No Fruit Smoothie (High Protein)

Today I am happy to share my personally created and tested recipe for a no fruit smoothie. This recipe would suit someone who is trying to cut down on sugar, even fruit sugar!

The reason why I created this recipe is because I have a friend who has IBS and has really bad flare-ups from fruit. As a gesture, I created a recipe for her, that contains no fruit.

She loved it, and to be honest, I loved it too, even though I do like to add fruit to my smoothies. The only downside to having smoothies with no fruit in them is that they are not as sweet as regular fruit smoothies.

I did add a touch of honey for sweetness, but the sugar in honey isn’t as healthy as fruit sugar.

Nevertheless, if you are someone who has been looking for a smoothie recipe without fruit, you have come to the right place!

Can You Make a Smoothie Without Fruit

Smoothies are often associated with fruit, and it is mostly true, most smoothies are indeed made with fruit.

However, that doesn’t mean that all smoothies should be made with fruit. A smoothie can definitely be made without fruit, and there are so many benefits to this!

A study was conducted that showed people who consumed 17% to 21% of their calories in the form of sugar had a 38% increased risk of heart disease. 

This is obviously more about added sugar, such as white processed sugar than fruit sugar, but overconsumption of fruit sugar also has its downsides. 

So, many people choose to cut down on sugar, even fruit sugar, which is why it can be beneficial for some individuals to make smoothies without fruits.

Fruit Smoothies VS. No Fruit Smoothies Sugar Comparison

Now, I would like to make a general comparison between the sugar contents of a fruit smoothie and a none fruit smoothie.

	No Fruit Smoothie	Standard Fruit Smoothie
Carbohydrates:	25g	60g
Sugar:	18g	40g

Based on the table above, it is clear that fruit smoothies contain much more sugar and carbohydrates than a none fruit smoothies.

The reason why the no fruit smoothie contains sugar is that, for this particular example, I added 1 tablespoon of honey to the non-fruit smoothie, which obviously adds sugar.

But still, adding a tablespoon of honey barely touches the surface compared to a regular fruit smoothie.

How Do You Make a Smoothie Thicker Without Fruit?

Most fruit smoothies can get thickness from fruits such as bananas, so how do you thicken a smoothie without fruit?

It’s actually quite easy to thicken a smoothie without fruit. You can use yogurt, ice, frozen cauliflower,  oats, chia seeds, and nut butters.

But this is not the whole list, there are many other ways too.

How To Make a Smoothie Without Fruit

Making a peanut butter smoothie without fruit couldn’t be easier.

Here is how to make a this beverage without any fruit:

• Gather your ingredients: 1 tbsp of peanut butter, 1 handful of spinach, 1 scoop of protein powder, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp chia seeds 100-200ml almond milk, 1 tbsp honey.
• Add the ingredients to the blender: Start by adding the spinach first, followed by the rest of the ingredients.
• Blend: For about 3-5 minutes, until completely smooth. Adjust the thickness by adding more liquid if needed
• Serve!

Substitutions and Variations

There are many ways you can make a protein smoothie without fruit. Here are some optional substitutions and variations of this drink:

• For a totally sugar free smoothie, do not add honey, and make sure you use unsweetened peanut butter and protein powder.
• If you don’t like protein powders, you can substitute the protein powder for oats, and add an extra tablespoon of peanut butter!
• You can replace the spinach with a 1/4 avocado if you don’t have or don’t like spinach.
• If you don’t like yogurt, or you are dairy free, you can use 1/2 avocado or a dairy-free yogurt alternative. 

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