As women over 50, we frequently do not get enough protein. One of the easiest ways to significantly increase your protein intake is with high protein smoothies.
Whether you’re a chocolate lover or you like fruit-flavored shakes, in this blog I share 17 high protein smoothies recipes. You’re bound to find one you love.
You may be wondering “How do I know if I’m getting enough protein?”
Check out these previous blogs for more info:
- 5 Reasons you want to start counting macros today
- Top foods to eat to build lean muscle
- Top 5 grocery store protein bars
Experiment for even more high protein smoothie options
A protein smoothie generally includes 2 or more of the following:
- a source of protein
- a liquid base
- fruit, healthy fat or a vegetable
- ice
Protein
The most popular sources of protein in skakes are:
- protein powders
- greek yogurt
- cottage cheese
There are many flavored protein powders to pick from. I like to have vanilla and chocolate on hand so I always have lots of options.
When using greek yogurt, you’ll want to check the nutrition label as some are loaded with added sugar. I prefer to use Greek, plain yogurt. It is higher in protein and lower in added sugar than other varieties.
Cottage cheese is another great option. In most cases, you’ll probably want to go with a low-fat or fat-free version.
Liquid base
I primarily use unsweetened almond milk in my smoothies. For some fruit based smoothies, I often use 1/2 water and 1/2 unsweetened juice. You can use water; however , I find those to be runnier and I prefer a thicker smoothie.
Secret to thicker high-protein shakes
There are several ways to make your shake a little thicker.
- Ice works good; however, I have found my shake still doesn’t get very thick and as the ice melts it’s often like drinking a flavored water.
- Yogurt and cottage cheese will both add some thickness
- Raw oats work great! I know it sounds weird (or at least it did to me when I first hear of it), but it works great and I actually really like the taste. You will want to drink the shake fairly soon ( like within an hour or so).
- Xantham gum is the best thickener I’ve used so far and it doesn’t change the taste of the smoothie at all! Just add 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon. I was amazed at how thick and creamy my watery shake become.
High-protein smoothie "extras"
Not only are high-protein shakes great for getting more protein in your diet, they are also great for getting an extra serving of fruit or vegetables.
Experiment to see what you like. Here are some of my favorites. These can be added to most shakes depending on how many calories, carbs, fats etc you want.
Spinach is my absolute favorite add-in. I get an extra serving of vegetables, which I can never get enough of and it doesn’t change the tast of the smoothie (especially if you have 1/2 a banana in the smoothie).
I like 1/2 banana or 1/3c cooked sweet potato or 1/4 avocado in shakes to make them more creamy. I alternate between them depending on what I have at home.
Banana Protein Smoothie
This high protein smoothie is great for breakfast or snacks.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup plain full-fat greek yogurt
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 banana
- ice
Instructions
- Blend almond milk, greek yogurt, protein powder and banana in blender.
- Add ice, blend until you can no longe hear the ice in the blender.
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving:
- Calories 365
- Total Fat 9g
- Saturated Fat 4g
- Sodium 411mg
- Carbohydrates 44g
- Fiber 11g
- Sugar 18g
- Protein 33
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 t maple syrup
- 1 T pecans
- 1 t pumpkin pie spice
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving
Calories 269
Total Fat 10g
Saturated Fat 2g
Sodium 335mg
Carbohydrates 25g
Fiber 12g
Sugar 7g
Protein 24g
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Great for chocolate cravings!
Ingredients
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 T all-natural peanut butter
- 1 cup raw spinach
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no long hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrition per serving
- Calories 247
- Total Fat 11g
- Saturated Fat 2g
- Sodium 380mg
- Carbohydrates 16g
- Fiber 11g
- Sugar 2g
- Protein 27g
Pineapple Banana Smoothie
A refreshing mid-day snack
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pineapple chuncks
- 1/2 cup greek vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 banana
- 1/2 cup orange juice, low sugar
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1/4 t coconut extract
- Ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving
- Calories 303
- Total Fat 2g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 263 mg
- Carbohydrates 44g
- Fiber 9g
- Sugar 25g
- Protein 33g
Pina Colada Smoothie
Perfect combination of coconut and pineapple
Ingredients
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup 100% pineapple juice
- 1/2 t coconut extract
- Ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingedients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving
- Calories 207
- Total Fat 2g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 200mg
- Carbohydrates 28g
- Fiber 7g
- Sugar 16g
- Protein 21g
Groovy Green Smoothie
A full serving of vegetables and tastes great too!
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 1 cup green grapes
- 6 oz vanilla greek yogurt
- 1/2 apple, cored and chopped
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 1/2 cup spinach
- Ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingedients except ice in a blendefr
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving
- Calories 249
- Total Fat 1g
- Saturated Fat 0g
- Sodium 66mg
- Carbohydrates 41g
- Fiber 7g
- Sugar 25g
- Protein 21g
Chocolate Salted Caramel Smoothie
Perfect afternoon pick me up!
Ingredients
- 1 t caramel extract
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- 1/4 t salt
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- Ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients except ice in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving
- Calories 172
- Total Fat 4g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 992mg
- Carbohydrates 14g
- Fiber 9g
- Sugar 2g
- Protein 22g
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Smoothie
Perfect High Protein Shake for an afternoon snack
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup raw oats
- 1/4 t vanilla extract
- 1/4 t imitation butter flavoring
- 1 scoop vanila protein powder
- 2 t mini chocolate chips
- Ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except Ice) in blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
- Top with a few extra mini-chocolate chips (optional)
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving.
- Calories 314
- Total Fat 11g
- Saturated Fat 3g
- Sodium 340mg
- Carbohydrates 32 g
- Fiber 8g
- Sugar 10g
- Protein 24g
Almond Butter Cup Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 T almond butter
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 banana
- 1 t maple syrup
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrition per serving
- Calories 324
- Total Fat 13g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 441 mg
- Carbohydrates 34g
- Fiber 13g
- Sugar 14g
- Protein 26g
Cinnamon Sweet Potato Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup cooked sweet potato
- 1/2 banana, frozen
- 1 t maple syrup
- 1 scoop chcocolate protein powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 T almond butter
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving
- Calories 340
- Total Fat 10g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 202mg
- Carbohydrates 35g
- Fiber 6g
- Sugar 14g
- Protein 31g
Chocolate Mint Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 t cocoa powder
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1/4 t peppermint extract
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you can no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving
- Calories 199
- Total Fat 3g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 167mg
- Carbohydrates 18g
- Fiber 3g
- Sugar 8g
- Protein 26g
Cinnamon Oats Smoothie
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/8 cup raw oats
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1/4 t cinnamon
- 1/2 t maple syrup
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving
- Calories 196
- Total Fat 5g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 320mg
- Carbohydrates 20g
- Fiber 9g
- Sugar 2g
- Protein 23g
Pina Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1/2 banana, frozen
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrition per serving
- Calories 253
- Total Fat 2g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 201mg
- Carbohydrates 42g
- Fiber 9g
- Sugar 23g
- Protein 22g
Raspberry Cheesecake Smoothie
This protein shake is loaded in fiber.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 15 raspberries, frozen
- 2 T Sour cream
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- Ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender.
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender.
Notes
Approximate nutrition per serving.
- Calories 209
- Total Fat 8g
- Fat 4g
- Sodium 318mg
- Carbohydrates 17g
- Fiber 10g
- Sugar 4g
- Protein 23g
Very Berry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 banana, frozen
- 1 cup mixed berries, frozen
- 1/2 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrition per serving.
- Calories 362
- Total Fat 4g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 402 mg
- Carbohydrates 49g
- Fiber 14g
- Sugars 22g
- Protein 37g
Blueberry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 banana, frozen
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrition per serving
- Calories 325
- Total Fat 4g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 383mg
- Carbohydrates 43g
- Fiber 11g
- Sugar 21g
- Protein 37g
Chocolate Spice Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup cooked sweet potatoes
- 1/2 t nutmeg
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 T powdered cocoa
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrition per serving
- Calories 233
- Total Fat 4g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 214mg
- Carbohydrates 22g
- Fiber 5g
- Sugar 6g
- Protein 28g
Cherry Cheesecake Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups frozem cherries, pitted
- 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend all ingredients until you no longer hear the ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving
- Calories 291
- Total Fat 2g
- Saturated Fat 0g
- Sodium 868mg
- Carbohydrates 39g
- Fiber 4g
- Sugar 26g
- Protein 33g
Pineapple Mango Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pineapple chuncks
- 1/4 cup mango slices
- 1 banana, frozen
- 1/2 t coconut extract
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1/4 cup orange juice, low sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- ice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender
- Add ice. Blend until you no longer hear ice in the blender
Notes
Approximate nutrients per serving
- Calories 315
- Total Fat 3g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Sodium 205mg
- Carbohydrates 52g
- Fiber 11g
- Sugar 28g
- Protein 23g
Leave me a comment. Which one will you try first?