Is Smoothie King Healthy? Menu Choices and Nutrition Facts

As the name suggests, Smoothie King is a chain of smoothie shops. Since they are often packed with nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, nut butter, protein powder, and more, smoothies can be part of a balanced diet. Ingredients like these usually allow people who follow vegan, vegetarian, low-carb, and high-protein diets to find something suitable on the Smoothie King menu.

Smoothies can also be a good source of food groups that some Americans may be lacking in their diets. Only one in 10 adults regularly get enough servings of fruits or vegetables. Since many Smoothie King offerings are made with a base of fruits and veggies, this may be a convenient way for many people to improve their nutrition. But...is Smoothie King healthy?

Navigating the Smoothie King Menu

Smoothie King refers to its smoothies as “blends." The smoothie menu is split into six main categories: Feel Energized Blends, Get Fit Blends, Manage Weight Blends, Be Well Blends, Enjoy a Treat Blends, and Kids Blends. Customers can choose from three serving sizes: 20 ounces, 32 ounces, and 40 ounces.

The menu is made up of approximately 86 smoothie blends to choose from. Further customizations to menu items, such as adding extra ingredients, are possible, though this will alter the nutritional profile.

For nutrition information on all Smoothie King menu items, refer to the Smoothie King nutrition info.

Most Nutritious Smoothie King Option

If you’re looking to order the healthiest Smoothie King smoothie, try the Slim-N-Trim veggie smoothie. It packs in leafy greens, fruit, and a kick of ginger, and contains only 240 calories in a 20-ounce serving. It's also low in fat and provides healthy proteins.

Smoothie King's Feel Energized Blends

All the smoothies in this section of Smoothie King's menu come with caffeine; many are blended with coffee. At 74mg to 181mg per 20-ounce smoothie, these are comparable to a cup of coffee. The coffee smoothies also include dairy ingredients like whey protein and frozen yogurt, while the Pure Recharge blends include a green coffee bean extract plus various fruits.

✓ Pure Recharge Strawberry

The Pure Recharge strawberry smoothie is made with strawberries, green coffee bean extract, and a blend of nutrients, protein, and electrolytes. The 20-ounce size provides 200 calories, 1g fat, 0g saturated fat, 49g carbohydrates, 6g protein, and 290mg sodium.

✗ The Hulk Coffee

The Hulk coffee smoothie is made with butter pecan ice cream, making it higher in fat, calories, and sugar than others in this category. It also contains banana, coffee, The Hulk dairy protein powder, and turbinado sugar. The 20-ounce size provides 640 calories, 22g fat, 104g carbohydrates, 23g protein, and 360mg sodium.

Smoothie King's Get Fit Blends

Smoothie King's Get Fit Blends are made with ingredients that are high in protein, such as protein powder, nut butter, nuts, and more. These protein-rich smoothies are designed to fuel grueling workouts or help muscles recover after exercise.

While protein-rich ingredients are part of a healthy diet, some of the Get Fit Blends are made with ice cream, which adds extra calories, fat, and sugar.

✓ Gladiator Strawberry

The Gladiator strawberry smoothie is made with fruit and protein powder. A 20-ounce serving contains 220 calories, 3g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 4g carbohydrates, 45g protein, and 370mg sodium. It’s suitable for low-carb and low-fat diets, though it contains eggs and milk so is not a vegan option.

Note that this nutrition information does not include additional ingredients you may select, and the nutrition data will change based on your selections. Consider adding fruit, veggies, or nut butter for a more nutrient-dense smoothie.

✗ The Hulk Strawberry

The Hulk strawberry smoothie contains just five ingredients: strawberries, bananas, turbinado, Hulk protein blend, and butter pecan ice cream. However, it is high in calories and has added sugar and carbs. A 20-ounce serving contains 890 calories, 32g fat, 16g saturated fat, 147g carbohydrates, 25g protein, and 390mg sodium.

Smoothie King's Manage Weight Blends

This section of the Smoothie King menu is designed for low-calorie diets. Each 20-ounce serving is under 310 calories (except for the Keto Champ options), so these may be helpful if you are watching your caloric intake.

✓ Slim-N-Trim Veggie

The Slim-N-Trim veggie smoothie is made with fruit, leafy greens, ginger, protein, fiber, and fruit juice. It’s high in fiber and protein while low in calories and fat. A 20-ounce serving contains 240 calories, 2.5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 46g carbohydrates, 15g protein, and 280mg sodium.

Since it is made with a protein blend that contains eggs and milk, it is not suitable for those with an allergy or sensitivity to those ingredients.

✗ Keto Champ Chocolate

The chocolate Keto Champ is a high-protein smoothie made with multiple protein sources: almond milk, almond butter, a keto protein blend and another protein blend, plus cocoa and stevia. A 20-ounce serving contains 430 calories, 31g fat, 18g carbohydrates, 25g protein, 18g saturated fat, and 360mg sodium. It also contains 10mg of cholesterol and is formulated with eggs and milk.

Smoothie King's Be Well Blends

Some of Smoothie King’s healthiest menu items are Be Well Blends. This section of the menu consists of nutrient-dense smoothies packed with vitamins and minerals. Many are made with high-fiber vegetables, added electrolytes, and vegan-friendly protein powder (this menu section has several vegan-friendly options).

✓ Greek Yogurt Strawberry Blueberry

The Greek yogurt strawberry blueberry smoothie is packed with fresh fruit, Greek nonfat yogurt, and protein and fiber add-ins. A 20-ounce serving contains 240 calories, 1g fat, 0g saturated fat, 49g carbohydrates, 10g protein, and 160mg sodium.

✗ Daily Warrior

The Daily Warrior smoothie is made with fruits, vegetables, nuts, dates, and nut butter. That means it is a more calorically dense option. A 20-ounce serving contains 680 calories, 32g fat, 5g saturated fat, 98g carbohydrates, 16g protein, and 170mg sodium.

Smoothie King's Enjoy a Treat Blends

Enjoy a Treat Blends are perfect for days you want to order off the Smoothie King menu based on taste alone. While many contain nutrient-rich ingredients like fruit and protein powder, some are also formulated with ingredients that are higher in calories and sugar, like frozen yogurt, as well as refined sweeteners like turbinado. People who are sensitive to caffeine should also avoid some of the Enjoy a Treat Blends that contain coffee.

✓ Berry Punch

The berry punch smoothie is one of the few Enjoy a Treat Blends that does not contain frozen yogurt. Instead, it is made with strawberries, wild blueberries, raspberries, fruit juice, and electrolytes.

A 20-ounce serving contains 260 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 67g carbohydrates, 1g protein, and 105mg sodium. To make this smoothie a more protein-rich option, add one of the many protein blends including a plant-based option.

✗ Banana Boat

The Banana Boat smoothie has just a few ingredients: banana, turbinado sugar, whey protein, and vanilla frozen yogurt. A 20-ounce serving contains 480 calories, 6g fat, 99g carbohydrates, 11g protein, and 280mg sodium.

Smoothie King's Kids Blends

Kids can choose from six different smoothie options made just for them. Unlike the rest of the menu, Kids Blends only come in one serving size: 12 ounces. While most Kids Blends contain less than 250 calories, some contain added sugar and frozen yogurt.

✓ Apple Kiwi Bunga

The Apple Kiwi Bunga smoothie is the only Kids Blend that does not contain added sugar. It is also the lowest in calories and has no fat and cholesterol. A 12-ounce serving contains 150 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 39g carbohydrates, <1g protein, and 20mg sodium. Since it is made with a multivitamin enhancer, this can be a great source of nutrients for children.

✗ Choc-A-Laka

The Choc-A-Laka smoothie is made with turbinado, frozen yogurt, whey protein powder, cocoa powder, and a multivitamin enhancer. Though the ingredients are simple, it contains 1mg caffeine and 20g of added sugar. A 12-ounce serving contains 280 calories, 3.5g fat, 51g carbohydrates, 11g protein, and 100mg sodium.

Smoothie King's Diet-Specific Options

Smoothie King offers choices for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, low-carb, low-FODMAP, low-sodium, and diabetes-friendly diets. Most vegan options are clearly labeled, but people with other dietary needs will have to check the ingredients lists and nutrition facts.

Gluten-Free

Though Smoothie King can’t guarantee that cross-contamination won’t occur, the brand does state that all of its smoothie options are gluten-free.

Low-Carb

If you follow a low-carb diet, Smoothie King has several menu options that are lower in carbs. A 20-ounce smoothie can range from 0g to 147g in carbohydrates. Smaller portions and smoothies that are high in protein tend to be lower in carbs.

The Get Fit Blends section is full of options that are lower in carbs, while the Be Well Blends tend to have a much higher carb count. The following smoothies contain 20g carbohydrates or less per 20-ounce serving.

• The Shredder Vanilla (17g)
• The Shredder Chocolate (19g)
• Keto Champ Berry (19g)
• Keto Champ Chocolate (18g)
• Keto Champ Coffee (14g)
• Gladiator Chocolate (5g)
• Gladiator Strawberry (4g)
• Gladiator Vanilla (3g)
  

Low-FODMAP

Eating out while following a low-FODMAP diet can be challenging. Fortunately, Smoothie King uses many FODMAP-friendly ingredients, including blueberries, strawberries, lemons, spinach, and kale. 

However, people who avoid fruit juice on a low-FODMAP diet may struggle to find a suitable blend at Smoothie King. People following a low-FODMAP diet should also avoid Smoothie King menu items made with almonds, milk, and mango.

• Pure Recharge Pineapple (omit Nutrient Blend Enhancer and sub almond milk for fruit juice)
• Veggie Apple Kiwi Kale (sub almond milk for fruit juice)
• Vegan Pineapple Spinach (omit stevia and plant-based protein powder and sub almond milk for fruit juice)
  

Diabetes-Friendly

A diabetes-friendly diet may be lower in carbs and added sugar than other lifestyles. While Smoothie King has many menu items that are high in carbs and sugar, it also offers low-carb and no-added-sugar options such as the Gladiator Vanilla, which has 3 grams carbs, 1 grams sugar, and zero added sugars.

• Gladiator Chocolate
• Gladiator Strawberry
  
• Gladiator Vanilla
• Keto Champ Coffee
• The Shredder Vanilla

Low-Fat

Smoothie King has several smoothies with 0g fat per serving. To avoid high-fat smoothies, opt for blends that are made with a base of fruits or vegetables instead of ice cream or frozen yogurt. While some Smoothie King blends contain up to 31g fat per 20-ounce serving, the majority contain fewer than 5g fat. To avoid excess fat, opt for smaller serving sizes and blends made with high-fiber ingredients.

• All Get Fit Blends except High Intensity Workout, Keto Champ, Peanut Butter Plus, The Hulk, and High Protein flavors
• All Manage Weight Blends except Lean1 Chocolate and Vanilla and Keto Champ flavors
• All Be Well Blends except Vegan Nutty Super Grain and Daily Warrior
• All Enjoy a Treat Blends except Yogurt D-Lite and Banana Boat (6g fat)
• All Kids Blends

Low-Sodium

Smoothie King blends tend to contain between 60mg and 750mg sodium per 20-ounce serving. To minimize your sodium intake at Smoothie King, opt for the smallest serving size. The Be Well Blends are most suitable for low-sodium diets since they are rich in vegetables. Many of the Enjoy a Treat smoothies are also quite low in sodium.

• Immune Builder Orange (50mg)
• Immune Builder Mixed Berry (85mg)
• Immune Builder Orange (50mg)
• Angel Food (50mg)
• Lemon Twist Banana (0mg)
• Lemon Twist Strawberry (0mg)
• Caribbean Way (10mg)
• Strawberry X-Treme (0mg)
• Passion Passport (20mg)
• Veggie Lemon Ginger Spinach (65mg)
• MangoFest (0mg)
  

Vegetarian

Vegetarians will have an easy time finding menu items on the Smoothie King menu. Smoothie King uses milk and egg ingredients, but not animal products like meat and fish. Choose the MangoFest smoothie for a tropical flavor, or any of the restaurant's other vegetarian-friendly options.

Vegan

Smoothie King has five menu items that are clearly labeled vegan-friendly. Since Smoothie King offers Sunwarrior Organic Plant-Based Protein powder, vegans can customize other vegan-friendly options to make them a richer source of protein. For a sweet taste, choose the vegan dark chocolate banana smoothie.

Many other ingredients are also vegan-friendly, including fruits, vegetables, fruit juices, nuts, nut butters, and some enhancers. People following a vegan diet should avoid menu items containing all other protein blends since they contain milk and eggs, and some smoothies contain dairy-based ice cream and frozen yogurt.

• Vegan Mango Kale
• Vegan Mixed Berry
• Vegan Pineapple Spinach
• Vegan Dark Chocolate Banana
• Vegan Nutty Super Grain
  

Food Allergies and Safety

Smoothie King offers a fish- and soy-free menu and people with allergies to gluten and wheat can find safe meals to enjoy. But those with milk, egg, nut, and tree nut allergies should be cautious since these ingredients are in many menu items.

Since Smoothie King can’t guarantee that cross-contamination will not occur when preparing smoothies, it is up to customers to ensure their order is free of potential allergens. When ordering, omit allergens and ask for substitutions where possible (such as plant-based protein powder). The Smoothie King website clearly states whether a menu item contains possible allergens.

Note that the majority of Smoothie King's protein powders, such as Lean1 and Gladiator, contain artificial sweeteners, including stevia leaf extract and sucralose. Always take a close look at the ingredients of the nutritional enhancers included in your blend to ensure they meet your nutritional preferences and dietary needs.

A Word From Verywell

Smoothies can be nutritious meals or snacks made with whole ingredients like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and more, so it’s no surprise that there are many nutrient-rich, healthy options at Smoothie King. However, some menu items contain added sugar and some are high in calories, fat, carbohydrates, sodium, and cholesterol.

When you want the most nutrient-dense option possible at Smoothie King, stick to the Be Well Blends. On days you feel like indulging, the Enjoy a Treat Blends might pique your interest. You can also make your own smoothie at home to ensure you know exactly what goes into it, though ordering smoothies at Smoothie King is healthy in moderation.