Are you looking for a tasty keto fruit smoothie recipe for a quick breakfast or snack? Look no further! We have a great healthy breakfast recipe for you.
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb diet that limits carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams (g) per day (about 20-50 grams). Because of this, items commonly found on a smoothie ingredient list, like bananas, pineapples, and peaches, are not a great choice. Their high sugar content puts them out of your carb budget.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a delicious low-carb fruity smoothie on the keto diet. Fortunately, there are still some low-carb fruits that can fit well into your keto lifestyle.
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are all low in carbs and keto-friendly (yay!). In addition to their low-carb content, berries are also fairly low in calories and extremely nutritious. They are a great source of antioxidants and fiber, an important nutrient for a healthy digestive system.
Not only do these little fruits make a great snack, but they are also a delicious addition to this keto smoothie recipe.
This triple berry keto smoothie has a short ingredient list, you just need berries, coconut milk, kale, nut butter, and ice cubes. It’s creamy, filling, and nutritious – it’s almost guaranteed to brighten your day!
Keto Smoothie Recipe Tips
To fit keto diet guidelines, smoothies should be low in carbs and high in fat. So this eliminates typical smoothie staples like bananas, honey, and plain yogurt.
But don’t worry, your keto smoothie can be just as tasty as a regular fruit-filled drink while staying low in net carbs. Ingredients like coconut milk, plain Greek yogurt, and avocado can be added instead, giving your low-carb smoothie a lovely creamy texture.
Since many ingredients used in keto shakes thicken the mixture, you may need to add more liquid to get the desired texture.
When making your own recipe, consider the total amount of carbs (or net carbs if you count them) you add and how it fits into your daily meal plan, as established by you and your health care provider or dietitian. Adjust ingredients as needed.
Remember that 1 cup of these little fruits equals about 15 g of carbs. Since the fiber content is different in each type of berry, the amount of net carbs in a serving depends on the berry added to your smoothie. Look at the nutrition facts labels if provided.
Even when using keto substitutions, your high-fat, low-carb shake can be just as delicious as a regular shake.
Choosing The Right Ingredients
From picking fruits to collecting milk, you need to wisely select the ingredients for your keto smoothies to maintain ketosis. Not to mention, you need a perfect texture and taste to make this blended drink a delicious treat! Here, I am introducing you to the core ingredients, the main components of this smoothie.
Fruits: Berries
Let’s start with the fun part first.
Berries like blackberries and raspberries are one of the lowest-carb fruits and have a low glycemic index. The best part about their carb count is that they are less likely to quickly spike blood sugar levels, making them ideal for a diabetic diet.
Let’s also not forget, like other fruits, that they add sweetness to the smoothie while increasing the nutritional profile, as they are small explosions of nutrients and antioxidants.
If you want to naturally sweeten your smoothie recipes, strawberries and blueberries are your best bet. Both strawberries and blueberries are high in vitamin C, which helps with wound healing, and antioxidants that may protect against certain cancers (found in strawberries) and possibly support brain function (found in blueberries).
Raspberries and blackberries are also packed with nutrients and add a wonderful acidity to your smoothie.
Turn it into a berry blast low carb smoothie recipe using a combination of these little fruits. This way, the tartness and sweetness of the different types of berries complement each other, creating a delicious low carb breakfast smoothie you won’t be able to resist.
Berries tend to be expensive, so it may be more reasonable to buy them frozen. Or buy these fruits when they are in season and then freeze them for future use.
Vegetable: Kale
Now for the not-so-sweet part, but if you’re looking to keep your low-carb smoothie recipes as nutritious as possible, this dark green veggie can pack a punch of nutrients. While you may think this leafy green will ruin the flavor entirely, you’ll be surprised at how subtle the flavor of kale is. You probably won’t be able to taste it over the symphony of berry flavors. You can also add other leafy greens like spinach or other low-calorie vegetables, like celery.
Kale is part of the cruciferous family (think broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, etc.). This family of vegetables is rich in many nutrients.
The dark green leaves contain fiber, vitamins A, C, and K, folate. For all that goodness, there are only about 1.5 g of carbs per cup (about 0.6 grams of fiber).
Needless to say, adding kale to your low-carb breakfast smoothie is a great nutritional boost to your day.
Liquid: Coconut Milk
Every smoothie requires liquid, and for this smoothie recipe, it’s coconut milk. This “milk” is a star in a high-fat diet since it contains some fat and is lower in carbs than cow’s milk.
In regular smoothie recipes, bananas are used to create a creamy smoothie. However, since bananas are high in carbs and low in fat, their use is limited on the keto diet.
Because of the fat content, the coconut variety is perfect for making your morning drink (or snack) creamy while providing a few net carbs and adding a tropical twist to your low-carb drink.
Keep in mind that canned coconut milk has more fat per serving; the higher fat content will create a creamier keto shake. Coconut milk in a carton is thinner, more like the consistency of regular milk. Therefore, the carton variety acts more like a liquid and less like a thickening agent.
While this milk has a higher fat content than other types of non-dairy milk, if you’re not a big fan of this particular type of milk, you can easily swap it out with other milk options. Whichever milk you decide to use, make sure you use a whole, unsweetened variety.
Other keto milk options:
- Almond milk – This is great for a keto smoothie recipe. Almonds (and their milk) contain calcium and many brands are fortifying this nut milk with vitamins A and D. One cup of unsweetened almond milk contains about 30 calories, 3g of fat (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats), 1g of carbs, and 1g of protein. If you want to add some extra flavor to your smoothie recipes without the added carbs, use unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
- Macadamia Nut Milk – Add a subtle nutty twist to your morning with this nut milk. Macadamia milk is higher in fat and slightly thicker than almond milk, creating a thicker texture in your blender mixture. In 1 cup of macadamia milk, there are about 50 calories, 4.5g of fat, less than 1g of carbs, 1g of protein, and calcium.
- Flax milk – Another milk alternative that is not as common as other types, but is slowly gaining popularity in grocery stores. Flax seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids (ALA). In 1 cup of unsweetened flax milk, there are about 25 calories, 2.5g of fat, 1g of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of protein.
- Cashew milk – This is another great nut milk for a keto diet. Cashew milk has a similar texture to almond milk and gives the breakfast drink a slight nutty flavor, complementing the sweetness of the berries in your keto smoothie. Generally, 1 cup of unsweetened cashew milk has 25 calories, 2g of fat, 1g of carbs, and 1g of protein.
If you use thinner milk for your keto smoothie, adding something high in fat like avocado or full-fat plain Greek yogurt (if you include yogurt in your keto diet) to your blender mixture will help you achieve a wonderfully creamy keto smoothie.
Flavor: Nut Butter
The preferred choice for this high-fat diet is almond butter. But that’s not to say that peanut butter isn’t a good choice. Between the two, almond butter is slightly higher in healthy fats like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (a total of 9 grams of fat) and lower in carbs (3g of total carbs) than peanut butter.
This butter helps increase the fat content of your drink and provides a few net carbs, helping you stay in ketosis.
While peanut butter has a slightly different nutritional profile, it still contains about 8g of fat, 3 grams of protein, and 3g of total carbohydrates (if unsweetened) per serving.
Peanut butter is a viable ingredient for your keto smoothie recipes as it keeps your drink high in fat and low in carbs.
Keto Sweetener
If you need a little more sweetness in your low-fat breakfast drink, you can add a low-carb sweetener.
There are several options:
- Erythritol: This is a sugar alcohol and has become quite popular in recent years for being a low-calorie sweetener. Since it is a sugar alcohol, it contains no carbs, making it keto-friendly. Despite being low in carbs, this sugar alcohol has a fairly high sweetness index, close to that of sucrose.
- Xylitol: Xylitol is also a sugar alcohol, common in low-calorie sweets. However, some people, especially those with little exposure to xylitol, notice mild gastrointestinal discomfort from xylitol.
- Monk fruit: This sweetener is extracted from monk fruit, which is a melon, and is a common ingredient in a ketogenic diet. Monk fruit is quite sweet, however, many brands combine monk fruit with erythritol.
- Stevia: This sugar substitute comes from the stevia plant, a natural sweetener with proven health benefits. You can find it in many forms, including powder and liquid.
Optional Ingredients For A Keto Smoothie
This triple berry keto smoothie is absolutely delicious and perfect for a hot summer day, but you can always use a few ingredients as a base and create your own high-fat smoothie recipes.
If you want to add some creaminess and fat, you can add heavy whipping cream, coconut oil, coconut cream, or even plain full-fat Greek yogurt (if you include it in your low-carb diet). Adding a touch of cream to your drink can create a perfect milkshake substitute.
As mentioned in the previous section, you can add keto-friendly natural or artificial sweeteners or low-carb fruits to your drink if you want to boost the flavor without the extra net carbs.
To make your high-fat breakfast drink different every day, there are plenty of ingredients to spice up your favorite recipes.
Dressings
Ingredients can transform low-carb smoothies into something more elaborate and fun. Here are some options:
Whipped cream
Most people would be a little wary of having whipped cream for breakfast, as it makes it seem more like a milkshake than a healthy smoothie. However, if you’re following a keto diet, you’re in luck!
Heavy whipping cream (or heavy cream) is made mostly of fat, containing 5g of fat and 0g of carbohydrates per serving (1 tablespoon).
Using a hand mixer, whip a tablespoon of heavy whipping cream until it begins to stiffen and spoon it on top. Or to make the process a little easier, you can simply buy unsweetened whipping cream.
Crushed walnuts
The best way to add a little crunch is to top the drink with your favorite crushed nuts.
Add a sprinkle of crushed walnuts on top of a dollop of whipped cream, and your breakfast is ready to show off on social media!
Cinnamon and cocoa powder
A dash of any of these ingredients on top of your low carb smoothie will add extra pazzazz to your low carb morning drink.
Add-ons
MCT oil
MCT oil (medium chain triglycerides) is a common addition to high-fat diets, especially for those following it to treat epilepsy. It is a form of fat usually derived from coconut and palm oils. MCTs are passively absorbed into the blood (a slightly different absorption method compared to longer forms of triglycerides) and go to the liver where they are metabolized to produce energy and ketones.
MCT oil is tasteless and colorless, which is why it is added to Bulletproof coffee and is a great fat booster for salad dressings.
Power of cocoa
Turn this smoothie into a keto peanut butter chocolate smoothie in an instant with 1/4 teaspoon of cocoa powder. There’s nothing wrong with a smoothie for dessert.
Vanilla extract
Vanilla is a great addition to your keto smoothie. You may notice a slight hint of vanilla aroma and this flavor enhances the sweetness of other ingredients in the smoothie. You can also opt for unsweetened vanilla versions of your favorite milks.
Protein powder
If you’re looking for a protein boost, you can add a scoop of whey protein powder or collagen peptides with no added sugar. Not all protein powders are created equally or safe. Ask your healthcare provider or dietitian for recommendations on brands with good protein powder and collagen products.
Green tea
Give your low-carb breakfast smoothie a boost of caffeine by adding green tea. Try substituting the milk of your choice with 1 cup of tea and 1/4 to 1/3 cup of full-fat yogurt for a creamy (and caffeinated) smoothie.
Got matcha on hand? Add 1 tsp of matcha to your low-carb breakfast smoothie.
Chia seeds
Chia seeds are somewhat of a “nutritional powerhouse,” meaning they’re packed with great nutrients including fiber, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Add 1 tablespoon to your blender mixture.
Turmeric
Now, adding this burnt orange spice to your morning drink may not appeal to everyone but, if you dare to try, you may find that it adds an extra flavor to your low carb drinks.
Lemon juice and lime juice
Add a splash of lemon juice or lime juice to your low-carb protein shake for a citrus twist.
How to Make a Keto Berry Smoothie
This smoothie is pretty simple to make, just place all the ingredients in the blender and blend until well combined.
Add sweeteners if desired and adjust to taste. You can add more liquid if the smoothie is too thick or add a thickening agent, such as avocado, if it is too thin.
A great option to make your mornings less hectic is to fill individual bags with fruits and vegetables and then place them in the freezer. Remove in the morning, add the other ingredients to the blender and voila! you’re ready to go. Or make it the night before, pour it into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator overnight.
Triple Berry Smoothie Recipe
This keto three berry smoothie recipe is a great low-carb, gluten-free breakfast smoothie, a perfect way to start your day. The ingredients in this keto low carb smoothie recipe will not only help you stay in ketosis, but they also contain nutrients like fiber, which can satisfy your appetite and reduce cravings for a post-breakfast snack.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon nut butter
- 1 cup kale
- Monk fruit sweetener powder (optional)
- Unsweetened shredded coconut, for decoration (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a mug and sprinkle with a little cocoa powder to decorate. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 244
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 63mg
- Fats: 10g
- Saturated fat: 1g
- Unsaturated fat: 1g
- Trans fats: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 17g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Conclusion
Making a delicious, creamy, fat-filled smoothie that’s gluten-free and low in total grams of net carbs may seem like a risky feat, but this triple berry smoothie calms any fears. It’s a tasty treat and a great way to start your day, perfect for a hot day.
Play around with ingredients, creating your own original recipe (come up with a delicious green smoothie or even a peanut butter and cocoa dessert drink!) and toppings to add more variety to your keto lifestyle.