Now that you know smoothies are good for breakfast, you’re probably wondering how to make a breakfast smoothie. It’s easy to think that the more ingredients you throw into your smoothie, the better it is for you. After all, the ingredients are all healthy, right? Well, this method can be a bit reckless in that it risks loading your smoothie up with calories, sugar and fat. To avoid this, ensure that fruit pulp or pureed fruit or vegetables make up at least 50% of the smoothie. The best way to do this is to stick to a recipe with a pre-balanced mix of solid and liquid ingredients, avoiding isolated nutrients or added sugar. 

A healthy breakfast smoothie’s sweetness should come from fresh or frozen fruit, rather than sweetened yogurt or juice from concentrate. If you need an additional sweetness kick, try natural sugars like agave syrup, honey or maple syrup. But try not to use these natural sweeteners too much, as they too contain sugar. If you’re looking for more sweetness from a fruit source, dates are a great way to sweeten your breakfast fruit smoothie.

To ensure filling breakfast smoothies, add a source of protein. This could be low-fat milk, for example, or Greek yogurt or plant-based milk. Fiber is mainly found in fruits and vegetables, while citrus fruits can be good sources of vitamin C. Luckily, the following seven breakfast smoothies contain a healthy and balanced mix of vitamins and minerals.*