Discover delicious and nutritious smoothie add-ins that will take your blends to the next level! From ginger to spirulina, find out what you can mix in for a perfect boost.
Looking to jazz up your smoothie recipes with some surprising and nutrient-packed add-ins?
Beyond the usual kale, spinach, bananas, and berries, I’ve discovered some unique ingredients that not only boost flavor but also pack a nutritional punch. From seeds and powders to unexpected fruits and veggies, these additions can transform your smoothie game.
Here are ten smoothie add-ins that I love and highly recommend you try. Experiment with these to find your perfect blend!
Read my article about smoothie ratio with practical tips to help you consistently create the best smoothies.
1. Ginger
Fresh ginger is a popular ingredient in many recipes because of its unique flavors and nutritional properties. Adding it to smoothies helps to enhance the flavors of your drink.
I love the taste and smell of fresh ginger, so much so that I have even tried to grow ginger at home, which turns out is much easier than you may think.
Go ahead and try to add a bit of ginger to your next smoothie. The extra flavors are delicious, and the benefits of ginger are plentiful.
2. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are super tiny, but they pack a punch when it comes to nutritional value. In fact, they are among the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
Two tablespoons of chia seeds contain roughly three times more iron and magnesium than a handful of spinach, twice the fiber of a cup of oatmeal, as much calcium as half a glass of milk, and about as much potassium as a small banana. Chia seeds are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
What’s great about chia seeds is that you can easily add them to things like yogurt and desserts, but also to smoothies.
Be careful, though, when adding these tiny seeds to smoothies. When soaked in liquid, they turn into a gel-type texture and can quickly make your smoothie too thick.
3. Honey
Good quality honey is rich in antioxidants, and can offer a pleasant sweet taste to a smoothie.
Using a bit of honey is an easy way to add sweetness to your smoothie. This is especially useful when you have a smoothie recipe with mostly vegetables.
But don’t use too much honey, as it can quickly become the dominant flavor. Honey’s sweetness is very different from that of fruit.
4. Spirulina
Spirulina is one of the most popular and perhaps most hyped-up health foods in recent times. Some say it’s a fad that will slowly disappear, while others say it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.
With 58g protein per 100g, dried spirulina is a popular source of protein for vegans. Spirulina is also a great source of iron, magnesium, potassium, and various B vitamins.
To take advantage of these nutrients, I often add a teaspoon of spirulina powder to my green smoothies.
Even in powder form, spirulina has a strong seaweed flavor, so be gentle when adding it to your smoothies.
5. Avocado Seeds
Avocado seeds? Yes! When I eat an avocado, I often keep the seed for use in my next smoothie.
Rich in antioxidants, fiber, and other nutrients, avocado seeds are edible. And one easy way to consume them is by blending them with fruits and veggies.
The best way to remove the seed from the avocado is to cut it in half around the circumference. Then either insert a knife into the seed and pull it out or use a spoon to lift it.
I usually add one whole avocado seed straight into my Vitamix blender, as I know it will easily crush it. If you have a less powerful blender in your kitchen, try to cut the seed in half to make it easier to blend.
6. Protein Powder
Protein is an essential nutrient that functions as one of the building blocks of body tissue. With a regular diet, we should be able to get enough protein to function properly.
However, depending on our lifestyles and habits, whey protein supplements can be useful for helping our bodies recover more quickly from heavy workouts.
The quickest way to consume protein powder is to mix it with water, but I often add a teaspoon to my smoothie if I feel that my body could use a bit more protein.
When using protein supplements, it’s recommended to choose natural whey protein powder that doesn’t contain any extra, unwanted ingredients.
7. Almonds
Also known as “the king of nuts”, almonds offer many nutrients, such as vitamin A, vitamin E, manganese, copper, fiber, protein, and omega-3s.
Despite their fat content, almonds are not fattening, and they fit well in a weight loss diet. Another advantage is that almonds contain very little sugar.
Almonds are my favorite snack in the afternoon. They are healthy work snacks that satisfy my taste buds and prevent me from resorting to conventional snacks.
But almonds are also one of my favorite smoothie add-ins. Depending on the other ingredients, almonds give my smoothies a good texture and add nutritional benefits.
8. Green Tea
Most green smoothie recipes require at least some water to be blendable. But instead of water, you could try adding green tea.
There are two ways you can add green tea to your smoothies. You can either add freshly made green tea or some Matcha green tea powder.
Matcha is a finely ground powder of green tea, mainly produced and grown in Japan. In their last stages of growth, green tea leaves are placed in a shaded environment before harvesting.
Protection against sunlight increases the levels of chlorophyll and amino acids. The leaves are then ground to produce a fine powder.
9. Egg Shells
Did you know that eggshells consist of 95% calcium carbonate? Their makeup is very similar to our bones and teeth, making them an excellent calcium supplement.
One effective way of consuming egg shells is in a powdered form, but it’s essential to clean the shells properly before consumption.
I have been adding small amounts of powdered eggshells to my green smoothies for a while now, and it seems to work nicely. But moderation is key, as too much calcium is not good for you.
10. Turmeric
Turmeric is part of the ginger family and comes in two different colors, white and yellow. The yellow version is the most common type of turmeric.
Native to India and often referred to as “Indian saffron”, yellow turmeric has brown/yellow skin and orange/yellow flesh. It smells a bit like a mix of ginger and orange with a peppery and bitter flavor.
Turmeric supplements in powder form are created by boiling, drying, and grinding the root. I love adding a teaspoon of turmeric to my smoothies. It certainly isn’t for everyone, as the flavors can be pretty dominating, but it’s worth trying.
