How to Make Green Smoothies Thicker

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Green smoothies are a great way to get your day’s worth of fruits and vegetables in one easy drink. The only problem with green smoothies is that they can be a little thin for some people’s liking, so today we are going to look at some different ways to make your smoothies thicker.

I’ve been making green smoothies for a long time and I know that there are certain ingredients you can include which will make it thicker. You might need to experiment with different quantities of these things before you find out what your perfect smoothie recipe is, but this should get you started.

First, what are green smoothies?

Green smoothies are blended fruits and vegetables with a liquid base. You use some type of leafy green and then add in other fruits and vegetables to make a delicious and very healthy drink.

You make a green smoothie by placing all of your chosen ingredients into a high powered blender and blending until smooth. It really is that easy!

Why do people drink green smoothies?

Many people drink green smoothies because they are full of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and other substances that are good for the body.

Some other reasons people drink green smoothies might be to detoxify the body, lose weight or balance their blood sugar levels.

How to make green smoothies thicker

Let’s take a look at some of the different smoothie ingredients you can add to make your green smoothie thicker.

Frozen Fruit

One way to make green smoothies thicker is to put some fruit in it. Bananas are a good choice because they are already thick, but berries work too. If you want to make your green smoothies thicker the best bet is to freeze items like bananas or peaches before adding them.

If making smoothie bowls, make sure you add plenty of frozen fruit and less liquid. Frozen banana and frozen mango are a big family favorite combination.

Seeds

You can also add chia seeds or flax seed if your other ingredients are lacking in fiber, protein, carbs, etc. Chia seeds will absorb liquid and will have a gel-like outer coating, making the drink thicker without adding other ingredients. They are also nutritional powerhouses, so it’s a win-win.c

These are what I turn to when turning a regular smoothie into a thick and creamy smoothie bowl.

Vegetables

Another way to thicken your green smoothie is by blending more vegetables. Adding spinach, cucumber, kale, celery, or other veggies will help improve the thickness of your drink without changing flavor much. Just like with the fruit, you can also use frozen veggies like frozen spinach or kale.

Sweet potato is another thick veggie that can help make thick smoothies without added sugar. Try adding in some sweet potato puree or even some canned pumpkin for marvelously creamy smoothies.

You can also add avocado. I know it’s technically a fruit and I’m talking about it in the veggie space, but since it’s not sweet a lot of people don’t consider it a true fruit. The thick nature of avocado can help thicken a smoothie, and don’t worry if you don’t usually like avocado (like me) – it hides super well in a smoothie.

Oats

Oats are both nutritious and filling, so adding in a bit of oats will help your smoothie keep you full until lunchtime. Oats are great sources of many vitaminsand minerals, such as manganese, phosphorus, copper, B complex vitamins, iron, selenium, magnesium, and zinc.

Oats will also help you meet your daily fiber intake, so a scoop of oats will go a long way in a smoothie.

Ice

Adding in a few ice cubes can help with the creaminess and consistency of a green smoothie. This can be regular ice or even frozen fruit juice.

Even if your recipe doesn’t call for it, try adding in a bit of ice if the texture is not to your liking and see if this ingredient alone can help with the texture.

You can even freeze your coconut water to add to your smoothies, but be aware that freezing coconut water changes the taste, which is fine for smoothies but maybe not for drinking.

Nut Butter

Adding in some peanut butter, almond butter or any other type of nut butter can help thicken a green smoothie recipe.

This will also add protein and healthy fats, and is another ingredient that can help keep you full longer.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is already amazingly thick and creamy, so it makes perfect sense that adding it to your healthy smoothie recipes can thicken them up.

Coconut milk or almond milk will make thinner smoothies, so try substituting some of your milk for yogurt.

Protein Powder

Adding in some protein powder can also thicken up your drink for the best green smoothie ever. There are so many different protein powders out there that you could spend years trying out all the different ones.

This will also help keep you full until your next meal thanks to the high protein content.

You can also find protein powders that contain superfoods and greens powders, giving you an extra nutritional boost while making your homemade smoothies thicker.

Psyllium Husk

You can find this easy ingredient with the fiber supplements at any local WalMart or grocery store.

Psyllium husk absorbs water, so it is great for thick, healthy smoothies – and it is a great source of fiber, too!

Recipes for thick green smoothies

Try one of these easy smoothie recipes, adding in any of the ingredients above to thicken smoothies if you find these are not thick enough.

Common Questions about Green Smoothie Consistency