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2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie for Weight Gain (Recipe)

Last updated on November 1, 2023
2000-calorie Green Protein Smoothie - featured.


Few 2000-calorie smoothies have more vitamins and minerals than the smoothie that resulted from upgrading our High-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie from 411 to 2001 calories.

As highlights, this muscle-building smoothie is nut-free and contains, among other ingredients, two green veggies, celery and spinach.

Ready? Let's see the recipe.

Equipment

To make the 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie, you need two pieces of kitchen equipment:

  • Blender
  • Knife

Ingredients

Samples from all the ingredients used in making the 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie.
  • 5.3 oz (150 g) baby spinach
  • 5 large (26.7 oz or 765 g) Granny Smith apples without core
  • 2 (14.1 oz or 400 g) avocado
  • 5 medium (7.05 oz or 200 g) celery stalks
  • 3 medium (12.5 oz or 354 g) bananas
  • 1 cup (3.5 oz or 100 g) whey protein powder
  • 2 ½ (3.7 fl oz or 110 ml) limes, juiced
  • 5 cup (42.3 fl oz or 1.25 l) coconut water

Role of each ingredient

We got to the ingredients above by adjusting the original recipe for the High-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie.

Here's what we did:

First of all, we added 5 times more spinach and celery to keep the smoothie's vitamins and minerals at a high level.

Second, we put 5 times more Granny Smith apples and 6 times more bananas to increase calories and carbs and keep the flavorful taste.

Moreover, we added 8 times more avocado because it's a green fruit filled with calories and healthy fats.

Regarding whey protein powder, we increased its quantity by 250% to keep proteins at a high level.

Also, we added 5 times more lime juice to maintain the smoothie's vitamin C levels and flavor.

Lastly, we poured 5 times more coconut water to keep the smoothie thin enough to be easily drinkable.

Ingredient substitutions

If you are lactose intolerant, you can substitute whey protein powder with a plant-based protein powder, like the ones made from rice or peas.

Instructions

1. Adapt ingredients to blender size

Think whether all the ingredients will fit inside your blender.

If you use a small blender with a capacity of less than 3.4 l (113 fl oz), break the ingredients into two or more identical portions, then follow the next instructions for each of them individually.

2. Add ingredients

Adding ingredients of 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie in a blender.

Add the ingredients to the blender making sure coconut water ends up at its bottom.

If you own a blender with an ingredient recipient that installs upside down on the blender, always add the coconut water lastly. This way, the blades will work smoothly without clogging in other ingredients.

3. Blend

Ingredients of High-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie: unblended vs. blended.

Blend the ingredients until the smoothie develops a fine texture (about 30-60 seconds).

If you own a less powerful blender, you may need to mix the ingredients for longer than 1 minute. Still, to prevent overheating your blender, abide by the recommended blending duration in your blender's manual.

4. Serve

Pouring the 2000-calorie Green Protein Smoothie into a glass.

Pour the smoothie into a glass or a shaker bottle, and serve.

Regarding its flavor, the smoothie has a refreshing taste with notes of celery and a subtle apple aroma that strikes the perfect balance between bitter and sweet.

How to store

Unless you share it with somebody else, you'd likely want to split this smoothie into multiple portions because it has over 3 liters in volume. After pouring the smoothie into different recipients, you can store them in the fridge for around a day.

Nutrition facts

  • Volume: 3.33 l (112.57 fl oz)
  • Calories: 2001
  • Protein: 107 g
  • Carbs: 279 g
  • Fat: 69 g

Out of the 2001 calories found in this smoothie, 53% come from carbohydrates, 29% from fats, and 18% from proteins.

Therefore, this smoothie is an energizing drink with plenty of proteins and healthy fats. Moreover, since the smoothie has less than 30% of its calories coming from fats, it joins the list of low-fat high-calorie foods.

For more nutritional details, let's explore the contribution of each ingredient to the smoothie's overall nutrition facts.

Nutrition facts of each ingredient

Baby spinach

  • Weight: 5.3 oz or 150 g
  • Calories: 41
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Carbs: 4 g
  • Fat: 1 g

Source: FoodData Central - Baby Spinach.[1]

Source info

Name: FoodData Central

Type: food database

Operated by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Characteristics:

  • Governmental authority
  • Updated regularly

Granny Smith apple without core

  • Weight: 5 large (26.7 oz or 765 g)
  • Calories: 360
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Carbs: 92 g
  • Fat: 3 g

Source: Nutracheck - Calories in Granny Smith Apples, Weighed without Core.[2]

Source info

Name: Nutracheck

Type: food diary app

Operated by: NutraTech Ltd

Characteristics:

  • Over 1 million downloads on Google Play
  • Backed up by a team of experts in nutrition

The Granny Smith apple brings 33% of the carbs in the 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie.

Avocado

  • Weight: 2 (14.1 oz or 400 g
  • Calories: 644
  • Protein: 8 g
  • Carbs: 34 g
  • Fat: 59 g

Source: FoodData Central - Raw avocado.[3]

Source info

Name: FoodData Central

Type: food database

Operated by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Characteristics:

  • Governmental authority
  • Updated regularly

Avocado, one of the high-calorie fruits, is responsible for 86% of the fats in our smoothie. Besides, avocado counts among the weight gain snacks and the foods with the most calories.

Celery stalks

  • Weight: 5 medium (7.05 oz or 200 g)
  • Calories: 28
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Carbs: 6 g
  • Fat: 0 g

Source: FoodData Central - Celery.[4]

Source info

Name: FoodData Central

Type: food database

Operated by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Characteristics:

  • Governmental authority
  • Updated regularly

Bananas

  • Weight: 3 medium (12.5 oz or 354 g)
  • Calories: 315
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Carbs: 81 g
  • Fat: 1 g

Source: FoodData Central - Raw bananas.[5]

Source info

Name: FoodData Central

Type: food database

Operated by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Characteristics:

  • Governmental authority
  • Updated regularly

Bananas bring 29% of the carbs in the 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie. As bonus information, bananas count among the fruits with the highest number of calories.

Whey protein powder

  • Weight: 1 cup (3.5 oz or 100 g)
  • Calories: 349
  • Protein: 77 g
  • Carbs: 6 g
  • Fat: 2 g

Source: FoodData Central - Whey protein powder.[6]

Source info

Name: FoodData Central

Type: food database

Operated by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Characteristics:

  • Governmental authority
  • Updated regularly

Juiced lime

  • Weight: 2 ½ (3.7 fl oz or 110 ml)
  • Calories: 28
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Carbs: 10 g
  • Fat: 0 g

Source: FoodData Central - Lime, juiced.[7]

Source info

Name: FoodData Central

Type: food database

Operated by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Characteristics:

  • Governmental authority
  • Updated regularly

Coconut water

  • Weight: 5 cup (42.3 fl oz or 1.25 l)
  • Calories: 238
  • Protein: 9 g
  • Carbs: 46 g
  • Fat: 3 g

Source: FoodData Central - Coconut water.[8]

Source info

Name: FoodData Central

Type: food database

Operated by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Characteristics:

  • Governmental authority
  • Updated regularly

Benefits of drinking this smoothie

As we've told you at the beginning of this article, the 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie brings numerous health benefits. Explore each of them below.

1. Gain weight easier

First of all, the 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie can help you gain weight more quickly because it has a lot of calories and doesn't fill your stomach for as much time as a 2000-calorie solid meal would..

As social proof, according to the top of the best weight gain foods for females, 91% of the women who gain weight successfully drink smoothies regularly.

Increase caloric intake

Obviously, the smoothie increases caloric intake considerably because it offers 2001 calories per serving.

All of these calories will boost your efforts to achieve a daily caloric surplus, the essential condition for gaining weight according to the International Society of Sports Nutrition.[9]

Source info

Name: International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body composition

Type: journal article

Published in: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Keep your appetite

Besides increasing your total caloric intake, the 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie allows you to consume more food because, unlike many solid foods, it keeps your appetite satisfied only for a limited time.

As evidence, a University of Bristol study compared fruit smoothies with fresh fruits and other drinks in terms of satiety. The researchers concluded that fruit smoothies are more filling than drinks that are less alike to food (e.g., water and milk) but less filling than solid foods.[10]

Source info

Name: A Comparison of the Satiety Effects of a Fruit Smoothie, Its Fresh Fruit Equivalent and Other Drinks

Type: journal article

Published in: Nutrients (peer-reviewed journal)

Made at: University of Bristol

2. Increase energy levels

The 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie boosts energy levels because it's rich in carbs, most of which come from the Granny Smith apples and the bananas in the smoothie's composition.

After all, according to a University of Lausanne study on the energy potential of carbs, carbohydrates are the main energy source for humans.[11]

Source info

Name: Carbohydrates as a source of energy

Type: journal article

Published in: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (peer-reviewed)

Made at: University of Lausanne

3. Boost muscle growth

Another benefit of consuming the smoothie is that it can boost your ability to build muscle because it has 107 g of protein. The majority of these proteins come from the whey protein powder in the smoothie's composition.

As scientific proof, a pre-workout serving of 20 g of protein, according to a University of Birmingham trial on protein ingestion effects, is sufficient to support muscle growth.[12]

Source info

Name: Stimulation of net muscle protein synthesis by whey protein ingestion before and after exercise

Type: journal article

Published in: American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology, and Metabolism (peer-reviewed journal)

Nevertheless, to take full profit from the proteins in this 2000-calorie smoothie, you need to split it into two or more portions scheduled around the day.

This is because the smoothie has a really high number of proteins.

According to a scientific review on daily protein distribution, the maximum number of proteins you can eat and process effectively in one sitting is 0.55 g per kg of body weight.[13]

Source info

Name: How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution

Type: journal article

Published in: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

For example, if you have 80 kg (176 lbs), you shouldn't eat more than 44 g of proteins in one sitting.

4. Strengthen bones

The 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie can strengthen bones because it contains whey protein powder, a good source of calcium.

The whey protein powder in the smoothie brings 468 mg of calcium., which is around 47% of the daily recommended intake of calcium.

5. Fortify immunity

Our smoothie fortifies immunity because it contains seven sources of antioxidants:

  • Baby spinach;
  • Granny Smith apple;
  • Avocado;
  • Lime juice;
  • Coconut water;
  • Celery;
  • Banana.

Antioxidants, according to a scientific review of antioxidants, increase health protection and disease prevention.[14]

Source info

Name: Antioxidants: Molecules, medicines, and myths

Type: journal article

Published in: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (peer-reviewed journal)

6. Enhance heart health

The 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie is beneficial for the heart because it contains bananas, spinach, and avocados, which are three sources of potassium that reduce blood pressure.

As scientific proof, a review of the effects of potassium says that potassium lowers blood pressure.[15]

Source info

Name: Beneficial Effects of High Potassium

Type: journal article

Published in: Hypertension (peer-reviewed journal)

Made at: Medical College of Wisconsin

7. Protect eye health

Our green smoothie increases eye health because it contains baby spinach, a source of vitamin A.

Vitamin A, according to an Australian study about vitamin A's effects on early myopia, is "vital for eye health" because it protects against "night blindness and corneal thinning".[16]

Source info

Name: Is Dietary Vitamin A Associated with Myopia from Adolescence to Young Adulthood?

Type: journal article

Published in: Translational Vision Science & Technology (peer-reviewed journal)

Made in: Australia

8. Hydrate body

This smoothie is very good at hydrating because it contains three significant sources of water: Granny Smith apples, coconut water, and lime.

9. Improve digestion

The 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie can improve digestion because it contains bananas, Granny Smith apples, avocados, and celery, which are all good sources of fiber.

One of the benefits of eating fiber, as stated in a 2009 review of the health benefits of dietary fiber, is a lower risk of gastrointestinal diseases.[17]

Source info

Name: Health benefits of dietary fiber

Type: journal article

Published in: Nutrition Reviews (peer-reviewed journal)

Made in: USA

Recipe summary

To follow the 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie's recipe in a compressed format, use the summary below.

2000-calorie Green Protein Smoothie - featured.

2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie

This green smoothie with 2001 calories and 107 g of proteins brings a treasure of vitamins and minerals while helping you gain weight and build muscle.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Blend Time 1 minute
Total Time 6 minutes
Course Smoothies
Servings 1 person
Calories 2001 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Blender
  • 1 Knife

Ingredients
  

  • 5.3 oz baby spinach (150 g)
  • 5 large Granny Smith apples without core (26.7 oz or 765 g)
  • 2 avocados (14.1 oz or 400 g)
  • 5 medium celery stalks (7.05 oz or 200 g)
  • 3 medium bananas (12.5 oz or 354 g)
  • 1 cup whey protein powder (3.5 oz or 100 g)
  • 2 ½ limes, juiced (3.7 fl oz or 110 ml)
  • 5 cup coconut water (42.3 fl oz or 1.25 l)

Instructions
 

  • Think whether all the ingredients will fit inside your blender.
    If you use a small blender with a capacity of less than 3.4 l (113 fl oz), break the ingredients into two or more identical portions, then follow the next instructions for each of them individually.
  • Add the ingredients to the blender making sure coconut water ends up at its bottom.
    If you own a blender with an ingredient recipient that installs upside down on the blender, always add the 5 cup coconut water lastly. This way, the blades will work smoothly without clogging in other ingredients.
    5.3 oz baby spinach, 5 large Granny Smith apples without core, 2 avocados, 5 medium celery stalks, 3 medium bananas, 1 cup whey protein powder, 2 ½ limes, juiced, 5 cup coconut water
    Adding ingredients of 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie in a blender.
  • Blend the ingredients until the smoothie develops a fine texture (about 30-60 seconds).
    If you own a less powerful blender, you may need to mix the ingredients for longer than 1 minute. Still, to prevent overheating your blender, abide by the recommended blending duration in your blender's manual.
    Ingredients of High-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie: unblended vs. blended.
  • Pour the smoothie into a glass or a shaker bottle, and serve.
    Pouring the 2000-calorie Green Protein Smoothie into a glass.
Keyword 2000-calorie, energizing, green, healthy, high-calorie, muscle-building, protein, weight gain

Other high-calorie smoothie recipes for weight gain

If you want to try other homemade smoothies that can help you gain weight, visit our full list of high-calorie smoothie recipes,

And in case you want to build a 2000-calorie from scratch, learn how to make high-calorie smoothies for weight gain.

And if it happens to get bored of smoothies...

Try switching high-calorie smoothies for high-calorie shakes or other weight gain drinks.

External sources

Unfold Today has rigorous sourcing principles adhering to the top journalistic standards, so our writers always look for official, experienced, and first-hand sources. Read more about how we keep our content trustworthy and updated by reading our editorial process.

Written by
Claudiu Pop is a nutritionist, medical writer, journalist, and the founder of Unfold Today. He specialized in fitness and nutrition, especially in weight gain, by helping people increase their body mass since 2019 with over 20 articles published in the field.
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