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19 Easy & Delicious Smoothies That Can Help Melt Your Middle Fast

Look, feel and live better than ever with the push of a button.

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If you had the power to make your life better with the push of a button, would you use it? Well, that power is yours. With one simple whir, you can turn your body into a hyper-efficient fat-burning machine by revving up your metabolism, toning and defining your muscles, and turning off the genes that contribute to fat storage and myriad chronic health issues. All you need is a blender, and the recipes in this article, an exclusive excerpt from my bestselling book Zero Belly Smoothies.


I know these smoothies will work for you, and fast, because I’ve seen them work for so many others. Consider the case of Fred Sparks. A 39-year-old emergency-response advisor from Katy, Texas, Fred used Zero Belly Smoothies as part of his weight-loss program. “I noticed results in the first week,” he says. “It really was amazing.” Fred lost 21 pounds and 5 inches off his waist in just the next six weeks. The best part? Filled with plant-based proteins, healthy fats and heart-healthy fiber, these drinks are delicious, too. Here are 19 easy and delicious smoothies that can help melt your middle fast.

RELATED:20 Ways to Eat Your Favorite Foods and Still Lose Weight

FRUIT SMOOTHIES

Peach Oat Cobbler Smoothie

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Like a light, summery bowl of oats—this is comfort food in a glass. Opt for frozen peaches unless the peaches in your area are perfect in August. The vanilla in the protein powder will combine with the peaches for a bright, warm, and hearty drink.

Ingredients:

½ peach

½ frozen banana

2 tablespoons rolled oats

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

1 teaspoon ground flaxseed

1 scoop vanilla plant-based protein powder

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 277 calories, 4 g fat, 33 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 14 g sugar, 28 g protein

The Strawvocado Smoothie

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It may not look, act, or taste like it, but the avocado is a fruit (so are olives). Adding avocado to a smoothie gives it a big boost of belly-satisfying monounsaturated fats. Note: Avocado can dramatically reduce your appetite for up to four hours.

Ingredients:

¼ avocado, peeled, pitted, and quartered

½ cup frozen strawberries

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

1 scoop plain or vanilla plant-based protein powder

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

2 ice cubes

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 289 calories, 12 g fat, 18 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 28 g protein

RELATED:20 Easy Ways to Flatten Your Belly Fast, Says Top Nutritionist

Green Raspberry Smoothie

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One of the great tricks of these smoothies is that you can sneak a relatively neutral vegetable like spinach into almost any of them. Spinach is a prime source of folate, which reduces the risk of various conditions from diabetes to dementia.

Ingredients:

⅓ cup raspberries

½ frozen banana

1 cup fresh spinach

1 teaspoon flaxseed oil

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

1 scoop plain plant-based protein powder

3 ice cubes

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 286 calories, 8 g fat, 27 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 12 g sugar, 29 g protein

Raspberry Walnut Cake Smoothie

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Raspberries, abundant with fiber, often grow wild along my driveway in Long Island, where friends' children gather them in early July. Otherwise, opt for the frozen variety, which are nutritionally superior to most supermarket produce.

Ingredients:

⅓ cup frozen raspberries

½ frozen banana

2 tablespoons walnuts

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

Water to blend (optional but recommended)

For topping: 1 piece of dark chocolate, grated

After blending, grate dark chocolate on top of the smoothie and serve.

Nutritional Information: 285 calories, 7 g fat, 26 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 12 g sugar, 30 g protein

Ginger Man Smoothie

Ginger root, Best Foods for Maximizing Your Energy LevelsShutterstock

Ginger, high in health-boosting phytonutrients, should be used fresh. To keep fresh ginger on hand, freeze it in small chunks and defrost before grating.

Ingredients:

½ cup frozen strawberries

¼ frozen banana

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon ground flaxseed

Dash of ground pepper

1 scoop plain plant-based protein powder

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 264 calories, 5 g fat, 26 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 29 g protein

GREEN SMOOTHIES

Kale to the Chief Smoothie

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In addition to sweetening this recipe, the mango delivers three-fourths of your daily vitamin C requirement. And kale is a rich source of the nutrient sulforaphane, which controls the genes that determine whether a stem cell turns into a fat cell.

Ingredients:

1 cup kale

½ cup mango, peeled and pitted

¼ avocado, peeled, pitted, and quartered

6 fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup coconut water

1 scoop plain plant-based protein powder

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 301 calories, 12 g fat, 19 g carbs, 6.5 g fiber, 3.4 g sugar, 30 g protein

Sprig of Parsley Smoothie

Parsley on cutting boardKostiantyn Ablazov / Shutterstock

This is the world’s most overlooked superfood: Studies show that parsley is actually more dense with nutrients than kale, dandelion greens, or romaine lettuce. Combine it with superheroes like watercress and chia and you’ve got a mighty fat-fighting drink.

Ingredients:

¼ cup fresh parsley (include the stems)

½ cup watercress

½ cup frozen strawberries

½ frozen banana

1 teaspoon chia seeds

1 scoop plain plant-based protein powder

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 214 calories, 2 g fat, 22 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 28.5 g protein

Lemon Kale Protein Detox Smoothie

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Putting lemon in your blender is like taking out a nutrition insurance policy for your smoothie. That’s because a significant percentage of the antioxidant polyphenols in any food or drink break down before they reach your bloodstream. But researchers at Purdue University discovered that adding lemon juice to the equation helped preserve the polyphenols.

Ingredients:

½ lemon, peeled and seeded

½ frozen banana

1 cup kale

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

1 scoop plain plant-based protein powder

3 ice cubes

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 254 calories, 7 g fat, 20 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 30 g protein

RELATED: 20 Easiest and Most Effective Exercises on the Planet

The Cuke-Clear Option Smoothie

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Cucumber and watercress keep the flavor mellow, but it’s kiwi—one of the best plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids—that steals the show here.

Ingredients:

½ cucumber, peeled and seeded

½ kiwi, peeled

1 cup watercress

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

1 scoop plain plant-based protein powder

4 ice cubes

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 214 calories, 3 g fat, 18 g carbs, 4.5 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 19 g protein

Hemp Cat Smoothie

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Combining hemp and chia seeds gives you a superdose of omega-3 fatty acids. And hemp seeds, by weight, provide more protein than even beef or fish.

Ingredients:

¾ cup baby kale

½ frozen banana

1 teaspoon hemp seeds

½ tablespoon chia seeds

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

1 scoop vanilla plant-based protein powder

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 270 calories, 6 g fat, 26 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 29 g protein

NUTTY AND CHOCOLATEY SMOOTHIES

Dark Chocolate Banana Nut Smoothie

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Dark Chocolate Banana Nut Smoothie: Four words that combine to sound like a jam session at Ben & Jerry’s house. The density of the banana will have you convinced you’re drinking a milkshake, while the omega-3s in the walnuts will keep your mind sharp and your belly lean.

Ingredients:

½ banana

1 teaspoon dark chocolate morsels (dairy free)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

⅛ cup chopped walnuts

6 ice cubes

⅓ cup chocolate plant-based protein powder

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 229 calories, 11 g fat, 26 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 28 g protein

Chocolate Decadence Smoothie

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This recipe is adapted from one of our favorites from Zero Belly Cookbook. We loved it so much we had to include it here as well. For 150-plus recipes that melt belly fat first—featuring foods you love—check out the cookbook today.

Ingredients:

½ banana

¼ ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and quartered

¼ cup black beans

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

¼ cup chocolate plant-based protein powder

6 ice cubes

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 300 calories, 9 g fat, 34 g carbs, 11 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 25 g protein

Valentine’s Day Smoothie

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Strawberries can get overwhelmed by peanut butter, but the more delicate flavor of cashews helps them stand out in this recipe. And cashews are particularly rich in proanthocyanidins, a class of flavanols that help boost the immune system. You won’t even notice the black beans.

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 tablespoon cashew butter

⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk

¼ cup black beans

¼ cup chocolate plant-based protein powder

2 ice cubes

Water to blend (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth, and then shave a square of dark chocolate on top for presentation.

Nutritional Information: 300 calories, 9 g fat, 30 g carbs, 9 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 26 g protein

Peachy Keen Smoothie

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As fruits go, bananas and peaches are polar opposites: bananas provide fiber and a rich consistency, while peaches add antioxidants for very few calories.

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen peaches

½ banana

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

⅓ cup vanilla plant-based protein powder

½ cup ice cubes

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 287 calories, 3 g fat, 36 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 22 g sugar, 29 g protein

Chocolate Bean Smoothie

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Beans? In a smoothie? Use canned or precooked beans for a thick, earthy protein and fiber punch. One study found that people who ate ¾ cup of beans daily weighed 6.6 pounds less, on average, than those who didn’t, even though the bean eaters took in more calories.

Ingredients:

½ frozen banana

¼ cup black beans

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

⅓ cup plant-based chocolate protein powder

Water to blend (optional)

Nutritional Information: 280 calories, 3 g fat, 31 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 31 g protein

RELATED:8 Best Ways to Strip Away Your Unhealthiest Belly Fat

SAVORY SMOOTHIES

Potato? Sweet! Smoothie

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Bananas and sweet potatoes both add starch, but that’s why the cinnamon is in there. Adding cinnamon to a starchy meal helps stabilize blood sugar and ward off insulin spikes, according to a series of studies printed in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Ingredients:

½ cooked sweet potato, cooled, with skin off

½ frozen banana

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 scoop plain plant-based protein powder

Nutritional Information: 280 calories, 5 g fat, 34 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 14 g sugar, 28 g protein

Mr. Bean Smoothie

Kidney beans, healthy food, brain foods, Best Foods for Maximizing Your Energy LevelsShutterstock

You won’t even taste the secret ingredient here.

Ingredients:

¼ cup kidney beans

½ frozen banana

½ cup frozen strawberries

4 mint leaves

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

¼ scoop plant-based plain protein powder

Nutritional Information: 340 calories, 4.5 g fat, 53 g carbs, 11 g fiber, 14 g sugar, 24 g protein

NUTRITIONIST FAVORITES

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

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By Gina Hassick, MA, RD, LDN, CDE, NCC and owner of Eat Well with Gina (eatwellwithgina.com)

"This Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie is my go-to non-dairy smoothie because it is decadent, yet nutritious—the best of both worlds. The combination of chocolate and peanut butter creates a rich flavor to satisfy your sweet tooth, but the spinach, kale and protein from the soy milk help to create a balance to keep blood sugars steady. This smoothie is also a nutritional powerhouse packed with immune boosting nutrients like vitamin C and potassium and is packed with fiber to help keep you feeling fuller for longer and help aid in weight loss goals."

Ingredients:

1 handful spinach

1 handful baby kale

1 cup chocolate soy milk

1 small frozen banana

1 tablespoon All-Natural Peanut Butter

Ice

Nutritional Information: 346 calories, 13 g fat, 47 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 23 g sugar, 15 g protein

Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie

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By Jim White, RD, ACSM HFS, and owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios

"Who doesn’t love a PB and J sandwich! Well, now you can have the same experience without the extra bread. This non-dairy smoothie is not only delicious but quite nutritious. It can be a great on-the-go breakfast option, consumed as a snack or post-workout. It provides a powerful punch of protein, fiber, antioxidants, essential fats and vital nutrients to support good health."

Ingredients:

¾ cup berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

1 tablespoon nut butter, natural

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 scoop plain plant-based protein powder

Nutritional Information: 328 calories, 12 g fat, 24 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 30 g protein