When it comes to smoothies, fruit is typically what makes them sweet and delicious. However, when you combine several types of fruits into a single drink, the natural sugar content can start to add up quickly.
That’s why I’m sharing two low sugar smoothie recipes with you today, along with several variations to help keep your week interesting. They’re made with low-sugar berries, which are loaded with antioxidants, and a sneaky serving of frozen cauliflower and creamy avocado to help bulk them up, without adding extra sugar into your glass.
Which Fruits are Low in Sugar?
When trying to make a smoothie that is lower in sugar, I like to use a mix of low-sugar fruits and vegetables, along with a small amount of sweeter fruit, like banana, mango, or pineapple, to make the smoothie palatable. (I experimented with using low-sugar fruits exclusively, but they were not enjoyable at all– my taste testers wouldn’t drink them.)
Here are some low-sugar fruits that you can try in your smoothies:
- Raspberries (5 g per cup)
- Strawberries (7 g per cup)
- Blackberries (7g per cup)
- Kiwi (6 g per fruit)
- Blueberries (12 g per cup)
- Lemons (1.5 g per fruit)
- Avocado (1 g per avocado)
- Granny Smith Apple (14 g per fruit)
And to help “bulk up” your smoothie without using extra fruit, you might also want to try adding in one or more of the following ingredients to help add fiber and more nutrition.
- Zucchini
- Cauliflower
- Chia seeds
- Hemp hearts
- Almond butter (or another nut/seed butter)
- Fresh spinach
These extra add-ins help add creaminess, without relying dairy, and are relatively neutral in flavor so they won’t overpower the overall taste of your smoothie.
To keep your smoothie palatable, add a small amount of sweeter fruits. The following options are great for keeping your smoothies relatively low in sugar. (For these recipes, I aimed for less than 15 g of sugar per smoothie serving.)
- Half a banana (7 g)
- Half cup pineapple (7g)
- One date, deglet noor variety (4.5 g)
Is Fruit Sugar Bad For You?
Now, I don’t want this post to scare you about eating fruit, because I personally eat it quite liberally and don’t think you should worry about the natural sugar it contains. Though the research is limited, small studies have shown that the fructose found in fruit does NOT act the same way in the body as industrial fructose, such as table sugar. (source)
Fruit contains numerous substances that block the effects of fructose, including vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants, which may explain why the fructose from added sugars is associated with hypertension, but the fructose found in fruit is not. (source)
Eating fruit may also promote weight loss.
In this study, researchers compared a low-fructose group, that consumed no fructose or added fruit, to a moderate fructose group that included fruit in their diet. To their surprise, the group that consumed fruit lost more weight compared to those on the low-fructose plan, even though both groups were eating the same number of calories.
I share this information because I want you to LOVE everything you eat, and if you’re avoiding fruit because you think it will help you lose weight faster or because you’re scared of the natural sugar content, you might not be enjoying your meals to their fullest. You might even feel restricted and wind up stuck in a cycle of binge eating like I did.
Enjoying what you eat daily is key to sticking to a healthy lifestyle and achieving permanent results, so don’t be scared to add more fruit to these recipes if that will make you enjoy them more. You’ll get an extra nutrient boost as a bonus!
Keep in mind that a low sugar smoothie definitely tastes like it’s low in sugar, too. (In other words, they are kind of bland compared to traditional smoothies.)
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially if your taste buds have adapted to appreciating the natural sweetness found in fruits and even some veggies, but don’t expect a low sugar smoothie to taste like one you’d get at a local smoothie bar. (Those are usually loaded with 50 grams or more of sugar per serving!)
I also wouldn’t go adding zero-calorie sweeteners to this smoothie (you can read why I stopped using stevia here), because I feel like that might defeat the point of trying to reduce your sugar intake. Let your taste buds adapt to the natural sweetness of fruit, without skewing your taste buds, or add a little extra sweet fruit like the ones I mentioned above to boost the flavor.
Mango, which is a little higher in sugar, may help to control or even lower blood sugar levels (source), so don’t be afraid to add an extra handful to improve your smoothie’s overall flavor. Feel free to get creative!
Low Sugar Blueberry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or frozen wild blueberries
- 1/2 banana
- 1 cup frozen cauliflower florets
- 1/4 avocado
- 1 cup water , plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more water as needed, then serve immediately.
Nutrition
Per serving: Calories: 133, Carbohydrates: 24, Fiber: 6, Protein: 3, Fat: 4, Sugar: 12
Low Sugar Raspberry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
- 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
- 1/4 avocado
- 1 cup frozen cauliflower florets
- 1 cup water , plus more as needed
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Add more water as needed to facilitate blending.
Nutrition
Per serving: Calories: 112, Carbohydrates: 19, Fiber: 6, Protein: 2, Fat: 4, Sugar: 10
Recipe Notes:
- To keep these smoothies affordable and accessible year-round, I used frozen fruit, but if you use fresh fruit these recipes will have more flavor. If berries are in season where you are, I’d encourage you to use fresh fruits and less water when you blend these.
- Feel free to swap the fruit in these recipes with any of the other ones I mentioned above.
As always, if you try something different please leave a comment below so we can all benefit from your experience!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite smoothie combination? Feel free to share recipes in the comments below!
I regularly make chocolate chia pudding, Thai peanut dressing, flourless chocolate cake for two, healthy dog treats,Rosemary Sweet potato fries…..I will stop. I have been following you for a long time and trust your advice. I have not tried a bad recipe and certainly have my favorites. I have a vitamix and love it. Our daughter is getting married and she is wishing for one……I would gift it to her. She would Flip with joy!
I made your black bean brownies yesterday!
I’ll be trying your raspberry smoothie asap! Never thought to add cauliflower to a smoothie, but will try it out.
I would make almond butter, vegan mac and cheese, and chocolate chia pudding. Yum can I just eat that for dinner???
I definitely want to try one of these smoothies! Veggies and fruit!
50 grams of sugar? Thats not even THAT bad, just saw a large “healthy smoothie” from a location I won’t name that had a whopping 160 grams of sugar…
Im starting another round of whole30 and getting my 5 boys, 12 and under into a healthier diet, which I know your recipes are perfect for. I just cooked pumpkins from Fall and will be making your pumpkin loaf (my and my boys favorite) and your GF oat pumpkin donuts as well as your banana bread from Everyday Detox for mornings on the go to get them the extra calories they need. Thanks for what you do and your inspiring post about your eating issues in the past! I relate much!
Your Detoxinista Recipes such as Stuffed Acorn Squash and Vegan Mac and Cheese would add interesting variety to meals and these low sugar smoothies give me some good inspiration for blending in this new Vitamix! Thanks for the opportunity!!
I’m going to be making my favourite green goddess salad dressing from the blog sooooo yummy!
Ian going to try the raspberry smoothie… YUM YUM YUM! 😋
I am going to make your egg role in a bowl today for dinner, yum!
I make variations of your chocolate superfood smoothie almost daily. Along with spinach, I have loved the addition of zucchini and frozen broccoli. I never would have thought to try it if it wasn’t for your recipes. I love getting all of those veggies in first thing! Can’t wait to try cauliflower now! Chia seed pudding is also a new favorite.
I’ll definitely be trying this smoothie recipe, I tend ignore fruit sugars even though I avoid it as much as I can elsewhere!
I love love your recipe for Cali flower “fried rice” my family requests I make it all the time. I also enjoyed the holidays with your green bean casserole and all veggie gravy. It is exciting to try and add more veggies into my diet without feeling like a rabbit.
These look yummy, I have a question why do you
cauliflower ? Is there a reason or just for bulk.
Mostly just for bulk, since it’s pretty flavorless in smoothies.
I enjoyed your chocolate chia shake this morning for breakfast.
Happy New Year, Megan! Lentil chili from “Everyday Detox was a good comfort food on a cold day especially under an extreme cold weahter alert. This becomes my favourite winter food!
The raspberry smoothie is amazing. I also enjoy making your date balls. As a diabetic, they help with my sugar cravings. I love your site.
I want to make that cauliflower jambalaya! It looks delicious. I’ve made lots of your recipes in the past! I’ll post this week on Instagram! I would love to win a vitamix!!
Thank you so much for these recipes, I have looking for more low-sugar recipes and these both look delicious! I will be making these alongside your peanut butter cup shake!
I make the smoothies all the time. I use Chia seeds, and coconut milk and vary the fruits and veggies. I like celery and spinach in them more than avocado. Can do a tiny bit of beet, but not much. Just made one this week, didn’t take a picture though. It was with pineapple and oranges and coconut milk, celery and spinach
I made your Healthy Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate again for New Years.I first made it about a month ago for a chilly camping trip.So good! Also, the Rainbow Lo-Mein is also just about a weekly staple in our home.
Thank you for being mindful of the sugar! Any ideas for non-sweet options that don’t include raw cruciferous veggies? My GI system can not handle them.
Also, I love smoothies in the summer but here in frigid New England, I just can not bear the idea of drinking anything cold. Am I alone in this?!
Love the califlower add.
We made the sweet potato Sloppy Joes last night for dinner. It was great. Thank you so much!!
Tonight we are having your cod fish taocs from your 1st book, so yummy.
I always make several of your recipes weekly due to having 3 hungry children, My goal for this year is to use dates as my primary sweetener so I made a batch of your “healthiest cookie.” I also made a batch of your chocolate date balls. Tonight for dinner I am making your cheesesteak spaghetti squash and will be making your tomato soup from your first cookbook. Thank you for all of the yummy recipes even my kids love most of them. In fact, my daughter has requested your raw lemon bars for her birthday.
I am making a bunch of your cookbook recipes but today i am eating your chickpea and avocado “egg” salad on toast. Yum!
I’d like to try the Thai-Style Lettuce Wraps since I love the ones at PF Changs!
I absolutely love the detoxinista cookbook. I have would love a new blender and instant pot to make my daily meals.
I would like to make the Chinese Cabbage Salad
I’ve been such a fan of your web site for years and benefited greatly from your tasty recipes. Your site is where I go when I need something new to try. I know I won’t need to alter the ingredients to my liking. Thank you! Can I say dairy free chocolate cheesecake! AMAZING!
This week I’ve already made the Pecan Date Truffles, later, I’ll make our family favorite Vegan Pumpkin Bread.
I’ll be making your 3 ingredient energy bites!
I’m making your vegetarian bolognese for dinner tonight (I add onion, red bell pepper, and carrots for more veggies). It’s a favorite with me and my husband.
I will be making chia pudding!
I’d like to make the gorilla green smoothie!
Hi Megan,
I’m making your buckwheat banana bread this week, so good and so easy! Going to give the smoothies with frozen cauliflower a try, too.
Can’t wait to try these smoothies! It’s been so cold in Michigan so I will sticking to the warm sweet potato toast breakfasts for now. 😋 love the option to make the sweet potato toasts sweet or savory (or both!)
I already made a batch of your healthiest cookies and date balls, and will be batch cooking a whole bunch of pizza stir fry! So good!
This is perfect timing – I’ve been looking for some lower sugar smoothie recipes for my family. I’ll be trying these this week! And a Vitamix would sure help 😉
Oh, also a fan of your Morning Glory muffins, chia pudding, and your Hulk and witch finger Halloween cookies!
Happy new year! thanks for helping us get started by eating healthy! I am going to try to make your quinoa pizza crusts this week. I also made a smoothie today and used frozen banana, pineapple, blueberries, and dark cherries. I added baby kale, chia and hemp seeds, ginger, and coconut milk. Not sweet at all. Thanks for this opportunity to win a vitamix!
I am going to try one of the low sugar smoothies this week! I have been wanting to try cauliflower in a smoothie anyway, so this seems like a good opportunity
It’s really cold in the Midwest where I am, so I’ll be making smoothies once it warms up in a few months. However, luckily for us people who enjoy eating plants, there’s plenty of heartwarming options. I’m definitely going to make the “egg roll in a bowl” (I have some cabbage that’s been waiting to be used up!), and the chickpea flour pizza. Possibly even for breakfast this Saturday morning, because why not? 🙂
I will try adding cauliflower to my smoothies. I have never thought of that. I usually just make up my own smoothie with whatever berries I have (currently frozen raspberries and blueberries). I always try to keep the smoothies lower in sugar and use only 1/2 a banana or a date.
I also plan on making the Tuscan Pumpkin Tomato Soup which sounds good with this cold weather we are getting here in Canada right now. Your Tuscan Pumpkin pasta sauce is a favourite at our place.
These look so refreshing and delicious!!
I made a batch of the date nut energy balls! Just had one tonight as a treat. I am craving lemon and was going to try your lemon bars from your cookbook this weekend. Thanks for the challenge! I love that it’s encouraging and not all about the rules. I do best with just positive reinforcement and good recipe ideas!
I will be making your almond butter freezer fudge. Looks delish! I also hope I win!
So far this week, ive made the sweet potato noodle casserole with creamy pumpkin sauce, pumpkin spice green smoothies, and peanut butter banana mug cake. I have some apple sauce so I think I’ll make the almond butter pancakes tomorrow. All of it is so delicious, nutritious and satisfying. Thank you Megan!
I love avocado in smoothie but never tried cauliflower or zucchini. I think ill make the raspberry recipe but use blackberries since I have those in the freezer.
I will be making the low sugar blueberry smoothie!
My favorites are the chia chai smoothie and the walnut date cookies!
I’m going to try a Granny Smith green smoothie with zucchini and spinach!