Brian Nagele
If you’re obsessed with smoothies as much as I am, you may have wondered about what some of the best ingredients to use might be.
There are tons of ingredients that help make smoothies both delicious and nutritious — coconut water, almond milk, spinach, kale, chia seeds, dates, cacao powder, and so much more.
But the number one requirement of any real smoothie is sweet, fresh fruit! Fruit is responsible for that lovely, natural sweetness that takes your smoothie from being a healthy drink to an irresistible treat.
The best fruits for smoothies have lots of flavor, juice, and bright, fun colors. They also pack a nutritional punch, providing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
So which fruits should you use in your next smoothie? Here are some of my favorites.
Banana
Bananas are one of the most consistently used fruits for smoothies, and it’s no wonder why. They’re sweet, creamy, and have a lovely texture when blended.
They also contain nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. Bananas provide you with lots of energy and can help you stay fuller for longer.
I like to use bananas in smoothies with other fruits with strong flavors, like strawberries or raspberries.
The banana helps balance out the tartness of the other fruits and makes the smoothie more dessert-like.
Blueberries
Blueberries are my favorite fruit, so I was thrilled to discover that they also make amazing smoothies!
They’re versatile and can be used in all sorts of flavor combinations. Blueberries have a subtle sweetness and include vital antioxidants and vitamins for nutrition.
They’re also great for your skin and can help improve brain health. I like to use blueberries in smoothies that also have bananas or mangoes.
The sweetness of the bananas and mangoes helps to bring out the flavor of the blueberries and makes for a really delicious smoothie.
Mango
Mangoes are another one of my favorite tropical fruits, and they make fantastic smoothies. They’re sweet and have a lovely, creamy texture, similar to bananas.
Mangoes are also a fantastic source of vitamins A and C, as well as fiber. They can help boost your immune system and help your skin glow.
I like to use mangoes in smoothies that also have bananas and pineapple. The tartness of the mangoes balances well with the sweetness of these other fruits and makes for a dynamic smoothie that’s hard to resist.
If you live or are soon traveling to a tropical island, you’d be remiss not to make a mango smoothie!
Pineapple
Pineapples are incredible to eat all by themselves, but they also are an excellent fruit for smoothies.
Pineapple is undoubtedly one of the best fruits for smoothies if you want to include vegetables like spinach, kale, or carrots, as the pineapple will help mask the bitter taste of the veggies.
Pineapples contain vital nutrients like vitamin C and manganese, and they’re also a great source of fiber, which helps keep you regular.
Pineapples go well with veggies, but I like to add other fruits in these “green smoothies” as well, such as bananas and mango.
These sweet, creamy fruits complement the sweet-tart pineapple taste and earthy veggie taste for an overall refreshing, healthy beverage.
Strawberries
If you’ve never had a strawberry and banana smoothie, I recommend making one as soon as possible! This classic flavor combination is one of my favorites.
Strawberries are the perfect fruit for smoothies because they’re sweet, juicy, and have a lovely, bright color. They’re also packed with antioxidants and vitamins C and K.
I like to use strawberries in smoothies that also have bananas, raspberries, or blackberries. These fruits all have similar flavors that go well together.
The juiciness of the berries is balanced out by the creaminess of the bananas, making a smoothie with great flavor and an appealing consistency. Add vanilla yogurt to take it over the top.
Peach
Peaches are another one of my favorite sweet fruits, especially in season, and I love using them in springtime smoothies. They’re really sweet, slightly tart, and have a lovely soft texture.
Peaches have lots of fiber and vitamins A and C. They can help improve your digestion and, like many other fruits, help your skin look its best.
I love throwing peaches into smoothies with strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. The sweetness of the peaches goes swimmingly with the tartness of the berries.
If peaches aren’t in season, using peach yogurt is an excellent alternative.
Raspberries
Raspberries are similar to strawberries but with a tart twist that I enjoy.
They have a similar lovely color and juiciness, but with a bit of a tang that makes them stand out.
You can get ample fiber, vitamins C and K, and manganese from raspberries. These benefits, plus the fact that they taste great, making raspberries one of my favorite fruits to use in smoothies.
I enjoy using raspberries in combination with other berries like blueberries and blackberries for a tasty, tart berry smoothie. Other ingredients I might add to this smoothie include banana, yogurt, and honey.
A berry smoothie like this is perfect for the summer mornings.
Kiwis
Kiwis aren’t the most common fruit to use for smoothies, but they’re worth considering!
Kiwis have a unique, slightly sour taste that I enjoy. They also contain nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, and potassium.
I think kiwis go well in smoothies with other tropical fruits like mangoes, pineapples, and bananas. The sweetness of the other fruits helps balance out the kiwi’s sourness.
One thing to note is that the quality of the kiwi can make or break your smoothie, so only add them if they are fresh and in season.
Oranges
Fresh orange juice is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It goes well with morning breakfast, in summer cocktails, and, of course, in smoothies!
Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C, and they can also help improve your cardiovascular health.
I like to use oranges in smoothies that also have pineapple, grapefruit, or lemon. The acidity of the zesty citrus fruits pairs well with the sweet-tart taste.
But sometimes, I make even simpler smoothies with oranges, pairing them only with bananas.
Oranges are super juicy, while bananas are smooth, so their combined consistency isn’t too thick or too thin — but just right!
Blackberries
Blackberries are yet another delicious berry that goes great in smoothies.
They have a lovely, deep color and a slightly tart flavor. Blackberries are also a great source of fiber, vitamins C and K, and manganese.
I often use blackberries in berry smoothies with raspberries and strawberries, but it also surprisingly goes well with peaches.
The sweetness of the peaches helps to balance out the tartness of the blackberries.
So, if you’re in the mood to try something different, combine blackberries, peaches, banana, vanilla yogurt, and lemon juice. You won’t be disappointed!
Apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away — and so does an apple smoothie!
Apples are a great fruit to use for smoothies, especially if you’re looking for a boost of fiber. Apples are also an exceptional source of vitamins A and C.
They have a crisp, juicy texture and a mildly sweet taste. However, I don’t typically add other fruits when making an apple-based smoothie.
Instead, I find that apples go with creamy peanut butter instead of bananas. And then, the peanut butter taste calls for rich, robust, earthy flavors like almond milk, rolled oats, maple syrup, vanilla, and flax seeds.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for an extremely healthy power smoothie, start with apples and add all these superfood ingredients.
I feel like a new person after this type of smoothie, and it’s a great way to start my day!
Cantaloupe
Like kiwi, cantaloupe isn’t a fruit that I often use in smoothies. But it’s definitely worth considering if you want to mix things up!
Cantaloupe has a sweet, refreshing taste, and it’s also a great source of vitamins A and C.
I think cantaloupe goes really well in smoothies with other fruits like watermelon, honeydew, and mangoes.
The punchy, impactful sweetness of these other fruits helps to balance out the cantaloupe’s subtle flavor.
One thing to note is that, like kiwis, the quality of the cantaloupe can make or break your smoothie. So only add them if they taste good on their own.
A lot of cantaloupes you find in big supermarkets are not the ones you want to use, as they taste too light and will water down your smoothie.
Grapes
Grapes are a classic smoothie ingredient and for a good reason! They have a delicate, sweet flavor, and they’re also a great source of vitamins C and K.
I often use grapes in smoothies with berries, like blackberries or raspberries, because these flavors blend well together.
It’s also crucial to throw in a banana because grapes are almost all juice with no texture, so bananas ensure a creamy smoothie as much as a tasty one!
Further, grapes go well in protein smoothies, where you might include ingredients such as spinach, pineapple, orange, and protein powder.
This smoothie combination is an excellent choice to drink after a heavy lifting session at the gym.
Avocado
Last but certainly not least, we have avocados! Avocados have grown immensely in popularity over the years, and you can find them on a slice of toast in every hip breakfast place across the country.
But they don’t just go well on sourdough toast. Avocados make excellent smoothies because they are similar to bananas in terms of creamy texture. Plus, they add a touch of healthy fats to your breakfast.
I use avocados in smoothies with other fruits like mangoes, papayas, and coconuts. The sweetness of these fruits helps offset avocado’s slightly savory taste.
And if you want to get creative, you can even add some savory ingredients to your avocado smoothie, like cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeno peppers. It might sound strange, but it actually tastes terrific!
