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Iulia Serban, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, and a Master's degree in Nutrition and Quality of Life.
People who try to gain weight can have a hard time increasing their body mass if they focus their diets only on solid foods, which usually require more time to prepare, eat, and digest, than liquid meals, like smoothies.
Yet, not all smoothies will help you gain weight effectively, and not all of them will do so in a healthy way.
The best high-calorie smoothies meet the following characteristics:
Fortunately, we are proven experts in all sorts of drinks that help people gain weight. As evidence, we put together a list ranking the drinks with the most calories, also including high-calorie smoothies and weight gain shakes.
To come up with high-calorie smoothie recipes that are both healthy and effective for weight gain, we teamed up with registered dietitian Iulia Serban, who helped us create healthy recipes and a full guide for making weight gain smoothies.
Also, we curated a few celebrity smoothies from the diets of Chris Hemsworth, an actor famous for his muscular appearance in the Thor movie series, and the world-class tennis player Novak Djokovic.
Furthermore, to make it easy for you to follow the recipes, we bought the necessary ingredients, blended them, and illustrated the whole process with photos and a video.
We ranked each of the 19 high-calorie smoothie recipes by their number of calories, ranging from hundreds to over one thousand. Explore each of the recipes below.
411 calories
As its name suggests, the High-Calorie Green Protein Smoothie is a refreshing smoothie made of green veggies, like spinach and celery, and green fruits, like avocado and Granny Smith apples, that will load you with vitamins and minerals while helping you gain weight by providing plenty of proteins and carbohydrates.
| Volume | 15.7 fl oz (644 ml) |
| Calories | 411 |
| Proteins | 36 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g |
| Fats | 10 g |
434 calories
If you're trying to increase your body mass and you love blueberries, you'll enjoy the High-Calorie Blueberry Almond Smoothie, a rich source of energizing carbohydrates and proteins that combines the healthy properties of the berries and chia seeds with the mildness of almond milk and the sweetness of bananas.
| Volume | 19.7 fl oz (583 ml) |
| Calories | 434 |
| Proteins | 30 g |
| Carbohydrates | 68 g |
| Fats | 8 g |
435 calories
Did you know that chocolate banana smoothies can help you gain weight in a healthy way?
Although it contains veggies, our High-Calorie Chocolate Banana Cucumber Smoothie has a bittersweet flavor since it's made, among other ingredients, with bananas and cacao. This smoothie will also deliver enough proteins and carbohydrates to help you build muscle.
| Volume | 17.2 fl oz (511 ml) |
| Calories | 435 |
| Proteins | 30 g |
| Carbohydrates | 47 g |
| Fats | 16 g |
445 calories
A champion-approved smoothie, this High-Calorie Chocolate Banana Kale Smoothie comes from world-class tennis player Novak Djokovic's diet. The smoothie combines bananas' sweetness with kale's superfood qualities and chocolate's deliciousness while being a solid source of carbohydrates.
| Volume | 20.8 fl oz (616 ml) |
| Calories | 445 |
| Proteins | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 80 g |
| Fats | 14 g |
453 calories
For those of you wishing to gain weight easier while enjoying the spectacular aromas of different berries, we created the High-Calorie Mixed Berry Smoothie, which features over 20 g of proteins and plenty of carbs.
| Volume | 21.74 fl oz (643 ml) |
| Calories | 453 |
| Proteins | 21 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53 g |
| Fats | 20 g |
476 calories
If you are looking for a smoothie made with ice cream that will help you gain weight, look no further. Requiring only 4 ingredients, the High-Calorie Vanilla Ice Cream Smoothie will energize your body, help you build muscle, and please your taste buds.
| Volume | 17.6 fl oz (521 ml) |
| Calories | 476 |
| Proteins | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 76 g |
| Fats | 12 g |
478 calories
Rich in protein but especially in carbs, this High-Calorie Strawberry Banana Smoothie, whose ingredients Novak Djokovic divulged in his book "Serve to Win", is an outstanding energy source with a fantastic taste.
| Volume | 33.3 fl oz (984 ml) |
| Calories | 478 |
| Proteins | 32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 71 g |
| Fats | 16 g |
525 calories
Novak Djokovic, one of the best tennis players of all time, used his Breakfast Smoothie to energize in the morning on his road to winning the 2015 US Open.
This plant-based recipe will help you build muscle, boost your daily caloric intake, and gain healthy weight. Did we mention it's full of health benefits as well?
| Volume | 25.4 fl oz (750 ml) |
| Calories | 525 |
| Proteins | 34 g |
| Carbohydrates | 76 g |
| Fats | 15 g |
537 calories
One of the most delicious smoothies on this list is the High-Calorie Peach Smoothie. Besides its pleasant flavor and many calories, this smoothie delivers almost 40 g of proteins and plenty of carbohydrates, which will help you build muscle.
| Volume | 24 fl oz (708 ml) |
| Calories | 537 |
| Proteins | 38 g |
| Carbohydrates | 64 g |
| Fats | 16 g |
568 calories
Since many people looking to gain weight would like to add pineapple to their high-calorie diets, they can now do so successfully with the High-Calorie Pineapple Smoothie, which is low in fats and has over 30 g of muscle-building protein.
| Volume | 18.9 fl oz (560 ml) |
| Calories | 568 |
| Proteins | 32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 81 g |
| Fats | 15 g |
594 calories
The High-Calorie Apple Smoothie is a low-fat weight gain smoothie loaded with carbs that is rich in proteins and full of health benefits.
Made with fresh apples, low-fat Greek yogurt, a little peanut butter, some muscle-building whey protein powder, and mouth-watering apple juice, this smoothie is a delight.
| Volume | 26.3 fl oz (777 ml) |
| Calories | 594 |
| Proteins | 40 g |
| Carbohydrates | 88 g |
| Fats | 12 g |
651 calories
The High-Calorie Mango Banana Smoothie is another smoothie shared by Novak Djokovic. Based on mango and bananas, this delicious smoothie is a source of energy and healthy fats but also includes some muscle-building protein. Besides, it's packed with health benefits.
| Volume | 31.8 fl oz (942 ml) |
| Calories | 651 |
| Proteins | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 126 g |
| Fats | 17 g |
663 calories
Famous actor Chris Hemsworth did not specify the ingredient quantities he used for the secret smoothie he used to gain enough muscle to obtain a physique worthy of Thor (the God of Thunder) in the movie "Thor: Love and Thunder". We, however, applied our process for creating high-calorie smoothies to Hemsworth's incomplete ingredient list.
That's how we came up with the recipe for Chris Hemsworth's Secret High-Calorie Smoothie, which contains a hefty amount of proteins, many carbohydrates, and plenty of healthy fats while tasting like raspberries combined with various earthy aromas.
| Volume | 30.1 fl oz (890 ml) |
| Calories | 663 |
| Proteins | 41 g |
| Carbohydrates | 77 g |
| Fats | 26 g |
683 calories
The High-Calorie Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie can help you gain weight because it has two calorie-dense ingredients at its core, bananas and peanut butter.
The core ingredients are complemented by some muscle-building whey protein powder, delicious honey, and creamy whole milk to result in a silky smoothie that flawlessly blends the banana and peanut butter flavors.
This smoothie is energizing, helps you build muscle, and brings numerous other health benefits.
| Volume | 25.8 fl oz (762 ml) |
| Calories | 683 |
| Proteins | 40 g |
| Carbohydrates | 84 g |
| Fats | 23 g |
728 calories
Including a banana, whole milk, almonds, and obviously oats, the High-Calorie Oat Smoothie can help you gain weight more easily by leveraging the nutritional qualities of oats in a convenient way.
Loaded with more than 700 calories, this smoothie has a milky but slightly crunchy texture complemented by oats' earthy flavor, which is sweetened by the banana in the smoothie's composition.
| Volume | 15.7 fl oz (664 ml) |
| Calories | 728 |
| Proteins | 24 g |
| Carbohydrates | 110 g |
| Fats | 24 g |
754 calories
Since we found it easy to create a weight gain smoothie with avocados and bananas, two of the fruits with the most calories, we couldn't leave the High-Calorie Avocado Banana Smoothie out of this list.
Having a banana taste toned down by avocado's more neutral aroma, this smoothie is a good source of healthy fats that also delivers plenty of energizing carbs and a solid amount of proteins.
| Volume | 25.2 fl oz (744 ml) |
| Calories | 754 |
| Proteins | 33 g |
| Carbohydrates | 67 g |
| Fats | 44 g |
773 calories
If you're looking for a smoothie with exotic flavors that can help you gain weight, you're a perfect match for the High-Calorie Tropical Smoothie.
Made with tropical ingredients and protein powder, this sweet and refreshing smoothie is energizing, helps you build muscle, and brings notable amounts of healthy fats as well.
| Volume | 26.7 fl oz (789 ml) |
| Calories | 773 |
| Proteins | 33 g |
| Carbohydrates | 113 g |
| Fats | 26 g |
989 calories
Featuring a strong banana flavor with a very slight nutty taste, this High-Calorie Banana Smoothie made of bananas, yogurt, cashews, and oats, has almost 1000 calories. Moreover, it's packed with energizing carbs and muscle-building protein.
| Volume | 40.6 fl oz (1.15 l) |
| Calories | 989 |
| Proteins | 42 g |
| Carbohydrates | 163 g |
| Fats | 25 g |
1032 calories
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 High-Calorie Fruity Green Smoothie is a game-changer if you are struggling to increase your body mass.
This dairy-free smoothie is rich in carbs and fats because it's made with:
Moreover, this green smoothie also offers a solid 29 g of protein, 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.
| Volume | 38.4 fl oz (1.14 l) |
| Calories | 1032 |
| Proteins | 29 g |
| Carbohydrates | 136 g |
| Fats | 52 g |
If you are following a special diet that restricts certain foods from your diet, you will benefit from the following classification of the 19 high-calorie smoothie recipes for weight gain already described earlier.
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:
The following high-calorie smoothies contain greens:
The following high-calorie smoothies 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 the 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.
In case you want to get creative with your smoothies, you can make your own high-calorie smoothie recipes 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.
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 who 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 because they are generally rich in carbohydrates. This ability makes smoothies a great choice for athletes and an effective pre-workout alternative for fitness enthusiasts.
The high-calorie smoothies that are 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 the CDC's 2017 data, only 1 in 10 adult Americans eat enough fruits and vegetables every day.[1]
Name: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Type: news release
Operated by: United States Department of Health and Human Services
Characteristics:
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.
Name: American Heart Association
Type: infographic
Characteristics:
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 easier 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.
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 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. For more information consult our smoothies vs. shakes comparison.
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 their many health benefits and their convenience, high-calorie smoothies are one of the best dietary choices for people struggling to gain weight. And now, with the 19 smoothie recipes we've described and classified in this article, you can successfully include weight-gain smoothies into your diet.
We wish you smooth gains!
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