How to Use Beans in Smoothies (Plus Recipes)

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If you’re looking for a way to add more protein and fiber to your smoothies, then you should try using beans. Beans are a great source of both protein and fiber, and they also have other beneficial nutrients that can help improve your health.

In this article, we’ll discuss the best beans to use in smoothies and we’ll also provide some recipes for you to try.

Are Beans Good in Smoothies?

Beans make great additions to smoothies because they are high in nutrients, including protein and fiber, but many people can’t stand beans. There are many beans I really can’t bring myself to eat, but baked in brownies or blended in a smoothie they are great!

Beans make creamy dips and other foods, and they also make creamy smoothies. Use white beans or chickpeas for vanilla or fruit flavored smoothies and black beans for chocolate smoothies.

While most people think of nut butter such as almond butter or peanut butter to be the best way to add protein without protein powder, try adding beans to your smoothies instead. Greek yogurt and nut butter aren’t the only proteins to add!

Benefits of Putting Beans in Smoothies

Beans are a great source of both protein and fiber, which are two nutrients that are important for good health. Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair, while fiber is important for digestion and keeping you feeling full.

In addition to protein and fiber, beans also contain other nutrients that can benefit your health. For example, beans are a good source of iron, which is important for carrying oxygen in your blood. They’re also a good source of folate, which is important for pregnant women to prevent birth defects.

So, as you can see, there are many reasons why beans would be a good addition to your smoothies. Not only do they provide protein and fiber, but they also offer other health benefits.

What Are the Best Beans to Use in Smoothies?

There are three types of beans that work well in smoothies: white beans, black beans, and chickpeas.

White Beans

White beans are the best type of bean to use in vanilla and fruit smoothies because they’re very creamy and have a neutral flavor. You can use any type of white bean, such as navy beans, great northern beans, or cannellini beans.

Black Beans

Black beans are the best type of bean to use in chocolate smoothies because they have a rich, chocolatey flavor. Black beans are also very creamy, so they’ll make your smoothie nice and thick.

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are a good option for vanilla or fruit smoothies because they’re fairly neutral in flavor and they’re also creamy. Chickpeas are also a good source of iron, so they’re a good choice if you’re looking to boost your iron intake.

Should You Use Canned or Dry Beans in Smoothies?

Canned beans are the best type of bean to use in smoothies because they’re already cooked and they’re easy to use. Just open up a can of beans, drain and rinse them (VERY important!), and then add them to your blender.

If you want to use dried beans, you’ll need to soak them overnight and then cook them before adding them to your smoothie. This can be a bit of a hassle, so we recommend sticking with canned beans, but it is cheaper if you wish to save some money.

Personally I don’t find dried beans to be worth the hassle when canned beans aren’t expensive, even organic ones.

How to Add Beans to Your Smoothies

Now that you know the best beans to use in smoothies and the benefits of adding beans, let’s get into how you can actually add them to your smoothies.

The best way to add beans to your smoothies is to simply add a can of drained and rinsed beans to your blender along with the rest of your ingredients. You can add as much or as little as you want, but we recommend starting with 1/2 cup of beans for a typical 24-32 oz smoothie.

If you’re using dried beans, you’ll need to soak them overnight and then cook them before adding them to your smoothie. Soak 1/2 cup of beans in water overnight, then drain and rinse them. Add the beans to a pot of boiling water and cook for about 30 minutes, or until they’re soft. Then, add the cooked beans to your blender along with the rest of your ingredients.

Here are some recipes to get you started. All of these are vegan, gluten free and contain no added sugar.

Final Thoughts on Using Beans in Smoothies

Adding beans to your smoothies is a great way to boost your protein and fiber intake, as well as get some other health benefits. White beans, black beans, and chickpeas are all good options for adding to smoothies, and canned beans are the easiest to use. You can add as much or as little of the beans as you want. Bean smoothies are a delicious and healthy way to start your day!

There you have it! Now you know how to use beans in your smoothies, the benefits of adding beans to your smoothies, and some recipes to get you started. So what are you waiting for? Go make yourself a bean smoothie!

See also: How to use steel cut oats in smoothies

Happy Blending!
Amanda