Banana & Blueberry Smoothie
Five minutes. That is the distance between an empty blender and a glass holding 25 grams of protein, a handful of blueberries, and enough banana to make the texture feel closer to soft-serve than juice.
No cooking. One appliance. The kind of breakfast you make when the morning is already moving and you still want it to count.
Ingredients
- banana 1
- blueberries 0.33 cup
- milk, 2% reduced fat 0.75 cup
- Greek yogurt, nonfat 0.75 cup
- honey 1 tablespoon
Method
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Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.
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Serve immediately.
Add a handful of spinach for a green smoothie. The banana and blueberry flavors mask the greens completely.
The Greek yogurt in this smoothie is almost entirely casein protein. A 2021 study found that casein physically encapsulates blueberry anthocyanin molecules, protecting them through digestion and boosting their absorption into the bloodstream by up to 10 times. Blending the two together puts the protein and the pigments in direct contact before they ever reach your stomach.
Lang et al. 2021 · DOIBehind this recipe
Why Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt?
Greek yogurt packs roughly twice the protein of regular yogurt per serving, mostly from casein. That gives this smoothie 25 grams of protein from dairy alone. A 2021 study also found that casein physically wraps around blueberry anthocyanins during digestion, boosting their absorption up to 10 times. Regular yogurt works too, but the protein drops significantly and the casein concentration is lower.
Is 64 grams of carbs too much for one meal if I'm trying to lose fat?
Not if your total daily calories and protein are in check. Across 32 controlled feeding studies with over 5,000 participants, swapping carbs for fat at the same calorie intake changed daily fat loss by just 16 grams. The carbs in this smoothie come from banana, blueberries, honey, and milk lactose, all natural sources. What matters is whether the smoothie fits your daily calorie target, not the carb number on its own.
Read the full evidence reviewCan I use frozen banana and blueberries?
Yes, and it makes the smoothie thicker and colder without adding ice. Frozen banana in particular gives you that soft-serve texture. If both fruits are frozen, you may need a splash of extra milk to help the blender catch.
