The beauty of smoothies is you can pretty much add anything you want. However, a liquid ingredient is a must. If you can’t decide which liquid to use for our smoothie, have a look at our list of the best liquid for smoothies below.
1. Water
The first thing on our list and the most obvious is water. Its flavorless and has zero calories.
If you want a slushy consistency just add some ice to your smoothie. One thing we should mention is that too much water will dilute the taste of your smoothie. Also unlike nut milks or plain milk you won’t get that creamy texture.
2. Fruit Juice
Fruit juice is my favorite liquid to use for smoothies. That being said, my favorite juice is orange juice. The benefit of using fruit juices is you get additional vitamins and nutrients.
Additionally, the fruit juice also acts as a natural sweetener. When using fruit juice try to use natural fruit juice so you don’t have a sugar overload.
3. Coconut Water
Is the liquid found inside a coconut. Obviously, as you can tell by the name, it is similar to water, but it is loaded with nutrients and minerals. You can read about the health benefits of coconut water here.
4. Nut Milk
Almond, Cashew, Hazelnut, Macadamia, Peanut, Walnut, Pistachio, and Pecan.
The list of nut milks is endless. The beauty of nut milk is they are a great dairy milk alternative especially if you are lactose intolerant.
You can make your own nut milk by soaking the nuts in water and then blending them into nut milk. .
This creamy liquid can then be used in your smoothies or even in your favorite coffee concoction.
You can also purchase nut milk, however, please note that in most cases vitamins and minerals are added to the product.
Each nut milk has its own unique flavor. For example almond milk has an almond flavor and is great not only for smoothies, but cereals, coffee creamers and even ice cream.
Cashew milk on the other hand has a sweet, creamy flavor similar to cows milk. While macadamia milk has a fruity flavor.
Our point is each nut milk has its own unique flavor so please feel free to experiment until you find the perfect fit.
5. Dairy Milk
Personally I am not a fan of using milk in my smoothies; however, it can be done. It gives your smoothie a creamy texture.
6. Coconut Milk
Coconut Milk should not be confused with coconut water. Coconut milk is made by cutting up or grating the coconut and blending it with water. You can then strain the liquid with a cheesecloth. The remaining liquid is coconut milk.
7. Rice Milk
Rice milk is made by pressing rice through a grinding mill, followed by filtration and then blending in water. You can learn more about the benefits of rice milk here.
8. Soy Milk
Soy milk is one of the more popular plant based, non dairy milks. This milk is made with soybeans. You will find that many brands of soy milk are fortified with vitamins and minerals. You can read all about soy milk, the nutritional benefits etc here.
9. Oat Milk
Oat milk is a great choice for people with allergies or intolerances. Its lactose free and free of nuts. If you are interested in making your own oat milk the Minimalist Baker has a great recipe. You can also learn more about the nutritional benefits of oats here.
10. Quinoa Milk
Quinoa milk is a good option for vegetarians since it contains high quality protein. This milk has a slightly sweet and nutty flavour. This milk is made from water and quinoa, a popular superfood.
11. Kefir
Think of kefir as liquid yogurt. Kefir is a fermented drink made using cows or goat milk. This drink originated in the mountainous region that divides Europe and Asia. Kefir is a good source of calcium and probiotic bacteria. You can learn more about the nutritional benefits of Kefir here.
12. Hemp Milk
Hemp milk has a nutty, sweet flavour. The creamy texture is similar to milk. Hemp milk is great plant based, nut free and dairy free alternative.
You can make hemp milk with just two ingredients Hemp milk and water. If you want to add to your hemp milk you can add vanilla and a sweetener.
Hemp milk is extremely nutritious and contains quite a bit of proteins and healthy fats. You can learn more about the nutritional benefits of hemp milk here.
13. Banana Milk
Banana milk is a great vegan, nut free, dairy alternative. If you want to make this milk at home the only items you will need is water, bananas and of course a blender.
Since bananas are the main ingredients this milk also contains nutrients such as potassium and magnesium .
If you are going to use banana milk it’s best to stick to the homemade version since the store bought version may contain preservatives, sweeteners or some type of flavoring.
14. Flax Milk
Flax milk is another plant based milk alternative on our list. Flax milk is made as I am sure you can guess from flaxseed or flaxseed powder and water.
This milk and a nutty, earthy flavour and is great option for someone on a plant based diet. If you want to make your own flax milk or learn about the nutritional profile you can have a look at this site.
15. Green Tea
Green tea is reputed to be one of the healthiest drinks in the world. So if you are planning to use this liquid for your smoothies you are adding an extra nutritional punch to your smoothie.
Green tea is not only packed with antioxidants and provides a myriad of health benefits.
16. Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented, lightly effervescent and sweetened tea that is often made with black or green tea.
Kombucha tea is thought to have originated in the Bohai Sea district in China. Vitamix has some great smoothie recipes that use Kombucha if you are interested.
17. Chai Tea
Chai tea is a fragrant, sweet, spicy tea made from a mixture of black tea, ginger and spices.
The most common spices use to make chai tea are cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, cloves, and black pepper. A few other spices that can be used are coriander seeds, star anise and peppercorns.
Chai is not a liquid that readily comes to mind when making a smoothie. If you need some inspiration about how you can add chai to your smoothie have a look at the smoothie recipes here.
In Conclusion, The Best Liquid for Smoothies
I hope you enjoyed our list of the best liquid for smoothies. I think we have covered the whole gamut, you have nut milks, fruit juices, teas and plant based liquids that are ideal for smoothies. Let us know what you think.
Welcome!
Hi, I am Charms, a self-confessed smoothie fanatic! Here I will share some of my favorite smoothie recipes, tips and guides and gear reviews. Learn more .
