. Coffee is also rich in chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant that helps with weight loss.
Other additions to make your keto smoothie recipe extra-tasty
Apart from liquid ingredients, there are tons of other things you can add to your keto smoothie to keep it low-carb but even more delicious:
Add a little more low carb fruit
While most fruits are also packed with sugar and carbs, there are some great fruits you can throw in your keto smoothie to really boost the flavor and add nutrients while a low net carbs per serving.
Here are some of the best berries to add to your keto smoothie recipes:
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Strawberries
Add some superfood toppings
Superfoods are foods that can add high amounts of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals to your keto smoothie, while adding their own yummy textures and flavors. Here are some of our low carb favorites:
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Cacao nibs
- Coconut
- Spirulina
- Matcha
- Chlorella
- Wheatgrass
If you want to take the guesswork out of it, Blendtopia keto smoothie kits come already packed and pre-blended with superfoods to make getting these benefits super easy and quick!
Low carb sugars or keto sweetener
Is your keto smoothie not sweet enough? If you want to boost the sweetness, there absolutely are ways to increase the sweetness without increasing net carbs per serving and sugar. To make a smoothie that is almost as good as a milkshake, add a keto-friendly, zero-sugar sweetener. Our favorites are:
- Stevia
- Monk fruit
- Swerve or erythritol
Other spices and flavors for your keto smoothie recipes
You might not always reach for them when making a smoothie, but spices and flavors can seriously boost your smoothie’s deliciousness, without adding net carbs or sugar! Some great ingredients you probably already have in your cabinet are:
- Unsweetened Cocoa powder
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Mint, almond, or vanilla extract
Healthy fats for health benefits and flavor
The keto diet is all about fats. Fats make sure you feel fuller, longer, and help support ketosis. But fats can also add a creamy, delicious texture to your keto smoothie recipe! When making your next keto smoothie, try adding one of these sources of healthy fat to help you feel full and add flavor:
- Nut butters
- Coconut oil or MCT oil
- Avocados
Blendtopia superfood smoothie kits
Did you know that Blendtopia has pre-portioned, organic keto-friendly smoothies? No it's not too good to be true, we saw the need for low-carb, low-sugar smoothies and decided we couldn't wait! We launched three superfood low-carb keto smoothies that are ready to blend + sip in about 30 minutes!
Blendtopia’s keto smoothie line has some serious perks, check it out:
- Low-carb
- Low-sugar
- Keto-certified
- Vegan
- Organic
- Non-GMO
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Our new smoothie blends come in three different flavors you can't resist and while only adding 5-6 net carbs per serving:
Keto Berry: Tastes like a berry lemonade!
Keto Green: Tastes like coconut-cucumber water spiked with ginger + lemon.
Keto Chocolate Chai: Tastes like the chocolate chai latte of your dreams!
Blendtopia keto smoothie recipes + blending recommendations
We’ve come up with some seriously delicious ways to level-up our keto smoothies to keep you coming back for more. What’s the secret? It’s ALL in how you blend them so check out our top tips for blending our new keto smoothies + we’re sharing some new ‘staff pick fav’ recipes that you’ll absolutely fall in love with!
Blendtopia Keto Chocolate Chai Smoothie Kit
Our top picks for blending include:
Keto-friendly blending liquid suggestions include: unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or cold brew + any plant-based milk.
Additional non-keto blending liquid suggestions include (for those not following a keto diet): almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, cold brew + any milk of choice, any chocolate milk of choice.
STAFF PICK RECIPE: Keto cold-brew chocolate “milkshake”
This chocolate/coffee smoothie will give you a boost while making you feel like you’re indulging in a chocolate milkshake!
Ingredients:
- 1 Blendtopia Keto Chocolate Chai smoothie kit
- 8 fl oz cold brew coffee
- 4-6 fl oz unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp natural vanilla extract (or a scoop of vanilla protein powder)
- 2 tsp cacao powder
Toppings:
- 1 tsp cacao nibs
- Sprinkle of coconut
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
Blend your cold brew and almond milk with your keto chocolate chai smoothie kit until smooth. Add in your vanilla extract (or sub with vanilla protein powder). Top with cacao nibs, coconut and cinnamon and enjoy!
Blendtopia Keto Green Smoothie Kit
Our top picks for blending include:
Keto-friendly blending liquid suggestions include: zero calorie lemonade, unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, cactus water, cucumber water or green tea.
Additional non-keto blending liquid suggestions include (for those not following a keto diet): lemonade, coconut water, almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or any other milk of choice.
STAFF PICK RECIPE: Matcha green tea smoothie
Get your matcha fix and your greens at the same time.
Ingredients:
- 1 Blendtopia Keto Green smoothie kit
- 1 tsp matcha powder
- 1 scoop of keto protein powder
- 12-14 fl oz unsweetened almond milk
Blend together until smooth and enjoy!
Blendtopia Keto Berry Smoothie Kit
Our top picks for blending include:
Keto-friendly blending liquid suggestions include: zero calorie lemonade, unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, cactus water, cucumber water or green tea.
Additional non-keto blending liquid suggestions include (for those not following a keto diet): lemonade, coconut water, almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or any other milk of choice.
STAFF PICK RECIPE: Strawberry lemonade freeze
The perfect cold treat for a hot summer day! This amps up the lemon flavor of our keto smoothie kit and adds a few more berries.
Ingredients:
- 1 Blendtopia Keto Berry smoothie kit
- 6 fl oz water
- 6-8 fl oz lemonade (or if you’re keto, zero calorie lemonade) - try strawberry or raspberry lemonade
- ¾ cup strawberries
Toppings:
- Lemon zest
- Coconut
- Blend together until smooth and enjoy!
Conclusion
If you're looking for more reading on keto, we've got some good ones for you!
- How to Make a Healthy Smoothie
- The BEST Smoothie Bowl Toppings
- Keto 101: A Beginner's Guide to the Keto Diet
- Lose Weight and Keep it off With These Healthy Smoothie Recipes
- How to Make a Smoothie Sweeter
- Smoothie Delivery
- Low Carb Smoothie Love
- Easy Keto Breakfast Ideas
What's your favorite way to eat avocado? Leave your comments below! Be sure to come follow Blendtopia on Facebook to stay connected, and follow us on Pinterest to get even more ideas for maintaining your mental, physical, and emotional wellness.