21 Banana Smoothies for Weight Gain (Tasty Recipes)

Bananas are one of the best fruits for gaining weight, but eating them alone is a lost opportunity for those of you struggling to rack up calories.

A better idea is to combine bananas with other high-calorie ingredients to make smoothies that are rich in calories.

Our favorite ingredients to blend bananas with for high-calorie smoothies are protein powder, milk (whole or plant-based), nuts, and seeds.

But don't limit yourself to these ingredients.

Conveniently, we have a wide variety of combinations ready for you since many of our most popular smoothie recipes designed for weight gain contain bananas.

After all, a survey shows that banana is one of the most appealing smoothie flavors in the United States.^[1]

Given their sweet taste and intense flavor, bananas are extraordinarily good at masking the less pleasing taste of supplements like unflavored protein powder.

Yet, that's enough talk.

Let's make bulking easier by diving into the following list of 21 high-calorie smoothie recipes, ranging from 411 to over 2000 calories.

Stick around: at the end of this recipe round-up, we share with you precious advice on how to schedule your banana smoothies to maximize muscle gains, workout performance, and sleep quality.

1. High-Calorie Banana Smoothie

989 calories

To achieve its quest to help you gain weight, this High-Calorie Banana Smoothie amounts to almost 1000 calories by combining bananas with yogurt, cashews, and oats. These ingredients deliver a high level of carbs, a notable amount of fats, and plenty of protein, all packaged beneath a dominant banana flavor.

To detail its aroma, the smoothie has an interesting texture and a strong banana taste that's a bit subdued by slight notes of cashews and oats.

Ingredients

• 4 medium (472 g) bananas
• 6 oz (300 g) 2% fat Greek yogurt
• 1 oz (28 g) cashews
• 1.8 oz (50 g) oats
• 10.2 fl oz (300 ml) water

Nutrition facts

High-Calorie Banana Smoothie for Weight Gain

This is a recipe for a high-calorie banana smoothie designed to help with weight gain. The smoothie has an interesting texture and a strong banana flavor, which is calmed down by a slight note of cashews.

Check out this recipe

2. 2000-Calorie Banana Smoothie

2043 calories

This 2000-Calorie Banana Smoothie is the upgraded version of the previous High-Calorie Banana Smoothie.

Compared to its original version, this smoothie has 2 more bananas, 150% more low-fat Greek yogurt, double the cashews, 4 times more oats, and the necessary added water to keep the smoothie easily drinkable.

Ingredients

• 6 medium (25 oz or 708 g) bananas
• 15.9 oz (450 g) 2% fat Greek yogurt
• 2 oz (56 g) cashews
• 7.2 oz (200 g) oats
• 23.7 fl oz (700 ml) water

Nutrition facts

2000-Calorie Banana Smoothie for Weight Gain

This banana smoothie, which has over 2000 calories and 82 grams of protein, can help you gain weight by significantly increasing your daily caloric intake.

Check out this recipe

3. High-Calorie Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

683 calories

Featuring a silky texture, the High-Calorie Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie carries almost 700 calories because it's the result of mixing bananas with two sources of protein and fats (peanut butter and whole milk), a solid source of protein (whey protein powder), and a sweet add-in filled with carbs (honey).

In terms of flavor, the smoothie blends the aroma of peanut butter with the savor of bananas while maintaining just the proper amount of sweetness.

Ingredients

• 2 medium (8.4 oz or 236 g) bananas
• 1.1 oz (32 g) peanut butter
• 1 scoop (1.1 oz or 30 g) whey protein powder
• 0.5 oz (14 g) honey
• 6.8 fl oz (200 ml) whole milk
• 8.5 fl oz (250 ml) water

Nutrition facts

High-Calorie Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

A recipe for a high-calorie peanut butter banana smoothie that can help you gain weight and bring numerous other health benefits. The smoothie has a silky texture with a flavor that flawlessly blends the aroma of peanut butter and bananas while having just the right amount of sweetness.

Check out this recipe

4. Djokovic's Mango Banana Smoothie

651 calories

We designed this nutrient-dense High-Calorie Mango Banana Smoothie after getting inspired by the champion-approved ingredients found in one of tennis master Novak Djokovic's smoothies.

The resulting 651-calorie smoothie is pretty low in fats and proteins but contains plenty of carbohydrates, thanks to the mango, bananas, and rice milk in its composition.

The smoothie has a balanced flavor because the sweetness of the mango and the banana complements the tanginess of the kale.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (10.6 oz or 300 g) frozen mango
• 1 large (4.8 oz or 136 g) frozen banana
• 1 cup (0.5 oz or 15 g) kale leaves without stems
• 1 tbsp (0.6 oz or 16 g) almond butter
• 1 tbsp (0.16 oz or 4.5 g) shredded coconut
• 2 cups (15.9 fl oz or 470 ml) rice milk

Nutrition facts

Novak Djokovic's High-Calorie Mango Banana Smoothie

This high-calorie recipe shows you how to make Novak Djokovic's Mango Banana Smoothie, whose ingredients he shared in his book "Serve to Win". The smoothie has a balanced flavor because the sweetness of the mango and the banana complements the tanginess of kale.

Check out this recipe

5. High-Calorie Blueberry Almond Smoothie

434 calories

Featuring a liquid base made of almond milk, the High-Calorie Blueberry Almond Smoothie is a mix of bananas and two other delicious carbohydrate sources (blueberries and goji berries) joined by a solid protein source (whey protein powder), and a healthy source of fats (chia seeds).

Regarding its taste, the smoothie has a smooth flavor that's moderately sweet and dominated by the aroma of blueberries, which you can even smell while consuming the drink.

Ingredients

• 1 large (4.8 oz or 136 g) frozen banana
• 2 tsp (0.18 oz or 5 g) goji berries
• 1 cup (5.2 oz or 148 g) frozen blueberries
• 1 scoop (1.06 oz or 30 g) whey protein powder
• 4 tsp (0.5 oz or 14 g) chia seeds
• 1 cup (8.45 oz or 250 ml) almond milk

Nutrition facts

High-Calorie Blueberry Almond Smoothie for Weight Gain

Formulated to help you gain weight, the High-Calorie Blueberry Almond Smoothie combines the healthy properties of blueberries with the mildness of almond milk, delivering a taste dominated by the flavor of blueberries.

Check out this recipe

6. High-Calorie Chocolate Banana Cucumber Smoothie

435 calories

This High-Calorie Chocolate Banana Cucumber Smoothie can help you gain weight because it combines bananas with rich-in-fats hemp seeds and whey protein powder. These are topped by delicious cocoa, mineral-filled spirulina, invigorating mint, and a refreshing cucumber.

When it comes to its taste, the smoothie has a bittersweet flavor thanks to the combo of cacao and bananas. You will also sense some refreshing notes of cucumber and a slight tint of mint.

Ingredients

• 1 large (4.8 oz or 136 g) frozen banana
• 1 medium (7.1 oz or 201 g) frozen cucumber
• 2 tbsp (0.71 oz or 20 g) whey protein powder
• 2 tbsp (0.71 oz or 20 g) hemp seeds
• 2 1/2 tsp (0.2 oz or 6.25 g) raw cocoa powder
• 1 tsp (0.1 oz or 3 g) spirulina powder
• 1 sprig (0.1 oz or 3 g) fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup (4.23 fl oz or 125 ml) whole milk

Nutrition facts

High-Calorie Chocolate Banana Cucumber Smoothie

Created to help with weight gain, this bittersweet high-calorie chocolate banana cucumber smoothie recipe combines the chocolate banana taste with the refreshing notes of cucumber and mint.

Check out this recipe

7. Djokovic's Banana Chocolate Kale Smoothie

445 calories

The Banana Chocolate Kale Smoothie is another blend obtained after transforming one of Novak Djokovic's smoothies into a high-calorie one.

This smoothie has 445 calories because it blends bananas with chocolate syrup, which is filled with carbohydrates, and almond butter, which brings plenty of healthy fats but also some proteins.

In terms of taste, the smoothie has a bittersweet but refreshing flavor thanks to the crispness of the kale leaves, the bittersweet aroma of the chocolate syrup, and the sweet savor of bananas.

Ingredients

• 2 large (9.6 oz or 272 g) frozen banana
• 1/2 cup (0.3 oz or 8 g) kale leaves without stems
• 1 tbsp (0.7 oz or 20 g) organic chocolate syrup
• 1 tbsp (0.6 oz or 16 g) almond butter
• 1 1/3 cups (10.1 fl oz or 300 ml) almond milk

Nutrition facts

Novak Djokovic's High-Calorie Banana Chocolate Kale Smoothie

This high-calorie recipe shows you how to make Novak Djokovic's Banana Chocolate Kale Smoothie, whose ingredients he shared in his book "Serve to Win". The smoothie has a bittersweet but refreshing taste thanks to the crispness of the kale leaves, the bittersweet aroma of the chocolate syrup, and the sweet savor of bananas.

Check out this recipe

8. High-Calorie Vanilla Ice Cream Smoothie

476 calories

Having almost 500 calories, the High-Calorie Vanilla Ice Cream Smoothie combines a banana with ice cream, orange juice, and whey protein powder to bring you all three types of macronutrients packaged under a delicious flavor.

When it comes to its taste, this smoothie has notes of vanilla complemented by a slight but refreshing orange aroma.

Ingredients

• 4 scoops (5.75 fl oz or 170 ml) vanilla ice cream
• 1 large (4.8 oz or 136 g) banana
• 1/2 scoop (0.53 oz or 15 g) whey protein powder
• 6.76 fl oz (200 ml) orange juice

Nutrition facts

High-Calorie Vanilla Ice Cream Smoothie for Weight Gain

The High-Calorie Vanilla Ice Cream Smoothie combines vanilla ice cream with protein ingredients and healthy carbohydrates to help you gain weight while enjoying the famous vanilla flavor.

Check out this recipe

9. High-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie

411 calories

The High-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie blends half a banana with muscle-building whey protein powder, avocado – which is rich in healthy fats – and many other fruits and veggies that turn this bulking smoothie into a treasure of micronutrients.

Regarding its taste, the smoothie has a refreshing flavor with notes of celery and a subtle apple aroma that's not too bitter or too sweet.

Ingredients

• 1.06 oz (30 g) baby spinach
• 1 large (5.4 oz or 153 g) Granny Smith apple without core
• 1.77 oz (50 g) avocado
• 1 medium (1.41 oz or 40 g) celery stalk
• 1/2 medium (2.08 oz or 59 g) banana
• 1.41 oz (40 g) whey protein powder
• 1/2 (0.74 fl oz or 22 ml) lime, juiced
• 1 cup (8.45 fl oz or 250 ml) coconut water

Nutrition facts

High-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie for Weight Gain

Designed to help with weight gain but also to provide an abundance of vitamins and minerals, this high-calorie green protein smoothie recipe has a refreshing taste with notes of celery and a slight apple aroma that's not too bitter or too sweet.

Check out this recipe

10. 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie

2001 calories

This 2000-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie is the upgraded version of the previous 411-calorie Green Protein Smoothie.

Compared to its standard version, this smoothie has 5 times more spinach, celery, lime juice, coconut water, and Granny Smith apples; 6 times the original quantity of bananas; 8 times more avocado, and 250% more whey protein powder.

Ingredients

• 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

Nutrition facts

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.

Check out this recipe

11. Djokovic's Strawberry Banana Smoothie

478 calories

To obtain this High-Calorie Strawberry Banana Smoothie, which is great for bulking up, we improved the number of proteins and calories found in one of Novak Djokovic's smoothie recipes.

This delicious smoothie has almost 500 calories because it blends bananas with almond butter – a rich source of healthy fats – whey protein powder, and some carb-filled strawberries.

In terms of taste, the smoothie has the famous strawberry banana flavor complemented by subtle almond notes.

Ingredients

• 1 large (4.8 oz or 136 g) banana
• 2 cups (10.6 oz or 300 g) frozen strawberries
• 1 tbsp (0.63 oz or 18 g) almond butter
• 1 scoop (1.06 oz or 30 g) whey protein powder
• 1 cup (1.06 oz or 30 g) fresh spinach
• 2 cups (15.9 fl oz or 470 ml) almond milk

Nutrition facts

Djokovic's High-Calorie Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This recipe is the result of tailoring Novak Djokovic's Strawberry Banana Smoothie, whose ingredients he shared in his book "Serve to Win", to people who want to gain weight. The smoothie features a strong banana taste combined with notes of strawberries and almonds.

Check out this recipe

12. High-Calorie Avocado Banana Smoothie

754 calories

The High-Calorie Avocado Banana Smoothie is made by mixing a banana with three ingredients carrying plenty of healthy fats – cashews, avocado, and coconut milk – and whey protein powder, which brings muscle-building proteins into the blender.

Regarding its taste, the smoothie has a banana flavor toned down by the more neutral avocado aroma along with some notes of coconut.

Ingredients

• 1 large (4.8 oz or 136 g) banana
• 1 (5.3 oz or 150 g) avocado
• 1 oz (28 g) cashews
• 1 scoop (1.06 oz or 30 g) whey protein powder
• 13.5 fl oz (400 ml) coconut milk

Nutrition facts

High-Calorie Avocado Banana Smoothie for Weight Gain

The High-Calorie Avocado Banana Smoothie helps people gain weight and brings many other health benefits by combining bananas with avocados and other nutritious ingredients.

Check out this recipe

13. 1000-Calorie Avocado Banana Smoothie

1003 calories

Great for meal replacement, this 1000-calorie Avocado Banana Smoothie is the upgraded version of the previous High-Calorie Avocado Banana Smoothie.

To obtain this smoothie, we increased the original smoothie's ingredient quantities by 130%.

Ingredients

• 1 ¹/₂ medium (6.4 oz or 180 g) bananas
• 1 ¹/₃ (7 oz or 200 g) avocado
• 1.3 oz (37 g) cashews
• 1 ¹/₃ scoops (1.41 oz or 40 g) whey protein powder
• 18 fl oz (532 ml) coconut milk

Nutrition facts

1000-Calorie Avocado Banana Smoothie for Weight Gain

Having an impressive 1000 calories and over 40 g of proteins, this avocado banana smoothie is of tremendous help when it comes to gaining weight because it highlights the nutritional qualities of two of the fruits with the most calories: bananas and avocados.

Check out this recipe

14. High-Calorie Tropical Smoothie

773 calories

The High-Calorie Tropical Smoothie blends bananas with other exotic ingredients – avocado, mango, coconut, and pineapple – that carry enough carbs and fats for the smoothie to reach a high number of calories.

Besides, the whey protein powder brings proteins into the mix, making the smoothie great for building muscle.

When tasting the smoothie, you will sense mango, pineapple, and banana flavors, so a single exotic fruit cannot describe the overall taste of this smoothie.

Ingredients

• 1 medium (4.2 oz or 118 g) banana
• 1/2 cup (2.6 oz or 75 g) avocado cubes
• 1.4 oz (40 g) dried mango
• 0.4 oz (10 g) shredded desiccated coconut meat
• 0.5 oz (14 g) cashews
• 1 scoop (1.1 oz or 32 g) whey protein powder
• 10.1 fl oz (300 ml) pineapple juice
• 6.8 fl oz (200 ml) water

Nutrition facts

High-Calorie Tropical Smoothie for Weight Gain

This recipe shows you how to make a high-calorie tropical smoothie designed for weight gain. The smoothie has a combo of exotic flavors, including mango, pineapple, banana, and more.

Check out this recipe

15. 1000-Calorie Tropical Smoothie

1000 calories

For those of you who need a little bit more calories from our previous exotic smoothie, try the 1000-Calorie Tropical Smoothie.

We obtained this smoothie by multiplying the original ingredient quantites by 130%.

Same exotic flavor, more calories!

Ingredients

• 1 ¹⁄₃ medium (5.5 oz or 153 g) bananas
• 2/3 cup (3.5 oz or 98 g) avocado cubes
• 1.8 oz (52 g) dried mango
• 0.52 oz (13 g) shredded desiccated coconut meat
• 0.7 oz (18 g) cashews
• 1 ¹⁄₃ scoops (1.4 oz or 42 g) whey protein powder
• 13.1 fl oz (390 ml) pineapple juice
• 8.8 fl oz (260 ml) water

Nutrition facts

1000-Calorie Tropical Smoothie for Weight Gain

This recipe shows you how to make a tropical smoothie with 1000 calories. The smoothie, which is designed to help you gain weight, has a combo of exotic flavors, including mango, pineapple, banana, and more.

Check out this recipe

16. Djokovic's High-Calorie Breakfast Smoothie

525 calories

Djokovic used the same ingredients found in this High-Calorie Breakfast Smoothie to make morning smoothies during the 2015 US Open, which he ended up winning.

The smoothie combines bananas with two types of seeds, rice protein powder, and coconut milk. For a better flavor, the smoothie has cinnamon and raw cocoa powder among its ingredients.

Regarding its taste, the smoothie is bittersweet and features a cinnamon aroma while the bananas are hardly noticeable. Take into account that using unripe bananas or too many flax seeds can make the smoothie too bitter.

Ingredients

• 2 medium (236 g or 8.32 oz) ripe or slightly ripe bananas
• 4 tsp (0.5 oz or 14 g) chia seeds
• 1 tbsp (0.4 oz or 10 g) flax seeds
• 6.8 fl oz (200 ml) coconut milk
• 1 scoop (1.1 oz or 32 g) rice protein powder
• 2 1/2 tsp (0.2 oz or 6.25 g) raw cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp (0.05 oz or 1.3 g) cinnamon
• 8.5 fl oz (250 ml) water

Nutrition facts

Djokovic's High-Calorie Breakfast Smoothie

This high-calorie recipe shows you how to make Novak Djokovic's special breakfast smoothie, whose ingredients he shared without including quantities before winning the 2015 US Open. The smoothie is based on bananas but tastes bittersweet while featuring a pleasant cinnamon aroma.

Check out this recipe

17. High-Calorie Oat Smoothie

728 calories

In this High-Calorie Oat Smoothie that counts oats, almonds, and whole milk among its ingredients, bananas have the role of sweetening the overall taste.

In terms of taste, the smoothie has an oat flavor with a tint of sweetness.

Ingredients

• 1 large (136 g) banana
• 3.6 oz (100 g) oats
• 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) whole milk
• 23 whole kernels (1 oz or 28 g) almonds
• 10.1 fl oz (300 ml) water

Nutrition facts

High-Calorie Oat Smoothie for Weight Gain

Designed to help with weight gain, this high-calorie oat smoothie recipe has a milky but slightly crunchy texture and an oat flavor with a tint of sweetness, offered by the banana in the smoothie's composition.

Check out this recipe

18. High-Calorie Fruity Green Smoothie

1032 calories

This High-Calorie Fruity Green Smoothie has over 1000 calories because it combines bananas with other fruits, seeds, and nuts while featuring add-ins, like honey and cinnamon for a better flavor.

When it comes to flavor, the smoothie has a crisp but slightly coconutty taste accompanied by earthy notes coming from seeds and nuts.

Ingredients

• 2 medium (8.3 oz or 236 g) bananas
• 3.5 oz (100 g) spinach
• 1/2 (5.93 oz or 168 g) mango
• 1/2 (2.65 oz or 75 g) avocado
• 1 tbsp (0.35 oz or 10 g) flax seeds
• 2 tbsp (0.6 oz or 17 g) almonds
• 1 tbsp (0.6 oz or 16 g) peanut butter
• 2 tbsp (0.42 oz or 12 g) shredded coconut
• 4 tbsp (0.6 oz or 16 g) pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp (0.4 oz or 12 g) chia seeds
• 1 tbsp (0.7 oz or 21 g) honey
• 1/2 tsp (0.05 oz or 2 g) cinnamon
• 1 cup (8.5 fl oz or 250 ml) almond milk
• 6.76 fl oz (200 ml) water

Nutrition facts

High-Calorie Fruity Green Smoothie for Weight Gain

The High-Calorie Fruity Green Smoothie helps you gain weight while combining the health benefits of a green smoothie with the deliciousness of a fruity smoothie.

Check out this recipe

19. Chris Hemsworth's Secret Thor Smoothie

663 calories

Chris Hemsworth included bananas in this Secret High-Calorie Smoothie he used to drink while training for his role as Thor in the movie Thor: Love and Thunder.

The smoothie reaches an impressive 663 calories because bananas are complemented by two other fruits, 2 types of seeds, almond butter, coconut, and pea protein powder.

Regarding its taste, the smoothie tastes like raspberries with some notes of kale and earthy aromas coming from the pea protein powder, the almond butter, and the maca powder.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (4.4 oz or 125 g) strawberries
• 1/2 cup (4.4 oz or 125 g) raspberries
• 1 large (4.8 oz or 136 g) banana
• 1/2 cup (0.3 oz or 8 g) kale leaves
• 1 tbsp (0.16 oz or 4.5 g) shredded coconut
• 1 scoop (1.06 oz or 32 g) pea protein powder
• 2 tsp (0.35 oz or 10 g) maca powder
• 1/2 tsp magnesium
• 1 tbsp (0.56 oz or 16 g) almond butter
• 2 tbsp (0.71 oz or 20 g) hemp seeds
• 4 tsp (0.5 oz or 14 g) chia seeds
• 13.5 fl oz (400 ml) water

Nutrition facts

Chris Hemsworth's Secret High-Calorie Smoothie for Thor Body

This is a recipe for one of the smoothies Chris Hemsworth consumed to get fit enough to play Thor in the movie "Thor: Love and Thunder." While the actor shared only the ingredients of the smoothie, this recipe goes a step further and provides the ingredient quantities as well.

Check out this recipe

20. Hemsworth's 2000-Calorie Thor Smoothie

1988 calories

If Hemsworth's 663-calorie smoothie above is not enough for you, you can try this upgraded 2000-Calorie Thor Smoothie.

To obtain this smoothie we tripled the original ingredient quantities.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup (13.2 oz or 375 g) strawberries
• 1 ½ cup (13.2 oz or 375 g) raspberries
• 3 large (14.4 oz or 408 g) bananas
• 1 ½ cup (0.9 oz or 24 g) kale leaves
• 3 tbsp (0.48 oz or 13.5 g) shredded coconut
• 3 scoop (3.18 oz or 96 g) pea protein powder
• 6 tsp (1.05 oz or 30 g) maca powder
• 1 ½ tsp magnesium
• 3 tbsp (1.68 oz or 48 g) almond butter
• 6 tbsp (2.13 oz or 60 g) hemp seeds
• 12 tsp (1.5 oz or 42 g) chia seeds
• 40.5 fl oz (1.2 l) water

Nutrition facts

Chris Hemsworth's 2000-Calorie Thor Smoothie

This is the upgraded version of one of the smoothies Chris Hemsworth consumed to get fit enough to play Thor in the movie "Thor: Love and Thunder." This smoothie has 1988 calories, is vegan, and features a flavor dominated by raspberries.

Check out this recipe

21. 1000-Calorie Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Smoothie

1033 calories

This 1000-Calorie Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Smoothie combines a banana with the complex carbohydrates found in oats, the many calories in sunflower seed butter, the proteins found in rice protein powder, and the delicious flavors of add-ins like cocoa and honey.

When it comes to the smoothie's taste, you will experience a sweetened version of the sunflower seed butter's aroma mixed with bitter notes of cocoa.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp (1.1 oz or 32 g) sunflower seed butter
• 1 cup (3.5 oz or 100 g) oats
• 1 large (4.8 oz or 136 g) banana
• 2 ½ tsp (0.2 oz or 6 g) raw cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp (0.8 oz or 21 g) honey
• 1 ½ scoop (1.6 oz or 45 g) rice protein powder
• 2 cup (15.9 fl oz or 470 ml) rice milk

Nutrition facts

1000-Calorie Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Smoothie

If you're looking for a smoothie with over 1000 calories that is both dairy-free and nut-free, the Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Smoothie is a tasty choice that will help you gain weight.

Check out this recipe

Best time to drink banana smoothies to gain weight

When scheduling banana smoothies designed for gaining weight, you need to avoid planning them before bedtime or too close to your workouts. Also, you should schedule them according to the calories and macronutrients, especially proteins, in your chosen smoothie.

Let's dig deeper.

Optimize servings for muscle growth

To reap full muscle-building benefits, you should split the banana smoothies that have more than 0.55 g of protein per kg of your body weight in multiple servings scheduled around your day.

For example, if one 2000-calorie smoothie has 120 g of proteins, you should split it in 3 identical servings of around 670 calories.

Wondering why you need to do this? Science says so.

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.^[2]

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

You see?

Therefore, drinking a 2000-calorie smoothie in one go is in most cases a waste of proteins, especially if your goal is to build muscle.

Not before bedtime

In addition to portioning, you shouldn't schedule your banana smoothies before bedtime because it can have negative effects on your sleep quality.

A Brazilian study exploring the food-sleep relationship suggests that "intake of high fat and carbohydrate foods" in the 3 hours preceding your bedtime makes it harder for you to fall asleep.^[3]

Since high-calorie banana smoothies are generally high in carbohydrates, you should avoid scheduling them in the 3 hours preceding your set time to hit the sheets.

Another reason why you should avoid smoothies before clocking off for the day is a better overall sleep.

American researchers studied the connection between bedtime eating or drinking and waking up at night. Their results show that eating or drinking further away from bedtime will make you wake up less often.^[4]

Not too close to workouts

If you want to drink high-calorie banana smoothies before your workouts, you should keep a window between the moment you drink the smoothie and the start of your workout to avoid feeling bloated during training.

To calculate how much time before your workouts you should drink your smoothie, whether it's a 2000-calorie smoothie or a smaller one, a good idea is to follow the model recommended by Marie Dunford, PhD, RD, and J. Andrew Doyle in their book Nutrition for Sport and Exercise.

• If you eat 1 hour before working out, eat 1 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight;
• 2 hours before working out: eat 2 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight;
• 3 hours before working out: eat 3 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight;
• 4 hours before working out: eat 4 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight.^[5]

Here is the simplified formula:

Smoothie's total carbs ÷ Your body weight in kg

Just divide your smoothie's total carbohydrates by your body weight (in kilograms). If the result is closer to one, drink your smoothie 1 hour before your workout. If it's closer to two, drink it 2 hours before your workout. And so on.

Benefits of banana smoothies

When you add bananas to smoothies, they will sweeten the blend, help you gain weight easier, increase your energy, fortify your immunity, and improve your cardiovascular health.

1. Gain weight easier

First of all, since one banana has around 100 calories, this fruit can have a considerable impact on any smoothie's calories.

To be more specific, 1 medium banana has 105 calories.^[6]

Added to a smoothie, these calories will make it a bit easier for you to get into a caloric surplus (eat more calories than you consume daily).

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, being on a daily caloric surplus is an essential condition for gaining weight.^[7]

Wondering how much it will take for you to gain weight with banana smoothies?

Well, that depends on the calories in your chosen banana smoothie and how many smoothies you have per day.

A 1000-calorie smoothie brings twice the calories of a 500-calorie smoothie. Likewise, a 2000-calorie smoothie brings twice the calories of a 1000-calorie smoothie.

No matter what smoothie you choose, the most important thing when it comes to increasing your body mass is to be on a daily caloric surplus.

With that said, a daily surplus of around 500 calories will likely make you gain 0.5 kg per week.

Use this calculator to estimate how many calories you need to eat per day to gain weight.^[8]

Note that having a slower or higher metabolism is going to have an influence on your daily caloric consumption as well.

2. Increase your energy

Since bananas are rich in carbohydrates, they bring more energy to smoothies. Therefore, you end up performing better in your everyday tasks and workouts.

After all, according to a University of Lausanne study on the energy potential of carbs, carbohydrates are the main energy source for humans.^[9]

3. Fortify immunity

Bananas also significantly increase the number of antioxidants in smoothies.

According to a Jeju National University study on bananas' antioxidant activity, bananas contain high levels of antioxidants.^[10]

4. Strengthen heart health

Since bananas are a rich source of potassium, they improve smoothies' heart-related benefits.

As scientific proof, a review of the effects of potassium says that potassium lowers blood pressure.^[11]

5. Improve digestion

Bananas can ease up your digestion because they are rich in dietary fiber. One medium banana has 3 grams of fiber, which is about 10% of the daily recommended intake.^[12]

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.^[13]

6. Sweeten smoothies

Last but not least, bananas do a great job at sweetening smoothies, especially if you use ripe ones.

FAQ

Other high-calorie smoothies

If you get bored of banana smoothies, you can find your next favorite weight gain smoothies in our list of high-calorie smoothie recipes.

Besides smoothies, you can switch things up with our great selections of high-calorie shakes and weight-gain drinks.