If you’ve never tried avocado in a smoothie before, you don’t know what you’re missing. The creaminess it adds to smoothies is beyond compare and the nutritional benefits are an added bonus. This avocado peanut butter smoothie is perfect for when you have ripe avocados lying around, or when you want something quick, healthy, and filling.
And if you need fiber or potassium in your life, look no further. This peanut butter avocado smoothie has 10 grams of fiber and over 1,000 mg of potassium.
Give this avocado smoothie recipe a try and leave me a comment and recipe rating below. I love hearing from you!
Benefits of Avocado in Smoothies
Avocados in smoothies are a wonderful addition for a few reasons. For one, they add a creamy texture and thicker consistency to smoothies.
And what’s more impressive are all of the health benefits avocados can add to your diet. Here’s what research shows about the health benefits of avocados:
Let me dive a little deeper into each of these benefits for you.
Avocado and Cardiovascular Health
Avocados contain mostly monounsaturated fats which are safe and healthy to consume on daily.
The heart-healthy fats in avocados may help prevent and decrease the risk of heart disease by lowering total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides (2, 3).
In fact, 2 large studies show that using avocado in place of margarine, butter, egg, yogurt, cheese, or processed meats can lower your risk of heart disease by up to 22 percent!
One Hass avocado contains 13.3 grams of monounsaturated fat, 2.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, and 2.9 grams of saturated fat (1).
Avocado and Weight Management
Although avocados are calorie-dense, research shows that they can support weight management. More specifically, data suggests that avocado consumers have higher (good) HDL-cholesterol, lower risk of metabolic syndrome, and lower weight, BMI, and waist circumference than those would do not eat avocados.
The research on whether or not eating avocados actually decreases harmful visceral fat is still up for debate however (4). Some studies show no decrease in visceral fat from avocado consumption while others show a change in the distribution of abdominal fat.
With that said, avocados can definitely be included in a diet for weight management. Healthy eating patterns that focus on a variety of fruits, vegetables, and unsaturated fats (like the ones in avocados) can help you maintain or lose weight if done right.
A typical serving is 1/3 of a medium avocado. This contains 80 calories, 6 grams of heart-healthy fats, 3 grams of fiber, and 250 mg of potassium (5).
Avocado and Healthy Aging
Eating avocados regularly can also promote health as we age. Healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats in avocados can help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins K, A, D, and E in the foods we eat alongside this nutrient-boosting fruit. Yes, that’s right, avocado is a fruit.
They also contain folate, which is beneficial to pregnant women or those wanting to become pregnant.
Vision is also an area where avocados can help. Including avocado in your diet can help you absorb the fat-soluble nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin, which can protect our eyes from damage and help us maintain our eyesight as we age.
And finally, avocados are one of many foods that naturally contain Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, or NMN for short. Some benefits of getting more NMN are:
- reduction in inflammation
- protection of brain cells and cognitive function
- slowed aging process
For more on NMN, check out my friend and fellow dietitian Kate Piper’s article, “NMN Foods: How Do They Support Healthy Aging?“
Is Avocado and Peanut Butter Good Together?
Yes! This combination may not be as well-known or popular as peanut butter and jelly, but they’re amazing together.
Avocados and peanut butter are both nutrient-dense, creamy, and oh-so-luscious when used in recipes such as this avocado peanut butter smoothie.
Avocado has a mild flavor so it does not stand out as much as peanut butter. But what it lacks in flavor, it makes up for in its thick, buttery consistency.
Ingredients
Avocado– Use half a ripe avocado for this recipe. I suggest doubling the recipe to use the whole avocado- no sense in saving that other half, ya know?
Frozen Banana– Adding a frozen banana to this peanut butter avocado smoothie adds to the natural sweetness and gives that smooth and creamy texture.
Peanut Butter– Add some additional heart-healthy fat and plant-based protein with a couple tablespoons of peanut butter. Substitute sunflower butter if you have a tree nut allergy.
Baby Spinach– I love adding spinach to smoothies when I can. It goes so well in this avocado smoothie, adding to the lovely green tone and providing additional vitamins and minerals.
Dates– Instead of added sugars like honey or maple syrup, I opted for the natural sweetness in dates to make this smoothie with avocado more delightful to drink.
Almond Milk– This is the liquid base I like to use in this recipe. But feel free to try soy milk (for more protein), coconut milk, or even dairy milk (also for more protein).
How to Make Avocado Peanut Butter Smoothie
Like most smoothie recipes, this one couldn’t be easier. Here’s the super simple breakdown:
1. Put Ingredients In Blender
After gathering all of the ingredients needed, add them one by one to your blender.
FYI, it is best practice to add liquids to your blender first to prevent your blender blade from becoming damaged. However, I have a Ninja blender which I turn upside-down to blend. So, this is why I add the liquid last.
2. Blend Your Smoothie and Enjoy!
Blend your smoothie on high (if that is a setting on your blender) for about 1 minute or until the entire smoothie is the same smooth consistency. Then pour it into your favorite smoothie glass and enjoy!
Making Smoothies Ahead of Time
Some people find it convenient to make several smoothies at once and freeze them for later. This does pose an important question regarding the loss of nutrients.
Does blending fruits and vegetables in smoothies or freezing smoothies decrease the nutritional value?
Well, there is such a thing as oxidation. We’ve all seen how it works. For example, when we cut an apple and observe how it gradually becomes brown. This is oxidation caused by the surface area being exposed to the air. This process takes time but does cause the loss of nutrients along with color changes in fruits and vegetables.
If blending whole fruits and vegetables to make smoothies at home, you’ll still get a lot of fiber and nutrients. And if you choose to make smoothies ahead of time, keeping them refrigerated for 1-2 days, or freezing them for a week, you will have very minimal nutrient loss.
While smoothies are best consumed fresh, you can still drink them the following day or freeze them for up to a month!
FAQ
Absolutely. This is a great way to save smoothies that you are not planning on drinking right away. Just make sure to thaw your smoothie for 1-2 hours, then re-blend in your blender for 30-60 seconds to get an even consistency.
If you are allergic to peanuts, there are several options for a good substitute. Try sunflower butter, almond butter, soy butter, pea butter, or hazelnut spread instead.
Yes. There are no animal products used in this avocado peanut butter smoothie recipe.
Other Recipes With Avocado
- Strawberry Matcha Smoothie (Easy Vegan Recipe)
- Best Kale Salad Ever!
- Anti-Inflammatory Avocado Smoothie Recipe by Su-Nui Escobar, DCN, RDN
- Avocado Salad Dressing by Abbey Sharp, RD, BASc
Avocado Peanut Butter Smoothie
Equipment
- 1 blender
Ingredients
- ½ avocado
- ½ frozen banana
- 2 Tbsp peanut butter creamy
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 2 pitted dates
- 1 cup almond milk unsweetened
Instructions
- After gathering your ingredients, add all ingredients to a blender.
- Blend on high speed for about 60 seconds or until al ingredients are blended to a perfectly smooth and creamy consistency.
- Pour into a large glass and enjoy your power-packed smoothie!
Video
Notes
- This is a very calorie-dense smoothie which makes it a great on-the-go breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up.
- Try varying the type of milk used. I use almond milk, however any other plant-based milk (soy, coconut, cashew, etc), dairy milk, or even coconut water will work.
- Another great feature of this peanut butter avocado smoothie is that there are no added sugars. Sweetness is added by using dates!
- And finally, feel free to use other nut or seed butters if you are allergic to peanuts. Almond butter or sunflower seed butter can be substituted here.
Share with me: Are you a smoothie fan? Did you try this avocado smoothie recipe? Leave me a comment and let’s talk about it!
Feel free to pin this peanut butter avocado banana smoothie recipe to save and share with others!
Kiran Campbell is a registered dietitian and entrepreneur with 13 years of experience. She has a degree in psychology as well as dietetics. She is also a proud member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ and its Cardiovascular Health and Well-being Dietetics Practice Group among others. Kiran proudly presents and promotes the most up-to-date, science-based nutrition information on all things heart-related. She aims to serve not only individuals with heart disease, but also those wanting to protect against it. Learn more about Kiran by visiting her About Page.