This high-carb smoothie is a great and natural way of getting energy, without any crashes.
A high-carb diet is particularly useful for people who are looking to gain weight or gym enthusiasts.
If you are a gym goer, this smoothie is perfect for a pre-workout or post-workout to charge you up or restore energy.
Print
EASY High-Carb Smoothie
Indulge in a nutritious delight with our High-Carb Smoothie, a delicious blend of fruits, veggies, and energy-boosting ingredients for a vibrant, satisfying sip.
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups frozen banana slices
- 1/2 cup of frozen pineapple chunks
- 3 tbsp of fat-free yogurt
- 1 handful of spinach (washed)
- 2 pitted dates
- 1 tsp of honey
- 1 cup low fat milk
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients as described in the ingredients list.
- Add all the ingredients starting with the spinach and dates to a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth.
- Typically, blending for about 3-4 minutes is enough to achieve the perfect consistency.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*For smoothie benefits, recipe notes, and more, scroll down!
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Category: Smoothie
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 smoothie
- Calories: 496
- Sugar: 85g
- Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 112g
- Fiber: 11g
- Protein: 13g
What Can I Add To My Smoothie For Carbs?
It’s really easy to add carbs to your smoothies because most smoothies are made using fruit, and most fruit contains carbs.
Here’s a list of the best ingredients to add carbs to your smoothies:
- Sweet Fruits (bananas, cherries, pears, pineapple, grapes)
- Sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, and date syrup.
- Dried fruit (dates, figs, raisins, apricots, etc)
- Sweet Potatoes
- Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans, etc)
- Oats
- Yogurt
- Granola
And the list goes on!
Most of us consume too many carbs but in the wrong form. Most Americans get their carbs from highly processed added sugars or refined flours, such as from pastries, cakes, or bread for example.
Not all carbohydrates are bad, for example, the carbs you get from eating fruit are not bad for you.
So, if you need a boost of energy and healthy carbs, drinking a high-carb smoothie is the perfect choice!
High Carb Smoothie Benefits:
Having energy is key to performing your daily tasks without constantly feeling the need for a nap. Carbs, especially from quality sources can help you feel energized.
But, let’s break down the benefits of drinking a high-carb shake:
- High in Fiber: The banana and dates used in the carb smoothie contribute to a high fiber content, aiding digestion.
- Antioxidant Boost: Antioxidants help combat oxidative stress.
- Bone Health: The smoothie contains calcium and vitamin D which keeps your bones healthy.
- Energizing: High in carbohydrates for a quick energy boost, making it great for pre or post-workouts.
- Promotes Satiety: The combination of fiber, protein, and healthy fats can help keep you full longer.
- Aids Weight Gain: The smoothie is high in calories and carbs, making it ideal for people looking to bulk up or gain weight.
And so many more other benefits!
I recommend that you also try my post workout shake and my pre-workout shake recipe!
Changes You Can Make To This Recipe
In case you want to use different ingredients, or achieve a slightly different-tasting smoothie, I have left some options for you below:
- If you don’t like drinking milk, you can substitute it for a dairy-free alternative, such as oat milk.
- For a vegan high-carb smoothie, replace the yogurt with a vegan alternative and the honey for maple or agave syrup. As for the milk, use oat or almond milk instead of dairy milk.
- Instead of dates, you can use any other dried fruit of choice. Roughly a small handful of other dried fruit will equal the two large dates.
- Instead of pineapple, using berries or mango are both tasty substitutes.
- Bananas are a great source of carbs and energy, but if you dislike the taste of bananas, use mango instead of banana. The quantity should be roughly 1 cup.
Community Commonly Asked Questions And Answers
My social media profiles blew up when I published this recipe. Some of my followers include bodybuilders, so they had plenty of questions for me.
Below I have left some of the most common questions I got and their answers:
Are Smoothies Good For Carb Loading?
Smoothies are an excellent choice if you are carb-loading. The reason for this, is because smoothies contain mostly healthy sources of carbohydrates. These include: carbs from fruit, grains, vegetables and other sources. Another benefit of carb loading with smoothies is the nutrients and vitamins you can get at the same time from drinking smoothies. If you compare a carb-heavy smoothie to white bread for example, the nutritional values are much different. You get much more health benefits from the smoothie, than the bread.
When Is The Best Time To Drink This Smoothie To Bulk?
The best time to drink this high carbohydrate smoothie is before a workout. It will energize you, and provide you with sustained energy. If you have very extensive workouts, drink 1 smoothie before and 1 smoothie after the workout in order to bulk up.
Can I Meal Prep The Smoothie?
Yes, the smoothie can be made in advance. Do note that the texture and taste might be slightly impacted after 24 hours have passed, but it is still delicious.
How Many High Carb Shakes Should I Drink a Day?
Generally, if you are bulking or exercising a lot, it is best to drink 2 of those high carb smoothies a day. Each serving contains 400 calories and 60g of carb, which is enough to help you bulk up and get plenty of energy.
More Bulking Smoothie Recipes:
1.Weight Gain Smoothies
2. Peanut Butter And Banana Bulk Smoothie
3. 3000 Calorie Shake