Are Smoothies Healthy? How to Make One in a Fruit Juicer Blender
Yes. A small homemade smoothie can be part of a healthy diet. The UK's National Health Service counts one 150 ml glass as one of your five daily portions of fruit and vegetables. Make it yourself, drink it with a meal, and keep to one small glass. Homemade smoothies are likely to have more fibre and less sugar than shop-bought ones, and whole fruit stays the best everyday choice.
This guide gives the numbers behind that answer, then a simple smoothie you can make at home in a fruit juicer blender.
What makes a smoothie healthy
A smoothie is fruit, and sometimes vegetables, pressed or blended into a thick drink. It is an easy way to get fruit into people who do not like eating it whole, and the NHS counts it towards your 5 A Day.
The British Heart Foundation looked at how healthy smoothies are in its guide Are smoothies good for you? (updated August 2025). Its clearest advice is to make your own: "Homemade smoothies are likely to have more fibre and less sugar than shop-bought varieties, which may contain more fruit juice and added sugars." It adds: "So, for a healthier option, try making your own smoothies."
A smoothie made at home, from whole fruit, with no syrup or added sugar, is a different drink from a large café smoothie.
The numbers that matter
| Number | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 150 ml | One serving of smoothie or juice a day, combined | NHS 5 A Day (reviewed June 2026) |
| 1 portion | What a 150 ml smoothie counts towards your 5 A Day, however many fruits are in it | BHF, citing the NHS |
| 80 g | One portion of fresh fruit eaten whole | NHS 5 A Day |
| about 25 g | Free sugars a day (5% of energy) that the WHO suggests staying below for extra health benefits, as a conditional recommendation | WHO sugars guideline (March 2015) |
| up to 40 g | Free sugars in a single can of sugar-sweetened soft drink | WHO sugars guideline |
Two of these need a short explanation.
Free sugars are sugars that are no longer held inside the fruit's cells. The World Health Organization counts sugar added to food, plus the sugar in honey, syrups and fruit juice. The BHF explains that blending fruit releases its natural sugars, so they become free sugars too. This is why the portion size matters.
The 150 ml limit is for smoothies and juices together. The NHS advice is "to limit consumption of unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices and smoothies to a combined total of 150ml a day (1 portion)." A small glass is enough.
How to drink smoothies the healthy way
Keep it to one small glass
A 150 ml glass is a small glass. The BHF suggests splitting a big smoothie with a friend, saving some for the next day, or topping up the glass with water and ice.
Drink it with a meal
The NHS says juices and smoothies "should be consumed at mealtimes, not as a between-meal snack, to reduce the risk of tooth decay." A smoothie with breakfast fits this well.
Use it as a swap
Make your smoothie with no added sugar. The WHO notes that one can of sugar-sweetened soft drink can hold up to 40 g of free sugars. If you are cutting down on sweet drinks, our guide on whether fruit juice is high in sugar shows how to plan your daily glass.
Eat the rest of your fruit whole
Your smoothie counts once. Eat your other fruit and vegetables whole, so you also get all of their fibre.
Smoothie, juice or whole fruit?
| Homemade smoothie | Fresh juice | Whole fruit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counts towards 5 A Day | Yes, 1 portion (150 ml) | Yes, 1 portion (150 ml, shared with smoothies) | Yes, 80 g per portion |
| Sugars | Free sugars | Free sugars | Held inside the fruit |
| Best time | With a meal | With a meal | Any time |
| Best for | A thick breakfast drink | A light, clear drink | Snacks and filling up |
Whole fruit is the everyday base. A smoothie or a glass of juice is a tasty extra with a meal. On a busy morning, a small smoothie with breakfast is an easy way to make sure one of your five portions is done before you leave the house.
How to make a banana and strawberry smoothie
In Malaysia, people often search for a "fruit juicer blender" when they want one machine for both juice and smoothies. Hurom's slow juicers fit this idea. The H400 and H310A product pages both describe them as "supporting the preparation of smoothies and nut milks". The H400 manual says its frozen fruit guidance "is used to make slushes, smoothies, ice cream, etc. that use frozen fruits."
What you need
For about two 150 ml glasses:
- 1 ripe banana
- 8 strawberries
- 150 ml cold fresh milk
- a Hurom slow juicer that lists smoothies, such as the H400 or H310A
Step by step
- Prepare the fruit. Peel the banana and cut it into 3 to 4 cm pieces. Remove the stalks from the strawberries. The H400 manual asks for both of these steps before freezing.
- Freeze it. Spread the pieces on a tray and freeze them until solid, usually overnight.
- Set up the juicer. Assemble it as your manual shows, with a jug in front of the machine.
- Feed slowly. Drop a few frozen pieces at a time into the additional inlet, as the manual advises. The machine may stop if too much goes in at once.
- Stir in the milk. Pour the cold milk into the thick fruit mixture and stir until smooth. Add more milk if you like it thinner.
- Pour two small glasses. Share one, or keep the second covered in the fridge for tomorrow.
No sugar is needed. The banana is sweet enough on its own.
Three more smoothie ideas
Once the method works for you, change the fruit. Each mix below uses fruit from the frozen fruit section of the H400 manual, frozen in small pieces first.
| Smoothie | Frozen fruit | Add after pressing |
|---|---|---|
| Mango lassi style | 1 mango (seed removed) | 150 ml plain yoghurt or milk |
| Kiwi and banana | 2 kiwi (peeled), 1 banana | 150 ml cold milk |
| Watermelon cooler | 2 cups watermelon (peeled, seeds out) | A squeeze of lime and some ice water |
Whatever you make, pour it into small glasses so one serving stays close to 150 ml. Then put the rest in the fridge for another meal.
Which Hurom model to use
The Hurom H400 has a 550 ml capacity and a large self-feeding hopper, and suits a family. The Hurom H310A is compact and lightweight, and suits one or two people. Both list smoothies on their product pages, and both come apart for rinsing.
A high-speed blender blends everything in one jug, so it makes smoothies but not clear juice. The H400 and H310A press clear juice every day and also support "the preparation of smoothies and nut milks", so one machine covers both.
If you are still deciding between a separate blender and a juicer that does both, our article on whether a 2-in-1 fruit juicer blender is worth buying compares the options. The same frozen fruit method also makes dessert, as our mango ice cream recipe shows.
You can see every model on the Hurom Malaysia home page.
Frequently asked questions
Is it OK to drink a smoothie every day?
Yes, within the NHS guide: keep smoothies and juices to a combined 150 ml a day, with a meal.
Are shop-bought smoothies as healthy as homemade ones?
Often not. The British Heart Foundation says shop-bought smoothies may contain more fruit juice and added sugars, and are often bigger than one 150 ml serving.
Do vegetable smoothies count too?
Yes. The NHS counts fruit and vegetable smoothies the same way, within the same 150 ml a day.
Do two smoothies count as two portions of 5 A Day?
No. The NHS says smoothies and juices count only once a day, and the British Heart Foundation adds that one glass stays one portion even when it holds several fruits.
What can I drink instead when I am thirsty?
The BHF suggests water, tea, coffee, lower-fat milks or sugar-free drinks.
