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As an experienced fitness adept, I know how unpleasant it can be to try to gain weight by focusing only on eating large meals while ignoring the power of high-calorie smoothies. You get filled up with all the solid food you need to consume, lose valuable time cooking and sitting down to eat the meals, and in the end, you barely achieve your daily calorie goals.
Fortunately, you can turn the act of bulking up into a piece of cake by adding weight gain snacks and most importantly high-calorie smoothies to your diet.
After all, weight gain smoothies, along with calorie-dense shakes, are some of the drinks with the most calories, fun to make, convenient, and have a delicious taste. All of these characteristics will help you gain weight far easier.
Before diving into the 15 high-calorie smoothie recipes for weight gain, let's take a look at how to make one from scratch.
You can make high-calorie smoothies following 3 simple steps:
Get valuable tips to nail each step and prepare the best homemade high-calorie smoothies by checking our detailed guide on how to make weight gain smoothies.
if you don't want to come up with the ingredients for your next high-calorie smoothie, explore some smoothie recipes tailored for weight gain.
Here are 15 high-calorie smoothies that will help you gain weight:
Here are the recipes for the 15 high-calorie smoothies for weight gain:
Calories: 1254
Since it has over 1000 calories and is the blend with the highest number of calories on this list of smoothie recipes for weight gain, the Green Seed Mix Smoothie is a game-changer if you are struggling to increase your size.
This dairy-free smoothie is rich in carbs and fats because it's made with:
Moreover, this green smoothie also offers a solid 35 g of proteins, even though it is made without protein powder.
The greenness of the drink is given by the combination of mangoes, avocados, and spinach. The taste is delicious, considering the tint of cinnamon and honey that the recipe asks for.
Calories: 950
With its almost 1000 calories, the Walnut Banana Berry Smoothie is the drink with the second most calories in our list of weight gain smoothies.
Even though the Walnut Banana Berry Smoothie has just a few ingredients, it sports a very high level of carbs, a solid amount of fat, and a decent level of protein, which is great considering that this high-calorie smoothie is made without protein powder or any other high-protein ingredients.
Most of the carbs of the smoothie come from the fruits in its composition, specifically the 4 bananas and the mix of berries. The whole milk contributes the most to the smoothie’s protein levels while the fat comes mainly from the quarter cup of chopped walnuts.
Calories: 853
If you are a bodybuilder in their bulking phase and not only, you will find this protein-filled high-calorie smoothie very effective in helping you meet your daily calorie goals.
This beverage recipe is ranked in third place on our list of weight gain smoothies, and no wonder, since it is rich in all three macronutrients.
Almond milk is the liquid base of this dairy-free smoothie. The banana and the oats contribute the most to the drink’s high carb content while the protein powder, the oats, and the peanut butter provide the lion's share of protein. The fat in this muscle-building vegan smoothie comes from PB, almond milk, and oats.
Pro tip: as scientific evidence shows that to maximize muscle-building you should not eat too much protein per meal (no more than 0.55 g/kg of body weight/meal), it’s a good idea to consume the Muscle-Building Smoothie in two servings.
Calories: 851
The Apple Banana Smoothie is one of the smoothies with the highest calories due to its rich-in-carbs content. This drink also has a whopping amount of protein and a solid amount of fat.
Most of the protein in the Apple Banana Smoothie comes from oats, protein powder, and whole milk, which also brings a large portion of the drink's fat together with the oats. Apples, bananas, and oats are the responsible ingredients for the treasure of carbs found in this smoothie recipe created to ease weight gain.
However, you should consider drinking this smoothie in two equal servings, due to the almost 200 g of carbs found in it.
Scientific fact: if you drink apple smoothies you could be more protected against chronic colon diseases than if you were to consume apple juice or apple cider.
Calories: 738
The Tropical Mango Carrot Smoothie is the high-calorie smoothie with the second most proteins on this list of weight gain smoothie recipes. Besides, this drink is rich in carbs and fat.
The almond milk, along with the coconut oil and the full-fat Greek yogurt, thickens the liquid base of the smoothie and provides most of the drink’s fat content. The carbs are provided mainly by the tropical mix of mangoes and bananas, but also by carrots. The protein powder and the Greek yogurt leverage the protein content of the smoothie.
Calories: 644
The Coconut Banana Smoothie is a plant-based high-calorie drink that is full of healthy nutrients. This vegan smoothie is packed with proteins, carbs, and fats, offering you no less than 644 calories.
Coconut milk, which is also the liquid base of the smoothie, provides most of the drink's fat together with the flax and chia seeds that need to be added into the mix as well, according to the list of ingredients in this weight gain smoothie recipe. The protein in this dairy-free blend is assured by the protein powder while the carbs are coming mainly from the large banana in its composition.
For extra flavor, add raw cocoa powder and a little cinnamon.
Expert-approved smoothie. Novak Djokovic, a professional tennis player and multiple Grand Slam winner, who managed to significantly improve his on-court performance after changing to a plant-based diet, recommends the mix of ingredients in this high-calorie smoothie recipe.
Calories: 644
The Mango Coconut Smoothie is a high-calorie smoothie featuring a treasure of carbs, provided by the many exotic fruits in its composition.
The rice milk and the almond butter, which together form the thick texture of the vegan smoothie, also represent the largest part of the total fat offered by the drink. The kale leaves complete this vitamin-filled weight gain smoothie's recipe.
Expert-approved smoothie. Novak Djokovic, a professional tennis player and multiple Grand Slam winner, recommends the mix of ingredients in this high-calorie smoothie recipe for weight gain.
Calories: 514
Even though it is one of the simplest high-calorie smoothie recipes, the Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie will make your weight gain efforts way easier.
This calorie-dense drink can replace a meal since it is packed with carbs, proteins, and fat, loading your body with half a thousand calories.
The Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie’s liquid base, made of banana pulp and whole milk, is completed by a high-calorie snack, specifically the peanut butter, to boost the drink’s caloric profile. However, you will need to add protein powder to ensure you will get a solid number of proteins from consuming the smoothie, which will also help you build muscle easier.
For flavor and a slightly increased carb intake, you can add maple syrup into the mix.
Calories: 478
If you were looking for a fruit-based high-calorie smoothie, you just found yourself a tasty drink that will also make your bulking phase easier.
Rich in protein and fats, but especially in carbs, this smoothie is an outstanding energy source. This blend contains an almond milk liquid base, almond butter for thickness and leveraged healthy fat levels, and vitamin-filled solid ingredients, like bananas, strawberries, and fresh spinach.
The protein content of the smoothie is provided mainly by the protein powder.
Expert-approved smoothie. Novak Djokovic, a professional tennis player and multiple Grand Slam winner, recommends the mix of ingredients in this high-calorie smoothie recipe for weight gain.
Calories: 474
The Mint Chocolate Banana Smoothie is a high-calorie drink that has plenty of carbs and a solid amount of protein and fat as well.
The liquid base of this smoothie is made of whole milk. Along with the milk you need to add three types of powder (protein, spirulina, and cocoa, which gives the drink the chocolate flavor) and solid ingredients.
Most of this smoothie’s proteins come from the protein powder, most of the carbs from the banana and the cucumber, while the majority of fats are due to the addition of hemp seeds.
Expert-approved smoothie. Simon Hill, physiotherapist and nutritionist with a Master of Science degree, recommends the mix of ingredients in this high-calorie smoothie recipe tailored for easier weight gain.
Calories: 432
If you love berries, you will enjoy this high-calorie smoothie. The Super Berry Smoothie will help you gain weight with its nutritious profile, which is composed mainly of carbs but also features decent amounts of protein and fat.
The liquid base of the smoothie is made of whole milk but adding full-fat Greek yogurt helps you get a thicker texture.
The raspberries, blueberries, and goji berries contribute to the leveraged amount of carbs found in the drink while the mix of seeds increases the fat intake. The seeds also contribute to the protein levels of the smoothie along with the dairies.
Add cinnamon and honey for taste and a slight boost of carbs.
Calories: 425
Since it’s full of carbs, this high-calorie smoothie is very efficient at loading your body with energy as well as helping you gain weight.
The Chocolate Almond Butter Smoothie has a liquid base made of almond milk and the pulp of two frozen bananas, which also make for the main source of carbs of the drink. The smoothie also contains almond butter, which boosts the smoothie’s fat levels, and kale leaves, whose superfood-worthy contents fill this dairy-free drink with vitamins and minerals.
Add organic chocolate syrup over the vegan smoothie mix for taste and a boost of carbs.
Expert-approved smoothie. Novak Djokovic, a professional tennis player and multiple Grand Slam winner, recommends the mix of ingredients in this high-calorie smoothie recipe created to ease weight gain.
Calories: 417
The Almond Banana Berry Smoothie is a high-calorie drink that is especially great for athletes doing clean bulking because it has a lower amount of fat than most of the other weight gain smoothies on our list.
This vegan smoothie is instead rich in proteins and carbs that will help you build muscle and load your energy reserves.
In preparing the Almond Banana Berry Smoothie, you will use almond milk as a liquid base and then add the berries, the chia seeds, and the banana into the mix, before topping everything with protein powder.
The main source of protein in this dairy-free smoothie is the protein powder, the carbs are provided by the fruits, and the 8 g of fat come from the chia seeds and the almond milk.
Calories: 411
As its name suggests, the Green Protein Smoothie is a high-calorie vegan drink that has plenty of proteins. Also, since it offers mainly proteins and carbs, this smoothie is especially useful if you are on a low-fat diet.
The Green Protein Smoothie has a coconut water base, which is completed both with fruits, like bananas, avocados, and apples, and vegetables, like spinach leaves and celery, that provide the blend's green color.
Add some protein powder for a protein boost and a little lime juice for taste.
Expert-approved smoothie. Celebrity chef and nutrition consultant Sergio Perera recommends the mix of ingredients in this high-calorie smoothie recipe for weight gain.
Calories: 406
If you are looking for a smoothie made with ice cream that will help you gain weight, look no further. The high-calorie Vanilla Banana Ice Cream Smoothie will energize your body and please your taste buds.
The downside is that this drink has lower amounts of protein than the other weight gain smoothies on our list.
The ice cream and the orange juice make the liquid base of this carb-filled smoothie. It’s also worth knowing that ice cream is the main source of fat in the mix of ingredients.
There is a large variety of people looking to gain weight who can benefit from drinking high-calorie smoothies, including:
Besides, smoothies are one of the most effective weight gain foods for females. About 9 in 10 women who successfully add pounds have smoothies or shakes on their female weight gain meal plans.
Given that you know who should mostly take advantage of the nutritional qualities of smoothies, we can explore what are the benefits of consuming these drinks.
Here are the benefits of adding high-calorie smoothies to your diet:
Whether you are a bodybuilder going through a bulking phase, a skinny teen that would like to get thicker, or a parent worried about their underweight children, you will see that consuming high-calorie smoothies is going to make your weight gain efforts far easier.
However, only blending and drinking smoothies will not ensure you will gain healthy weight.
Here are the three main habits you need to adopt to gain healthy weight:
First of all, if you want to gain weight, you need to stay in a caloric surplus, meaning that you need to eat more calories than you consume every day.
Secondly, you need to avoid empty calories, meaning that you should restrict yourself from consuming food that's high in calories but has very few nutrients. A few examples of food with empty calories are fast food, sodas, and high-sugar sweets.
Then, you should add healthy high-calorie foods and drinks to your diet.
Besides calorie-dense smoothies, you will find that our lists of high-calorie snacks and best bars for gaining weight will help you add pounds even easier.
And if you don’t want to spend too much money on your daily weight gain meals, get some affordable ideas from our list of cheap high-calorie foods.
However, if you only consume calories and don’t exercise, you will only add fat, instead of sculpting a muscular attractive body. So, working out daily is essential if you are looking to gain healthy weight.
Bonus tip to meet your daily calorie goals: eat more frequently, so you will avoid getting full after consuming very large meals.
Alternatively, to quit feeling filled up, you can include more low-volume high-calorie foods in your diet.
High-calorie smoothies can not only help you gain weight easier but also maintain it, especially if you are prone to weight loss. People who generally tend to lose weight easily are either suffering from a medical condition, undergoing a nausea-inducing treatment, or having an intense metabolism.
To maintain your weight, you need to eat as many calories as you consume per day, and calorie-dense smoothies can help you meet this goal.
Another benefit of drinking high-calorie smoothies is that they load up your energy reserves due to their nutritious content. This ability makes smoothies a great choice for athletes and an effective pre-workout alternative for fitness enthusiasts.
High-calorie smoothies rich in carbs and proteins can replace pre-workout meals that help you build muscle. The higher carb content is also one of the differences between smoothies and shakes.
Yet, don't get energy from smoothies with high quantities of sugar because they are dangerous for your health, especially if you have diabetes.
According to CDC, only 1 in 10 adult Americans eats enough fruits and vegetables every day.
Thankfully, as they are made with fruits and vegetables, high-calorie smoothies are a great way to bring micronutrients, like vitamins and other minerals, into your body.
Moreover, smoothies will help you meet the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 4 servings of fruits and 5 servings of vegetables per day for a healthy eating pattern.
Besides the fruits and vegetables in your smoothies, make sure you also eat solid veggies and fruits.
"Keeping solid meals in your diet is important for satiety and dentition," says Iulia Serban, registered dietitian nutritionist.
The last but not least benefit of consuming high-calorie smoothies is their convenience. After all, blending a few ingredients to make a weight gain smoothie is handier than cooking a large meal and is oftentimes better for your digestion too.
Talking about convenience and digestion, if you have a sensitive gut, take a look at our list of easy-to-digest foods for an upset stomach.
If you are following a special diet that restricts certain foods from your diet, you will find useful this rearranged list of the 15 high-calorie smoothie recipes for weight gain already described earlier in this article.
Whether you are allergic to nuts or you are looking for a high-calorie smoothie made without the classic peanut butter among its ingredients, here are some nut-free smoothies for weight gain:
Among the 15 smoothies for weight gain on the list, only the Super Berry Smoothie does not contain bananas.
If you're on a low-fat diet, you don't want to drink smoothies that are rich in fats. So, here are smoothies that are low in fat:
Head over to our article about high-calorie low-fat foods to find many more nutritious culinary ideas that will help you gain weight without increasing your fat intake too much.
Smoothies can only help you gain weight, especially if you consume high-calorie ones. To ensure you gain weight you need to be on a daily caloric surplus, which means you need to eat and drink more calories than you consume every day.
Adding protein powder to your smoothie is an easy way to boost its protein levels and total calories, which will help you both to build muscle and gain weight.
As proof, 9 out of the 15 high-calorie smoothie recipes tailored for weight gain in this article feature protein powder among their ingredients.
However, you should be careful about what kind of protein powder you add to your smoothie. Go for the protein powders made with natural ingredients.
The best smoothies for gaining weight are the high-calorie ones, which have over 400 calories.
As long as they are high in calories, both smoothies and shakes will help you gain weight. It comes down to your own taste and texture preferences when deciding between smoothies and shakes.
To boost the calories in your smoothies, you can add vegetables, fruits, dairy products, nuts, seeds, grains, and other add-ins, like protein powder, honey, or chocolate syrup.
Given the many health benefits that high-calorie smoothies bring to your body, they are one of the best dietary choices when you are looking to gain weight or build muscle.
And, as you now learned how to make a high-calorie smoothie, you will finally be able to easily meet your daily calorie goals while getting closer to your ideal body shape.
If you don't want to blend a weight gain smoothie from scratch, you can always come back to this article and follow one of the 15 high-calorie smoothie recipes.
64 High-Calorie Foods for Healthy Weight Gain (Bulking List)
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19 High-Calorie Shakes for Weight Gain (Protein Recipes Too)
15 High-Calorie Smoothies for Easy Weight Gain
7 Best High-Calorie Drinks for Weight Gain at All Ages
25 Best High-Calorie Bars for Healthy Weight Gain
45 Cheap High-Calorie Foods for Affordable Weight Gain
Weight Gain Foods for Skinny Females (Most Effective)
15 Surprisingly High-Calorie Vegetables for Weight Gain
20 Remarkably High-Calorie Fruits for Weight Gain (List)
20 High-Calorie Low-Carb Foods for Healthy Weight Gain
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