Simplicity is the Name of the Game
I’m not an expert at many things, but making incredible Protein-Packed Keto Green Smoothies might very well be one of them. Over the past 5 years I’ve been making a Green Smoothie of some kind nearly everyday. I’ve gone through phases where I’d be using 15 different ingredients in hopes to achieve the ideal blend of nutrition and deliciousness. As I matured however, I realized that most of the time simpler is better, and it turns out that Keto Green Smoothies are no exception. I’ve reduced my daily Keto Green Smoothie recipe down to a paltry 5 ingredients. These ingredients however, are optimized to deliver the highest possible nutritional benefits while still tasting great!
The Fab Five (Ingredients)
- Protein Powder
- Spinach
- MCT Oil
- Chia Seeds
- Flax Meal(or Flaxseeds)
1. Protein Powder : How do You Choose the Right One?
There’s a couple things you’re going to want to keep in mind when choosing a Keto
This stuff is as good as it gets. The pinnacle of low carb protein powders. It combines taste, mix-ability(some protein powders are all clumpy), and it almost makes you chuckle to yourself as you turn to the nutrition label and read 0g carbs. Someone give the person that made 25g of milk by-product taste like a chocolate eclair a Nobel Prize please. The downside is that IsoPure rarely falls under my $10/lb rule. It will normally cost you around $15/lb. I got some on the Amazon.com Prime Day sale for $9/lb and have been carefully rationing it out ever since.
TrueNutrition.com is a really great site that I’ve been using for close to 8 years now. They allow you to create your own custom mixes, and choose from 30+ flavors. My previous orders have had 0.9g-1.6g of carbs per scoop. The standard 100% whey they sell is $9/lb. When I order from them I create a mix with Whey/Soy/Rice protein which can get your per lb cost down to $7-$8. If you order over 15lbs you get an additional 5% off! But then you can no longer deny the fact that you’re a “bro”, so it’s a double-edged sword.
This is far and away the most trusted and highly reviewed protein on the market. If taste is your key concern, then Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard is what you’re looking for. Depending on the flavor these will range from 2g-6g of carbs per serving. At a cost of $10/lb this is priced very reasonably for the ironclad reputation it has.
2. Spinach: The Perfect Keto Green Smoothie Veggie
Your choice for a Keto Green Smoothie veggie really falls between Kale and Spinach. I opt for spinach mainly because I enjoy the taste more and it is slightly cheaper. Kale will also work with this recipe, I’ve done it many times and it comes out great. Spinach is lower in carbs than Kale. Not that it is a huge deal, and I’m not one to stress over the carb content of ultra-healthy vegetables but it is worth noting. Kale has 5g of carbs per cup, while spinach has just 1g. This can be somewhat offset by the fact that kale is more nutrient dense, but I still think Spinach is the better choice. Fresh vs. FrozenThe decision to use fresh or frozen really comes down to personal preference. For years I used fresh spinach, but I’ve decided once and for all that the cost and convenience of frozen spinach is too good to pass up. I love being able to pick up 10 bags on a trip to the grocery store and not have to worry about them going bad. Just throw them in the freezer and use at my leisure. Fresh spinach has an extremely short shelf-life, usually 3-5 days. It will make for a better tasting Keto Green Smoothie, and research has shown that it retains some extra vitamins when compared to it’s frozen counterpart. The decision is yours. Both are solid choices. Just adjust the amount of ice you put in depending on whether you opt for fresh or frozen and you should be good!
3. MCT Oil: So What Is It?
MCT Oil is the only ingredient in this that can’t be subbed out. This stuff is vital because it can withstand cold temperatures and still maintain it’s liquid form. If you try to use Coconut Oil for example, you’ll be chewing on some big pieces of frozen oil…which I wouldn’t classify as tasty. MCT stands for Medium Chain Triglycerides, which are a type of fatty acid that are absorbed rapidly by the body. MCT converts to energy faster than any other type of fat which makes it great for a post workout shake, or for use in Bulletproof Coffee.
Where Can You Buy MCT Oil?I’ve started to see MCT Oil popping up in stores, but I find it cheapest on Amazon. Whole Foods has started carrying it, and just about any health food store should have it. I’ve tried 3 or 4 different brands off of Amazon and they were all similar quality so I just get the cheapest one. Here’s a few links to some that I’ve tried:
Flax Meal: A Combo of Fat and Fiber
Here at KetoConnect we use Flax Meal(Ground up Flaxseeds) just about every day. It goes into a lot of our low carb baked goods and it always finds it’s way into my smoothies. Adding Flax meal to your Keto Green Smoothie is a great way to get some extra fiber, healthy fat, as well as some vitamins and minerals. It’s also very affordable at around $5 for a 16oz bag. Lately we have been ordering Bob’s Red Mill from Amazon, but you should be able to find it in most grocery stores. You’re getting 3g of fiber per tablespoon with Flax Meal and just a trace amount of carbs(about 0.2g per tablespoon). If you’ve never tried it before, Flax Meal has a feint nutty taste that fits well with the other flavors in this Keto Green Smoothie recipe.
Chia Seeds: Massive Nutrients in a Small Package
Chia Seeds, like Flax Seeds, deliver a huge amount of nutrients as well as fat and fiber. On a per calorie basis, Chia Seeds are the worlds best source for a number of key nutrients. Health aside, they add to the taste and consistency of the Keto Green Smoothie immensely. They are unique in the way that they gel together to form a pudding-like consistency if left alone for a few minutes. Sometimes I will let my smoothie sit in the fridge for an hour before I drink it if I want to let the Chia Seeds really blossom. If you go that route I recommend leaving the ice out. The best price I can find for these is also on Amazon, but it’s a 2lb bag of them. We use them a lot so a 2lb bag makes sense for us, but if you do some searching at local grocery stores you can find 6oz bags, but they will wind up costing you almost as much as the 2lb bag from Amazon. We’ve gotten HealthWorks the last few times and are happy with the product. It is the cheapest option on Amazon.
The Keto Green Smoothie Recipe
The recipe outlined in this article is listed below. We have also put together a brief video showing you how we make it. If you happen to try it let us know! And be sure to share your recipes with us in the comments section. We love to get suggestions and feedback, so don’t be shy. If you like the recipes and insights we are sharing be sure to check out our youtube channel. Thanks!
Keto Green Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp MCT Oil Start with 1 tsp if you do not regularly consume MCT Oil. We Use This
- 2 tbsp flax seed meal
- 2 tbsp Chia Seeds
- 1 Scoop Protein Powder
- 2 cups Frozen Spinach
- 5 cubes Ice
- 3 cups Water
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix on high for about 30 seconds, or until Spinach is mostly liquefied.
Notes
Written by
Matt Gaedke
Matt is a former college basketball player turned computer engineer who discovered his passion for health and nutrition after cutting sugar from his diet in 2016. That year he founded KetoConnect with Megha in order to share their ketogenic lifestyle through recipes, videos, and educational content. Matt is always seeking to grow and try new things, a passion he shares with his wife and two amazing sons.
What about some coconut milk for some of the water? I know that would alter it both taste and macros? Just sounds like a lot of water for one smoothie, BUT i haven’t tried it yet.
You could definitely use the milk! But like you said, it would alter the nutrition a little
Just coming across this updated recipe and excited to try it. How many tablespoons = scoop? I’m using up my bulletproof collagen protein powder, which may affect the overall protein count. How much of the recipe’s protein is coming from the powder vs. other ingredients. Just so I track it right.
Appreciate all that you do and congrats on the baby bump!
One scoop of protein powder is usually 30-33g. I am not sure how many tsps it is.
Can I use chia powder or hemp powder as my protein powder? I’m in a rural area and my local market carries both. Thank you!
Those wouldn’t provide as much protein, but if you wanted to you could. They would change the consistency of the smoothie.
Would it be ok to add Collagen Peptides to this? If so, how much would you recommend adding? Secondly, if I use the X Factor, how much should I use?
Thank You!
Sarah
Yes collagen would be fine, I would just add whatever the collagen serving size is. For the xanthan gum use a tiny tiny amount. Maybe 1/8th teaspoon and if you need more add a tiny bit more, but it will take a minute to thicken.
Have you looked at the price of Chia Seed at COSTCO, ORGANIC CHIA SEED? 4 LBS. $29.99.
Tried the king of the ANDI green leafy for max nutrition: 7 c of chopped kale, 2 tblspn apple cider vinegar, 2 tblspn olive oil (didn’t have MCT), chia seeds, ground flax seeds (gotta have those omega 3s), ice, and water. Consistency: 10 out of 10, taste: minus several millions, unless you like licking the bottom of a lawn mower. Wow that’s a lot of chlorophyll
How many servings is this supposed to be? This seems to be closer to 3 or 4 servings! It filled nearly 4 large glasses. Is it definitely supposed to be 3 cups of water?
It should make about 32 ounces, but adding less water can make it less voluminous if you don’t want it that big. It won’t change the nutrition if you decrease the water or ice.
Does this make 1 serving? Seems like alot.
Yup! It makes one serving.
Love the recipe. I made a few modification to personalize for me. Instead of water, I used more ice and a cup of black coffee. I also used 3 handfuls of fresh spinach (all I had in the house). It turned out wonderful and keeps me full for hours. Thanks so much! (I’m a Macha fan, so I also added 1/2 tsp of ceremonial grade Macha). I know, I know…getting over 5 ingredients defeats the purpose of simple!
Can I substitute hemp for flax? I mean obviously I can but would that keep in line with Keto. Haven’t even started just learning and trying to jot down recipes that will work.
Is protein powder a must if I drink this while having grilled chicken?
I have breakfast recipes down, looking for lunch ideas and I’m more of a veggie drinker than eater, so I was thinking grilled chicken with this green smoothie?
Yep hemp hearts are great for keto! You don’t need to add the protein powder if you think it’s too much protein for one meal! Eat low carb, high fay meals that you enjoy eating and making! Keep it simple!
I bought some Crazy Richard’s peanut butter powder, do you think this would be good in place of a peanut butter in a smoothie?
Sure! Is it high fat low carb?
I’ve been making this smoothie and your guy’s bulletproof coffee recipe for my presentation workouts every morning. On days with the green smoothie, for some reason it makes me feel really tired and has an observable effect on my workout. I could just move exclusively to the bulletproof coffee because on the days I have that it is much more effect, but I don’t want to loose out on the benefits of the Chia seeds and flax meal.
Sorry, autocorrect, switch “presentation” with “pre”
So just to confirm, even though the total carbs are 23g, I can still stay in ketosis because the net carbs are 3g?
Yes
I like celery in addition to other greens in mine. I’ve started experimenting with fruit extracts as well. Mine are quite thick and I add kumbacha tea to it. It gives it a fizz.
I also add green banana powder and hemp hearts, and also the chia seed.
May I ask what the macros would be? I didn’t see it on here. Sorry if I just missed it.
They are under the recipe 🙂
If i substitute coconut oil instead of mct oil and add a half avocado will the carb intake change
The avocado will add some carbs, nothing crazy though. Just track it.
Using my Bullet, i loaded it with two heaping handfuls of fresh spinach only because i had it around. But will probably go forward using frozen. Did everything like you wrote, flax, chia, MCT, Isopure vanilla. Plus i added a scoop of collagen protein and a scoop of Dr Berg’s Electrolytes powder. This was seriously good and packs a punch. I also think simpler and fewer ingredients is better. I used to make smoothies with about everything but the kitchen sink. I’ll be making this a lot! Thanks.
I’ve just started a low carb diet of my own for weight loss and have been shedding it! I love y’all’s videos! I wanted to ask if there is anything you can substitute for the protein powder. I tend to get a lot of protein in my diet and I don’t want to overdo it. Plus I’m looking for ways to up my fat and fiber intake so this is pretty much on point except for the protein aspect.
Just omit it 🙂