We all love smoothies!
How can you not love them, right?
They are so delicious, so easy to make and loaded up with vitamins.
Since I have included these health shakes as a part of my everyday diet, I couldn’t help noticing that even though smoothies are raw and all natural, they are actually loaded up with sugars.
How is this possible?
Well, smoothies are mostly made out of fruits, that contain vitamins but also a lot of fructose.
It’s the natural sugar, but when it enters the body, sugar is still sugar.
Fructose is actually the part that makes us addicted to sugar in the first place, so in sugar terms, fruits behave in our bodies pretty similar to candy – and that’s a fact.
We’re all taught that fruits are healthy, and people still can’t understand that fruits are actually just another form of sugar that we should be careful when consuming.
Since I am on a low carb diet, and I kicked sugar out of my life completely, I couldn’t help but notice that there is not a single smoothie that doesn’t contain fruit, especially fruits that are higher in sugar such as bananas, mangos or pineapples.
And why is that?
Well, because fruit is one great way to camouflage the veggies in the smoothie.
But loading yourself with unnecessary energy that you can’t burn is not a good idea when it comes to keeping a well balanced diet, and it’s not a great choice when it comes to staying fit too.
So, because of that, I decided to make a little experiment and try making some low carb smoothie recipes, so I made my own health shakes collection.
I tried to avoid adding high fructose fruits and focused on adding fruits that are low in fructose and high in fibers such as berries.
I loaded my smoothies with vitamins and minerals and they’re a proof that you can still get all the nutrients you need without the sugary part.
I also added a lot of iron in every smoothie, combining different sources of iron in each recipe, since many people suffer from anemia nowadays.
So I came up with a formula that minimizes the carb and sugar intake to a minimum.
An average smoothie with banana, strawberry, apple and milk contains approximately 80 grams carbs of which 50 grams are pure sugar and poorly 10 grams are fibers, of course, depending on the portion.
And my cosmic smoothies?
Most of them have less than 20 grams of carbs, out of which mostly fibers.
And the best part is that my smoothies actually taste amazing, and since they’re the healthiest low carb smoothie recipes in the universe, I called them Cosmic Health Shakes.
So, here are my very own smoothies that I consume every single day.
Some of them before my workout, some of them after, and most of them as a healthy refreshment between my meals.
So, dear fit girls, choose your favorite blend, and start mixing!
Let’s get started right away!
“Red Venus” – Protein Rich Health Shake
The first smoothie is a refreshing blend, made out of my favorite smoothie ingredient – raspberries.
This Red Venus enjoyment has 181 kcal, leaving you with 28 grams of carbs.
The Greek yogurt will load you up with proteins, the raspberries with fibers, and the Swiss chard with a lot of iron.
You have to try it!
To make it, blend together:
- 1 cup raspberries (frozen or fresh)
- ½ lime (fresh peeld)
- 1 handful of almonds
- 1 tablespoon greek yogurt (plain, non fat)
- 3 leaves Swiss chard
Elements:
- 181 kcal
- Carbs 28,6 g
- Sugar 8,6 g
- Fibers 12,8 g
- Fat 7,4 g
- Protein 8,5 g
Superpowers:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Iron
- Vitamin K
- Omega 3
- Manganese
- Magnesium
“Planet Earth” – Green Apple Smoothie
This second blend is my personal favorite, and I usually have it right before my workout.
Filled with healthy fats and a lot of healthy energy, this smoothie is the best energy load up.
To make it, blend together:
- 1 green apple
- ½ avocado
- 1 cup spinach (or baby spinach)
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon goji berries
Elements:
- Energy 240,6
- Carbs 28,4
- Sugars 13,5
- Fibers 7,1
- Fat 14,5
- Protein 8,7
Superpowers:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin K
- Manganese
- Coopper
- Omega 3
- Iron
“To The Moon And Back” – Strawberry Low Carb Smoothie Recipes
This one is a real iron bomb.
Containing cocoa beans and broccoli, camouflaged with a cup of fibers, this smoothie will take you to the moon and back.
With 112 calories and only 19 grams of carbs, this smoothie is a perfect choice at any time.
To make it, blend together:
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup broccoli
- Raw cocoa beans 3-4
Elements:
- Energy 112 kcal
- Carbs 19,3
- Sugars 8,2
- Fibers 6,8
- Fat 4,4
- Protein 4,6
Superpowers:
- Iron
- Manganese
- Vitamin K
“Super Blackhole” – Blackberry Seeds Smoothie
I love adding seeds to my smoothies, they’re rich in vitamins and minerals, and they give the smoothie a special texture.
That’s actually the case with my Super Blackhole smoothie – containing chia and pumpkin seeds, this health shake is the best source of iron and cooper.
To make it, blend together:
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1 cup coconut milk
Elements:
- Energy 170 kcal
- Carbs 17,3
Sugars 7,2
Fibers 9,3 - Fat 10,3
- Protein 5,8
Superpowers:
- B12
- Vitamin C
- Iron
- Manganese
- Vitamin K
- Omega 3
What a great collection of smoothies! My kids and I go in phases where we’ll drink a ton of smoothies … we’ll definitely have to try some of yours next time we’re going smoothie crazy.
I’m sooo glad you like my cosmic smoothies :)
Thanks for the great comment!
Hi,
In your Venus shake ,what liquid do you use?
Debby,
I don’t use any liquids, it’s the raspberries and the lime that make it liquid-ish :)
I really appreciate your posts. They are realistic and informative. I am glad I found you through Pinterest. Keep up the awesome job you are doing. I look forward to your future articles.
Denise
Denise,
I’m so happy to hear that you like my blog and find it inspiring – it means the world to me!
Love,
Monica
You’re doing an awesome job. I am printing out the smoothies so I can try them for myself and my kiddos.
Question: Don’t we need fructose? How low is “too low” of carbs/ sugar?
It just seems to me that God made sugar (fructose) for a reason… and we should not be afraid of it. I do know that we cannot eat too much of many natural, God-given foods. So I am curious on this subject of fructose. Any more thoughts other than what you said above (which were great points that have me thinking)?
– Healthy Mom of 3
Dear mom of 3 :)
I’m so glad you like my cosmic smoothies – it means a lot to me. Let me know if your kids liked them :)
About fructose, the problem comes from the amount of sugar consumed in today’s diets.
In the past, we were probably never in contact with as much sweet fruit, let alone fruit juices, sodas, sweeteners and candies.
The food industry made it so hard for us, and the sugar is literally in every food we eat, and the problem is that we already intake so much fructose and glucose on daily basis, probably without even knowing.
I guess that if we lived like a cavemen, fruit would be the only source of sugar we eat on daily basis.
That’s the said truth :(
In your “Lime Sepernova” do you add the lemon & lime skins & all?? If yes does this make it bitter??
Love love your recipes great recipes Hun!!!
Neen
Neen,
No I peel them, because the smoothie turns out bitter if I don’t :)
Try it, and tell me if you like it.
“Red Venus” is my favorite one, I have to admit, it’s really refreshing because of the lime, but the “Lime Supernova” is delicious too :)
Thankyou so much for the info Hun can’t wait to try it!!
Thank you so much for your recipes. I bought a nutri bullet and try to steer clear of all the fruits which, as you say makes them full of sugar. However, I don’t know how many more kale and spinach smoothies I can take. Your recipes have given me the boost I needed x
I’m so happy to hear that, and I’m so glad I helped! :)
Have fun blending and cheers!
Hi! I have a question about your “Breakfast on Mars” smoothie. It looks like there’s some leafy green in the photo, but you’ve just got fruits listed. Would it by chance be swiss chard?
Oh my, I’m so sorry, I forgot to write the iron down :(
It’s beet greens… sorry, I’m correcting it right now.
Thanks :)
Hi, I’m so glad I found you, and your recipes looks so yummy! I love smoothies and I don’t mind greens…(all kinds) . My question is, do you have a favorite breakfast smoothie? I have a hard time eating in the morning, so I skip breakfast. I recently been diagnosed with elevated blood sugar 115 so I’ve got to change my eating habits and try to lower the sugar in my body!!! I’m not overweight, but I’m making a commitment to myself to start eating better than I have been! Hopefully we can do it together! Thanks!!!
Chesca,
I’m soooo happy to hear that you like my smoothies, and I’m super exited for you wanting to improve your eating habits.
Believe me girl, I am here for you, whenever you need help, need some advice or just want to chat.
I’m so sorry to hear that you were diagnosed with elevated blood sugar.. My father is diabetic and believe when I say that the reason for that is bad eating habits.
So I decided to kick sugar out of the picture for good, and that’s how I made my Giving Up sugar technique, here it is: https://fitgirlsdiary.com/2015/09/15/giving-up-sugar-the-team-up-technique/
However, about breakfast, it should be the biggest meal of your day, and believe me when it becomes the biggest meal you’ll turn it into a habit and your body will want to eat breakfast every single morning.
It’s like you wake up hungry :)
Anyway, you can start with a smoothie, and I think that the best choice is Planet Earth, since it contains healthy fats and lots of vitamins.
You can add fresh almonds and flax seeds in it too, so that you provide your body with the nutrients to start the day.
And please, contact me whenever you have a question, I’ll be more than happy to help!
Love <3
This may be a dumb question, but what is the second number behind the first number in the elements list?
Roger,
It’s not a dumb question at all.. I should have said “calories” instead of the shortened “kilocalorie” (kcal) measure unit.
This is actually how many calories each smoothie contains.