15+ Weight Gain Smoothies (Healthy)
Whether you’re recovering from an illness or just need to put on weight, you’ll love this round-up of the best Healthy Weight Gain Smoothies. Learn tips to increase body mass using blended drinks with a variety of ingredients.
What are Weight Gain Smoothies?
Smoothies are blended drinks made using a variety of ingredients. Most smoothie recipes call for a liquid base, frozen fruit, and then extra add-ins for flavor and nutrition.
See my full index of healthy smoothies for recipes.
Weight gain smoothies put an emphasis on calorie-rich ingredients that can increase the calorie content of one smoothie to 1,000 calories or more.
This round-up of healthy weight gain smoothies should give you lots of inspiration to put on extra pounds.
See my full article on the health benefits of green smoothies and why you want to avoid pre-made nutritional drinks like Ensure.
Reasons to Gain Weight
Whether you’re recovering from an acute illness, chronic disease, eating disorder, or something else that caused unintended weight loss, there are many reasons why someone would want to gain weight and build muscle mass.
Just as when you need to lose weight, it’s best to gain weight slowly and carefully. You don’t want to overload your digestive system with too much fiber or calories. Eating too much in one sitting can make you feel unwell.
Please consult with your doctor or healthcare provider if you have specific questions about the right way to gain weight.
Weight Gain Ingredients
Smoothies are a great way to get more calories since they are blended. It would be difficult to actually chew the amount of fruits and veggies that are blended into a smoothie.
But, thanks to the powerful blades of most blenders, the ingredients get pulverized into a creamy mixture that is easy to drink and digest.
For your high-calorie smoothie recipes, you want to be sure to use healthy ingredients that will result in a healthy smoothie. Weight gain smoothie recipes should not be filled with excess sugar or processed ingredients.
Some ingredients that are part of weight gain smoothies to provide enough calories include:
Coconut milk: use full-fat canned coconut milk for the most calories and fat.
A benefit of coconut milk is that it is naturally a little sweet without any sugar. Coconut milk is an excellent base for a weight gain smoothie and a great option if you are on a dairy-free diet.
Whole milk: if you aren’t dairy-intolerant, you can use whole milk as the base of your healthy weight gain smoothie.
Whole milk contains lots of nutrition including vitamins and minerals. You can also use whole milk yogurts or Greek yogurt in your smoothies or smoothie bowls to add extra grams of protein and extra calories.
Protein powder: you can balance the nutrition of any smoothie by including a scoop or two of protein powder. This helps add more nutrition and balance to your high calorie smoothies. Protein shakes are also very satiating and can help you reach your weight gain goals.
Protein is also great for muscle building and is an easy way to help keep your blood sugar stable. Protein smoothies can often act as a meal replacement especially if you use other high calorie ingredients.
But, buyer beware as not all protein powders are created equal. For a list of quality products, check out my round-up of the best paleo protein powders or the best protein powders for pregnancy.
Avocado: one of the very best ingredients to add to a smoothie is sliced avocado.
If you are trying to gain weight, you can use up to a whole avocado in your smoothie. Avocado adds richness, creaminess, and tons of nutrition.
You can even use frozen avocado if you don’t want to keep fresh ones on hand. Learn how to freeze ripe avocado. See my Avocado Chocolate Smoothie recipe using cocoa powder to make a delicious smoothie.
Chia seeds and hemp seeds can be added to help thicken up a smoothie and to add calories and healthy fats.
These plant-based ingredients also contain lots of nutrition and are great to include in any weight gain smoothie.
Nut butters and seed butters are more amazing ingredients that include lots of fat and calories for your weight gain shakes.
Just be sure to read the labels on your jar to make sure they don’t contain hydrogenated oils or added sugars. Look for natural peanut butter, almond butter, and pumpkin seed butters.
Cream cheese or vegan cream cheese can make any smoothie taste like a cheesecake.
The tartness of the cream cheese helps balance fruit flavors and adds a ton of richness (and helps increase your calorie intake without a lot of added sugar). See my recipe for my Vegan Cheesecake Smoothie.
Dates are a great calorie-rich ingredient to add natural sweetness to any smoothie.
I use dates in my Kale Chocolate Smoothie to help mask the taste of the kale.
Coconut oil can help add fat and calories to your smoothie.
Top your smoothie with homemade granola to add texture and more calories.
You can also check out my round-up of the Best Cancer Fighting Smoothies for more ingredient inspiration.
Weight Gain Ingredients to Avoid
To keep your best health in mind, avoid most packaged smoothies or smoothie mixes. They usually contain preservatives and lots of additives (read more about why Ensure is unhealthy).
Other ingredients to avoid in weight gain smoothies include too many added sugars and oils like vegetable oils.
Best Blender to Use for Smoothies
Ideally, you would have a high speed blender like a Blendtec or a Vitamix in your kitchen to help you create the creamiest, most delicious and healthy weight gain smoothies right at home.
Investing in a quality blender is a good decision. You’ll save money by making your own smoothies instead of buying them, and you’ll have much more control over the quality of the ingredients.
High Calorie Smoothie FAQs
As long as you’re using healthy, whole food ingredients, there are few side effects to consuming weight gain smoothies. However, like any diet change, it’s important to monitor your body’s reaction. Overconsumption could lead to excessive weight gain and associated health problems. Always talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions about your individual situation.
The number of smoothies you should drink depends on your specific dietary needs and goals. It’s best to consult with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to find a plan that works best for you. However, one smoothie a day as a supplement to your regular diet is a common starting point.
Weight gain smoothies can serve as meal replacements if they contain a good balance of macronutrients – proteins, carbs, and fats. However, it’s also important to eat a variety of foods to ensure you’re getting a wide range of nutrients.
Yes, you can also lose weight with smoothies, but the ingredients and portion sizes would be different. Weight loss smoothies usually focus more on low-calorie, high-fiber ingredients that promote satiety and aid digestion, like berries, spinach, and cucumbers. See my Weight Loss Green Smoothie recipe.
Absolutely, you can make a weight gain smoothie without a protein supplement. Foods like Greek yogurt, nuts, seeds, and milk are high in protein and can be used instead.
Here’s a round-up or the best healthy weight gain smoothies.
Best Weight Gain Smoothies
Use this list to find weight gain smoothie recipes to meet your needs. You can always adapt the smoothies with some of the calorie-rich ingredients mentioned above.
Weight Gain 1,000 Calorie Chocolate Smoothie
This smoothie recipe offers 1,000 calories in one serving. It's perfect for people who need to put on weight quickly. It tastes great too!
Avocado Chocolate Smoothie
Avocado adds richness to this chocolate smoothie that tastes like a milkshake!
Pineapple Banana Smoothie
Pineapple and banana pair so well with coconut water, yogurt, and the other calorie-rich ingredients in this creamy smoothie.
Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
This smoothie is rich in chocolate flavor. It is so sweet and perfect for when you want a meal replacement drink.
Sweet Potato Smoothie
When you want a smoothie recipe with fall flavors, try this Sweet Potato Smoothie.
Liver Detox Green Smoothie
This green smoothie includes avocado and other detoxifying ingredients that are healthy and delicious in a smoothie.
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Peanut butter adds so much richness and flavor to this simple fruit smoothie.
Kale Berry Chocolate Smoothie
Learn how to love kale by steaming it and adding it to this yummy berry smoothie recipe.
Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie
This simple smoothie can be the base of your next weight gain smoothie. Feel free to use coconut milk as the base to increase the calories.
Peanut Butter Cauliflower Smoothie
You'll never know that cauliflower is hiding in this creamy peanut butter smoothie.
Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie
Vegan cream cheese is used in this rich and thick smoothie. You can use regular cream cheese if you aren't on a dairy-free diet.
Dairy-Free Strawberry Green Smoothie
This basic green smoothie blend is a perfect meal replacement with tons of nutrition.
3-Ingredient Pineapple Orange Smoothie
This is another smoothie using coconut milk to add richness and creaminess.
Oat Milk Smoothie with Strawberry & Banana
You can use oat milk or any other type of milk in this rich and delicious fruit smoothie.
Chocolate Smoothie Bowl
If you want to use a spoon to eat your smoothie, consider making a thick smoothie bowl instead of a drinkable smoothie. This recipe is perfect.
Food Processor Smoothie (Mango Pineapple Spinach)
You don't even need a blender to make a smoothie, you can actually use a food processor. This easy recipe shows you how.
More Smoothie Resources You Might Like!
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
Note: this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for recommendations related to your individual situation.
