The Best Low Sugar Smoothies for Seniors

Shakes and smoothies can be a powerful way to increase nutrient intake for seniors. They can be packed full of healthy ingredients, while still tasting good at the same time. 

The style is very powerful for stubborn seniors or those that have little appetite. 

They’re also relevant for seniors who struggle to eat. After all, there is no chewing involved. You don’t even need to make the drink icy. 

In this post, we’re looking at one very important style – low sugar smoothies for seniors. 

We’re talking about smoothies that you make yourself. There are various low sugar shakes that you can purchase, including brands like Boost and Ensure. Even so, foods that you make yourself tend to be healthier.

So then, take a look at this list. 

We’ve rounded up a selection of shakes and smoothies from food bloggers across the internet. The drinks tend to be low in sugar. Some are good sources of fat and protein, which makes them good as meal replacements. Others are lower in these areas and work better as snacks.

The Best Low Sugar Smoothies for Seniors

• Chocolate Green Smoothie
• Smoothie Bowl with Berries
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
• Chocolate Mint Smoothie
• 5 Minute Mocha Smoothie
• Skinny Vanilla Protein Shake
• Cake Batter Healthy Smoothie
• Avocado Chocolate Smoothie
• Chocolate Smoothie with Avocado
• Blueberry Smoothie
• Blueberry Chia Seed Smoothie
• Coconut Chai Shake
• Strawberry Vanilla Smoothie

Chocolate Green Smoothie

Check out the full recipe here!    

Green smoothies can be an especially good choice for seniors. They often rely on leafy greens, which means that they’re full of nutrients. Those vegetables have even been linked to improvements in cognition. 

This version also includes chocolate and berries as key ingredients. These additions help to bury the flavor of the greens. Even with the berries, the sugar content of this content remains low. 

Smoothie Bowl with Berries

Check out the full recipe here!

This smoothie recipe comes from the site Diabetes Strong, so you can be certain that the sugar content is low. The style is a little different, as you’re making a smoothie in a bowl. Smoothies like this tend to have a firmer texture and can be eaten with a spoon.  

Smoothie bowls can often seem more filling, as it takes longer to consume the smoothie. There’s also something about the process of sitting down and eating that is more satisfying at a psychological level. That advantage can even flow into a physical sense of fullness.

The topping on these bowls looks amazing and doesn’t add much to the sugar content either. A topping like this could be a great way to make the smoothie more appealing. Of course, you could easily skip it if you are short on time. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Check out the full recipe here!

Here’s another recipe that has a stunning garnish. However, the flavors of the smoothie are very different. The drink relies on chocolate and peanut butter as key ingredients – so it’s certain to be a hit. 

This is also a very easy smoothie to prepare, as there are just five primary ingredients. 

One thing that we will mention is that the drink relies on heavy cream. This is partly because it is designed for a low carb or keto diet, where high fat content is considered a good thing. You could substitute this for coconut cream or a different ingredient altogether if you want to decrease the fat content.  

Chocolate Mint Smoothie

Check out the full recipe here!

Chocolate and mint is another popular flavor combination. This recipe takes full advantage of that idea, creating a smoothie that would taste amazing. 

The use of protein powder also means that the recipe will contain plenty of nutrients and would work well as a meal replacement. 

One great aspect is that you’re relying on healthy and natural ingredients to create a flavor contrast. This is true for all of the recipes on this list, so health is never compromised. 

5 Minute Mocha Smoothie

Check out the full recipe here!

I love how professional this smoothie looks. It would be perfect for anyone who loves the idea of a chocolate shake. The recipe is another one that includes avocado to add in some creaminess. 

One feature to note is the mocha flavor. This is achieved by adding in instant coffee crystals (these can be decaffeinated). The style is a great way to get a mocha flavor. 

You could also just skip the instant coffee entirely and make a chocolate shake. 

Skinny Vanilla Protein Shake

Check out the full recipe here!

This recipe is designed to keep the sugar and calorie content low, while still being filling and tasting delicious. That’s a pretty challenging goal to meet, but the shake seems to do so well. 

There are also directions included to make the shake creamier. 

For that matter, you can tweak any recipe to create the outcomes that you’re looking for. Another option with this one would be to add in a little cocoa. Doing so would create a chocolatey flavor, without impacting the nutritional values very much. 

Cake Batter Healthy Smoothie

Check out the full recipe here!

This smoothie recipe can be varied in many different ways, depending on your needs. For example, the low sugar version would involve relying on sugar-free protein powder and unsweetened almond milk. 

You can also skip the protein powder and use Greek yogurt. Doing so would change the flavor and texture of the drink, but not necessarily in a bad way. 

The sprinkles could also be skipped out. These are included mostly for decoration anyway. 

That being said, they might not add very much sugar to the smoothie. Using a small number of sprinkles could be a way to make the drink more appealing visually. 

Avocado Chocolate Smoothie

Check out the full recipe here!

Here’s a simpler recipe to try out – one that would be perfect for many people. The number of ingredients is low and all the items are easy to find. 

The included avocado provides healthy fats, while also making the smoothie creamy. Its flavor will also be masked by the chocolate flavor. The drink basically just tastes like a regular chocolate smoothie. 

Chocolate Smoothie with Avocado

Check out the full recipe here!

While this smoothie comes from a different site, it follows the same pattern as the previous example. This particular version uses plant-based milk (like almond milk or cashew milk). 

The recipe creator provides some suggestions for changes to the shake that can be made. You could play around with these or just focus on the recipe as it is written. 

Blueberry Smoothie

Check out the full recipe here!

I love how this shake ends up looking. The white swirls and gradient of color make it a little different than most other examples. The smoothie also relies on blueberries. As such, it contains plenty of antioxidants. 

The recipe post provides a variety of details about substitutions, along with reasons for considering them. You could also just play around with the drink yourself and find a combination of ingredients that suits you well. 

Blueberry Chia Seed Smoothie

Check out the full recipe here!

Here’s another blueberry smoothie. This one contains chia seeds too, which provide extra protein. While the recipe uses dairy-free yogurt, you could use regular yogurt too. 

One thing to mention is the texture of chia seeds. They become somewhat gelatinous when soaked. While many people enjoy chia seeds, they could be a problem for picky eaters. 

Coconut Chai Shake

Check out the full recipe here!

The inclusion of chai in this shake is such a good idea. Chai has an engaging flavor that isn’t especially sweet. Chai becomes the main flavor in this simple shake, with coconut also being significant. There is also a link on the page to a coconut free version of the same general style. 

Strawberry Vanilla Smoothie

Check out the full recipe here!

Here’s one final smoothie to try out. This one combines strawberries and vanilla, to create a tasty drink. This one uses just four ingredients, so it is very easy to make.  

An unusual feature is that there is no sweetener included in here at all (no sugar either). Most of the sweetness simply comes from the strawberries. Some people will enjoy this style, while others may not. 

If nothing else, the smoothie is worth trying. You could easily add extra ingredients if you weren’t fully satisfied with the final flavor. 

A Final Word on Low Sugar Smoothies for Seniors

You might notice that many of these smoothies are promoted as being low carb or keto. The terms refer to a dietary approach that involves decreasing carb intake and increasing fat. 

Such recipes can end up being fairly high in calories. As such, it’s always important to check the nutritional profile of any recipe that you plan to make. In many cases, the higher calorie content could be a good thing, especially for seniors who are struggling to eat. 

While we don’t recommend a low carb or keto diet as a whole for seniors, the nature of the diet means that recipes will be low in sugar. This can make them a great starting point for finding low sugar smoothies for seniors, along with other low sugar recipes.