If you haven’t been making yourself some watermelon smoothies, it’s time to start! With the hot summer days ahead, learn what goes well with watermelon in smoothies so that you come up with delicious smoothie recipes.
Since watermelon is in season, I’ve been getting many requests from my college friends on how to make watermelon smoothies. However, not all ingredients pair well with watermelon so I decided to create this watermelon smoothie ingredient guide.
Is Watermelon Smoothie Good For You?
Absolutely! The benefits of this superfruit are enormous! Watermelon has a ton of water, in fact, it contains over 92% water and as you may already know, water keeps you hydrated during the summer heat.
Drinking watermelon smoothies is also a great way to increase your vitamin C intake. Vitamin C helps protect your skin from harmful UV rays during summer and prevent cell damage.
Watermelon smoothies are also high in fiber (depending on the ingredients) and fiber improves digestive health.
You also get a good amount of potassium and antioxidants by drinking watermelon smoothies so there you go! Definitely add watermelon smoothies to your drinks menu this summer.
What Goes Well With Watermelon In A Smoothie
As I mentioned above, watermelon is packed with water so not all ingredients pair well with it in smoothies. For example, to make thick creamy watermelon smoothies, you will need to choose ingredients with lower water content.
Some ingredients can also overpower the taste of watermelon leading to a watermelon smoothie disaster! After testing and creating tons of undesirable cups watermelon mess, I know a thing or two so read on…
Fruits That Pair Well With Watermelon Smoothies
High-acidic fruits like grapefruit and oranges don’t pair well with watermelon but strangely, lemons add a refreshing twist especially when mint is added.
Also, you may not want to add fruits like apples and pears because of their hard texture, they’ll make your watermelon smoothies grainy. Here are the best fruits for watermelon smoothies.
- Banana
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Cantaloupe
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Blueberries
- Peaches
- Grapes
- Kiwi
- Lemons & Limes
Vegetables That Go Well With Watermelon Smoothies
Did you know that you can add vegetables to your watermelon smoothies? Yep, leafy green vegetables can actually boost the nutritional profile of watermelon smoothies and elevate their flavors as well.
With that being said, you will need to avoid combining vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, turnips, radish, or artichoke with watermelon in smoothies. Here are the best vegetables for watermelon smoothies.
- Spinach
- Kale
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Zucchini
- Avocado
- Beet
- Bell peppers
Thickeners, Seeds & Nuts For Watermelon Smoothies
Thickeners are great for adding bulk to your smoothies and giving them extra creaminess. Ingredients like avocados, greek yogurt, cream cheese, coconut cream, and tofu are packed with essential vitamins and minerals along with healthy fats.
Flax and chia seeds also come with healthy fats, protein, and a good amount of calcium along with other minerals. Nuts and nut butter add protein to your smoothies so here are the best nuts, seeds, and thickeners for your watermelon smoothies.
- Avocado
- Banana
- Greek yogurt
- Soaked Chia seeds
- Ground Flaxseeds
- Pistachio
- Kefir
- Silken tofu
- Cream cheese
- Full-fat coconut cream or milk
- Nut butter
- Homemade fruit simple syrup
Best Sweeteners For Watermelon Smoothies
Since watermelon isn’t as sweet as other fruits like pineapples or kiwis, you may sometimes want to add extra sweetener. Some people add condensed milk or even plain white sugar but I prefer adding healthy sweeteners to my smoothies.
Why? Because they are natural and don’t come with all the side effects, plus they contain a ton of health benefits. Here are the best sweeteners for watermelon smoothies.
- Agave syrup
- Honey
- Date syrup
- Maple syrup
- Stevia
- Molasses
Spices & Herbs For Watermelon Smoothies
Did you know that you can actually add herbs and spices to your watermelon smoothies to elevate their taste and nutritional profile? Yep, ginger makes your smoothies anti-inflammatory, and mint helps with bloating and adds flavor!
Other herbs like lemongrass, lavender, and parsley also come with amazing aromas and health benefits as well.
- Mint
- Ginger
- Fresh Rosemary
- Fresh Parsley
- Fresh Basil
- Lavender
- Lemongrass
What Not To Mix With Watermelon In A Smoothie
When making your watermelon smoothies, you never want to add the following ingredients because they will leave your smoothies tasting like crap (literally)! Also, they will mess up the texture and bring out undesirable smells.
I tried every ingredient on the list below with my watermelon smoothies just for fun and some made my smoothie fibrous, pungent, gritty, and even chunky so beware!
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Artichoke
- Asparagus
- Turnips
- Radishes
- Onions
- Garlic
Who Should Not Drink Watermelon Smoothies
Watermelon smoothies are usually safe to drink but if you have high blood sugar levels or diabetes, you may want to stay away or lower your consumption of this fruit.
Also, since watermelon contains vitamin C, do not add this fruit to your diet if you are on calcium supplements. That’s because consuming both at the same time can cause bloating and even diarrhea.
But wait, don’t most watermelon smoothie recipes have milk in them? Yep they do and some even have yogurt too but it all comes down to the dosage.
Finally, people with fructose intolerance should not drink watermelon smoothies on an empty stomach.
Want More On Watermelon Smoothies?
- What Goes Well With Kiwi In A Smoothie
- This Watermelon Banana Smoothie Is So Refreshing!
- The Best Watermelon Strawberry Smoothie Recipe!
Conclusion
I hope you found this post helpful and if you did, please share it with your friends. You can also find me on Pinterest, Flipboard, & Threads for more awesome creamy smoothie recipes and tips. I would also love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
