Healthy Strawberry Banana Smoothie Recipe

This healthy strawberry banana smoothie is the perfect breakfast, post-workout snack or tasty dessert. We call it a smoothie in our recipe book, but we like to think of it more like a milkshake. That’s because it tastes indulgent, even though it’s only made with three wholesome ingredients. Convinced? It’s time to delve into this tall glass of creamy, guilt-free treat.

You could even make this healthy strawberry drink a two-ingredient smoothie by leaving out the milk, but as Coach Lisa points out, it’s important to make sure your macronutrients are balanced in every meal. So if you want to skip the milk, it’s best to replace it with something else that’s protein-packed – like Greek yogurt or soy milk. This will ensure you have the right amount of protein, carbs, and fat for your body to feel both fueled and satisfied.

Why it’s healthy

So what’s so nutritious about this healthy strawberry banana smoothie, anyway? Well, you can’t go wrong health-wise by incorporating fresh fruit into your day, and this smoothie includes two of our favorite fruits: strawberry and banana. Both are wonderfully sweet and provide your body with an array of health benefits. On top of that, the creamy texture of bananas combined with the juicy strawberries complement each other like a dream.

Health benefits of strawberries

The vibrant red color of strawberries comes from the flavonoids and phytonutrients found in them. These micronutrients lend a helping hand keeping diseases like cancers and heart-conditions at bay. They’re also a valuable source of vitamins K and C — in fact, one serving contains more immune-boosting vitamin C than one orange. On top of that, they provide a good dose of folic acid, manganese, potassium, and fiber. Their fiber and fructose content helps regulate blood sugar levels by supporting digestion. Finally, the antioxidants in strawberries make them naturally slow down the aging process.

Jack of all trades: Apart from being the co-star in this healthy strawberry banana smoothie, you can throw strawberries onto some yogurt, or drizzle them with a splash of Balsamic vinegar and roast them in the oven for maximum flavor. You can also add them to fruit salads or leafy green salads. 

Health benefits of bananas

Bananas are loaded with soluble fiber and pectin, both of which promote healthy gut function by alleviating inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. The soluble fiber also contributes to lowering cholesterol and helps keep you satisfied for longer. Another gut health-promoter is resistant starch. Resistant starch has a prebiotic effect which keeps your gut healthy and keeps bloating to a minimum.

One of the banana’s most important micronutrients is potassium, a main electrolyte in the body. Potassium helps regulate heart function and fluid balance (which affects blood pressure).

Jack of all trades: You can mash up ripe bananas to make banana bread or, in the summer, grill them peel-on for 10 minutes, then split the peel open and serve with a dollop of creamy Greek yogurt. 

Healthy Strawberry Banana Smoothie Recipe

5 min500 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1 ripe banana
• ½ cup milk

Method

1. If you’re using fresh strawberries, wash them, remove the stems, and halve the strawberries. Then put them in the freezer for at least 1-2 hours before making your smoothie.
2. Peel the banana and chop roughly.
3. Add the banana, strawberries, and milk to a blender and blitz until smooth.
4. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries or banana, and slurp up!

Variations

Want to tailor this healthy strawberry banana smoothie to suit your taste and texture preference? Then why not make it thicker, water it down, or take the flavor up a notch? Here’s how:

Make nice cream

If you’re looking for an ice cream-style smoothie, freeze the chopped banana together with the strawberries. When using frozen fruits, your blender may have a harder time blending. If this is the case, add a tablespoon of milk at a time.

Make it refreshing

If you want your healthy strawberry banana smoothie to be more fruity, don’t freeze the fruit and add some additional juicy fruits like blueberries. Using fresh produce and adding a splash more liquid will transform your smoothie into a thirst-quenching treat on a hot day. If you want to give it a light and airy texture, blend it for longer to create that frothy top layer.

Make it fancy

You can also choose to garnish your smoothie with decadent toppings. Try shredded coconut, toasted oats, flax or chia seeds. You can also sprinkle roasted and crushed nuts like hazelnuts or pistachios on top or finish it off with cacao nibs or dark chocolate shavings.

Make it vegan

Almond milk or another non-dairy milk like coconut, rice or oat milk are a perfect dairy milk substitute. If you crave a slightly thicker, creamier consistency, add a vegan yogurt of your choice (our favorite is coconut). If you’re worried about protein, a handsome dollop of nut butter should do the trick.

Make it high-protein

On that protein note, luxuriously thick Greek yogurt delivers a good hit of protein to this healthy strawberry banana smoothie. If you’re vegan, lactose-intolerant or just fancy getting even more nutrients and flavor, spoon in some almond, macadamia or hazelnut butter to your drink instead.

If you enjoyed our healthy strawberry banana smoothie recipe and are looking for more delightful fruity treats, sign up for 8fit Pro. You’ll be able to peruse our nutritionist-approved recipe library. Stay tuned for the upcoming Green smoothie and Peanut butter smoothie!