Smoothies make a great pre-run or post-run recovery snack for runners. They can provide the necessary nutrients to fuel your workout or recover after your run.
If you find yourself stuck on what smoothie recipe to follow or if you’ve never made a smoothie before, keep reading for some delicious smoothie recipes for runners.
As a nutrition coach, I’ve developed these healthy smoothie recipes for runners to be as tasty as they are nutritious. I hope you love them just as much as I do!
Why Are Smoothies Good After Running or Working Out?
Most runners know that it’s important to refuel as soon as possible after exercise to provide your muscles with the protein they need to recover, repair the damage from your workout, and replenish your depleted glycogen stores so that you have the energy you need for your next workout.
However, many runners say they have no appetite after running or exercising. This is fairly common and thought to be because exercise can suppress the hunger hormone ghrelin.1Oliver, C., Malin, S., Viskochil, R., Rivero, J., & Braun, B. (n.d.). Suppression of Appetite after Exercise: Role of Elevated Body Temperature. Retrieved August 13, 2024, from https://www.umass.edu/physicalactivity/newsite/publications/Corianne%20Oliver/posters/2.pdf
Additionally, when you run, blood is diverted away from the digestive tract. Coupled with the jostling from the impact of running, this can lead to bloating and nausea.
Finally, one of the primary reasons runners lose their appetite after running is that their core temperature is elevated after exercise.
Animal studies2Jeong, J. H., Lee, D. K., Liu, S.-M., Chua, S. C., Schwartz, G. J., & Jo, Y.-H. (2018). Activation of temperature-sensitive TRPV1-like receptors in ARC POMC neurons reduces food intake. PLOS Biology, 16(4), e2004399. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2004399 determined that increased body temperature from exercise can also increase the brain’s temperature. This, in turn, suppresses activity in regions of the brain that stimulate appetite.
As a result, you may not feel like eating after running or working out vigorously, especially in hot and humid conditions3Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research, & Marriott, B. M. (2018). Effects of Heat on Appetite. Nih.gov; National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK236229/ where your core temperature rises even higher.
This is where smoothies come in.
Smoothies for runners are a perfect post-workout snack or meal because they check off the four most important boxes for post-run refueling:
- Contain the right 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein4Beelen, M., Burke, L. M., Gibala, M. J., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2010). Nutritional Strategies to Promote Postexercise Recovery. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 20(6), 515–532. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.20.6.515 your muscles need to repair.
- Often more palatable and appealing when you are hot and sweaty after running because you can drink them instead of eating something heavy.
- Cool you down so they can restore your appetite after exercise, helping you get the nutrition you need in a timely manner rather than pushing it off until your appetite returns hours later.
- Contain lots of liquid, so they help you rehydrate and refuel simultaneously.
Plus, smoothies are super versatile, delicious, and nutritious. Let’s look at some of the best smoothies for runners’ recipes.
Smoothies For Runners: 6 Healthy Recipes
#1: Pineapple and Beet Pre-Run Smoothie
Many runners love a post-workout smoothie, but a smoothie can also be a great way to fuel up before your run.
Smoothies often contain lots of fruit, a great source of quick-acting carbohydrates for exercise.
In most cases, you’ll want to wait at least an hour after having a pre-workout smoothie to go running so that you have ample time to digest it.
Running too soon after eating or drinking can leave you feeling weighed down and contending with the liquid sloshing around your stomach the whole run.
Here’s a recipe for this one of our pre-workout smoothies for runners:
- 1½ cups (340ml) of unsweetened coconut water
- 1 large raw peeled beet or 10–15g of dried beet powder
- 2 fresh or 5 dried apricots, seedless and sulfate-free
- 3/4 cup (250 grams) of fresh or frozen pineapple
- 1 banana
Blend all the ingredients. If the mixture is too thick, add more coconut water or a splash of pineapple juice.
Enjoy 1-2 hours before you go running.
This is a great pre-workout smoothie recipe because it contains the carbohydrates, electrolytes, nutrients, and fluids you need for running.
Beetroot is high in natural nitrates, compounds that contain nitrogen bonded to three oxygen atoms.
The beneficial bacteria in your gut convert natural nitrates to nitric acid in the body. Nitric acid, in turn, acts as a vasodilator, increasing blood flow, reducing blood pressure, and improving exercise performance.5Larsen, F. J., Weitzberg, E., Lundberg, J. O., & Ekblom, B. (2007). Effects of dietary nitrate on oxygen cost during exercise. Acta Physiologica, 191(1), 59–66. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1716.2007.01713.x
In order to give your body enough time for the nitrates in the beetroot to get broken down to nitric acid and for the nitric acid to dilate your blood vessels, you’ll want to drink the smoothie at least one hour before you run though 90 minutes is ideal.
Beets are also high in glucose, your body’s preferred carbohydrate source during exercise. About 10% of the gross weight of a raw beet is glucose, so if you have an 80g beet, you’ll get about 8 grams of glucose, along with 6 grams of other sugars.
Beets also contain iron, which helps prevent iron-deficiency anemia.
Apricots are a great fruit for pre-workout smoothies because, unlike most fruits, which are relatively high in fructose and low in glucose, apricots have the opposite ratio.
The high glucose concentration provides a readily available fuel source for your muscles without needing to undergo conversion before use.
Apricots also contain more than three times as much potassium as bananas. This electrolyte can help prevent muscle cramps during exercise and aid in absorbing fluids to prevent dehydration.
Bananas provide additional potassium, magnesium, and carbohydrates for energy.
Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which can improve digestion and reduce inflammation, helping you feel more comfortable and energized on your run.
Finally, coconut water is a rich natural source of potassium, so it will help hydrate you before you run and may reduce the risk of muscle cramps.
#2: Berry and Spinach Post-Workout Smoothie
In terms of how to make a post-workout smoothie, there aren’t really any rules. One of the perks is that it’s pretty much a blank canvas.
Here’s a good basic smoothie recipe that you can doctor up depending on the fruit you have on hand and your preferences. It also sneaks in some veggies for a fruit and green smoothie mix.
- 1 frozen banana, chopped
- 1 cup frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries, or mixed berries
- 1 cup unsweetened milk (dairy or dairy-free such as almond or soy, )
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 teaspoon flax seeds or chia seeds
Blend everything. Add ice cubes if you like a thicker consistency and more milk if you like a more juice-like texture.
Other fruits that work well in smoothies include pineapple, mango, melon, and peaches.
You can also use orange juice or fruit juice if you don’t like any type of milk. This will give you a carbohydrate-rich option.
Post-run smoothies for runners can have a higher fat and fiber content than pre-workout smoothies because you don’t have to worry about potential digestive issues during your workout.
Healthy fats like nut butters, avocados, and seeds will help increase satiety.
#3: Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
This is a delicious, satiating post-workout smoothie packed with a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana chopped
- 1/2 cup of plain or chocolate almond or oat milk
- 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 1 scoop of your favorite chocolate protein powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
#4: Refreshing Post-Workout Watermelon Smoothie
This is a light, refreshing smoothie after running on a hot day. You can even pre-freeze the watermelon chunks for an ice-cold post-run smoothie.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped watermelon
- 1/2 cup low-fat Greek strawberry or blueberry yogurt (vanilla or plain also works)
- 1 cup coconut water
- 1 cup of ice if the watermelon isn’t frozen
Add a spoonful of honey if you are using unsweetened yogurt.
This is a lower calorie smoothie than most others, so it’s ideal for after shorter runs or to help with your immediate post-run rehydration and refueling, and then you can have something else to eat in an hour or so when your appetite returns.
#5: Post-Workout PB&J Smoothie
This post-run smoothie recipe is great for those who love the classic peanut butter and jelly combo.
Ingredients
- 1 cup low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt
- 1/2 cup almond milk, other plant-based milk, or dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 1 cup of frozen raspberries, strawberries, or mixed berries
#6: Pumpkin Pie Post-Workout Smoothie
This tasty post-run smoothie recipe uses canned pumpkin, but you can also use baked sweet potato with the skin removed.
You’ll get lots of vitamin A and vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and complex carbs, and the almond butter provides vitamin E, which can reduce muscle damage.6Taghiyar, M., Darvishi, L., Askari, G., Feizi, A., Hariri, M., Mashhadi, N. S., & Ghiasvand, R. (2013). The Effect of Vitamin C and E Supplementation on Muscle Damage and Oxidative Stress in Female Athletes: A Clinical Trial. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 4(Suppl 1), S16–S23. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665020/
Ingredients
- 1 cup of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) or 1 large sweet potato baked and peeled
- ¾ cup of almond milk or oat milk
- ½ tablespoon of cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of allspice
- 2 tablespoons of almond butter
Experiment with different recipes and combinations. One of the beauties of smoothies is the endless possibilities, which prevents palate fatigue.
You can also add protein powder, super greens powders, and other nutritional powders to boost the nutritional content of your smoothie without greatly altering the taste.
Looking for smoothies packed with a bit more protein? Check out this next guide:
