Is Smoothie King Healthy, Actually? What Science Says

Smoothies can be a great way to boost your vitamins, increase your fiber intake, and make sure you're getting enough fruits and vegetables. One of the larger and more famous smoothie shops we all might know of is Smoothie King. These smoothies are great for a snack, meal replacement, or a way for people to get extra protein after working out. But is Smoothie King actually healthy for you? For the most part, Smoothie King is not the healthiest place to get smoothies, but if you choose carefully, you can find smoothies that are low in calories and fat. Let's learn more about Smoothie King and what smoothies to order and avoid.

What Is Smoothie King

Smoothie King is a smoothie shop that was founded by a man named Steve Kuhnau in 1973 and became a franchise in 1989. Fifteen years later, Smoothie King went international and grew to have over 130 locations worldwide. As of 2018, they've grown to have over 1,000 locations.

Smoothie King says they are committed to providing nutritious smoothies with clean blends. They do not use any high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, GMO fruits and veggies, gluten, artificial colors or flavors, added preservatives, or trans fats, along with many other potentially harmful ingredients.

If Smoothie King says they provide a nutritious smoothie, then why isn't it always healthy? Most of the menu at Smoothie King includes a lot of added sugar. You must keep an eye on how much sugar you eat each day, as high blood sugar has been linked to type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and more.

Healthy Smoothies

Although most of Smoothie King's smoothies have added sugar, they removed added sugar in many of their Wellness, Fitness, and Slim blends. Here are some of the healthier smoothies you can order according to what fits your needs best.

Low Carb

If you're looking for something that has low carbs and can fit into your keto diet, try the Gladiator Vanilla Smoothie. It has only 3 grams of carbs, 3.5 grams of fat, 230 calories, and 45 grams of protein.

Low Fat

The best low-fat smoothie is the Slim-N-Trim Blueberry. It has 2 grams of fat, 250 calories, 11 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber. Fiber is also great for cholesterol and your gut microbiome, as well as helping you feel full.

Meal Replacement

The Vegan Nutty Super Grain smoothie is a great option if you're looking for a good meal replacement. It offers a good amount of carbs, protein, and fats. This smoothie has 520 calories, 60 grams of carbs, 7 grams of fiber, 19 grams of protein, and 26 grams of fat. It is made with almond milk, protein powder, bananas, peanut butter, apple juice, cocoa, and Smoothie King's Super Grains Enhancer. The Super Grains Enhancers has chia seeds, a popular health ingredient. They are known to be a good source of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and fatty acids.

Weight Loss

The Lean1 Vanilla smoothie is the way to go if you want to lose weight. It has Smoothie King's Lean1 Vanilla protein, almonds, and bananas. It has 240 calories, 4 grams of fiber, and 21 grams of protein. Fiber and protein will be an important part of your diet if you're trying to lose weight because they can help you feel full and suppress your appetite between meals.

Post Workout

When working out, you must increase your protein intake so your body can use it to build muscle. The best Smoothie King smoothie for that is the Original High Protein Banana. It's a great post-workout snack with 340 calories, 27 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 35 grams of carbs. It's made with almonds, bananas, a dairy why blend, and whey protein.

Smoothies To Avoid

Unless you want to gain weight and increase your calorie, fat, carb, and sugar intake, you should avoid these Smoothie King smoothies.

The Hulk Strawberry

This smoothie is actually nicknamed the “weight gain” drink. It contains 890 calories, 146 grams of carbs, 131 grams of sugar, and 34 grams of fat. It's made with bananas, a high-protein blend, and butter pecan ice cream. The Hulk Chocolate and Vanilla are also high-caloric smoothies, with Vanilla at 750 calories and chocolate at 640 calories.

Peanut Power Plus Strawberry

This Peanut Power Plus smoothie is another high-calorie and high-sugar smoothie. It has 610 calories, 89 grams of carbs, 65 grams of sugar, and 24 grams of fat.

Summary

Although most smoothies at Smoothie King have more calories and sugar than should be in a smoothie for a snack, you can find some great low-calorie and low-sugar options. Depending on your priorities, there is a healthy smoothie for weight loss, weight training, and meal replacements. Make sure to use the recommendations above on your next visit to Smoothie King!

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Luna Vandoorne/Shutterstock.com.