Smoothies and shakes are hands down the most popular drink all over the world. But what exactly is the smoothie and shake difference? How do we know which is which?
So, what exactly is the smoothie and shake difference? The difference between the two is in the recipes, they both are made with different ingredients that give them separate sets of benefits and uses. Shakes have a dairy base, usually made with ice creams or milk, which makes them richer. Smoothies on the other hand have a base made up of fruits and veggies and dairy is an optional ingredient. Due to this smoothies are vegan and lactose-intolerance friendly and shakes are not.
Smoothies are full of carbs whereas shakes are rich in protein and fats. Shakes have syrups to sweeten them and smoothies have a natural sweetness derived from the fruits. Smoothies are a great meal replacement option. Shakes are more like a snack or are consumed as an addition to the meal.
Smoothies contain a lot of carbs. This acts as fuel to the body while one works out, which is exactly what makes it a great pre-workout drink. Shakes on the other hand contain a lot of carbs and proteins, which help in the recovery of the body post-workout. This makes shakes ideal as a post-workout drink. Shakes are more of a dessert or a snack. They have an ice cream, milk, or yogurt base which makes them tastier than smoothies. Smoothies have no or very little milk.
One can add various kinds of seeds, oatmeal, nuts, etc into smoothies which will give it more body and make it more filling than it already is. Smoothies may not be as tasty as shakes, but they sure make a great diet drink.
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Smoothie Or Shake – Which Is Healthier?
- Reading up so much on smoothies and shakes must be making you wonder about which of the two is the healthier option? Well, that completely relies on the purpose of you consuming them and the recipes that you use.
- A smoothie that is mainly made up of veggies and fruits, and hence is full of carbs, is a great drink to have pre-workout. Since carbs are easier to digest than protein and fats, they will fuel your workout and burn off in the process.
- Protein helps in recovering the muscles from the wear and tear of the workout. Shakes have a lot of protein in them, to begin with, which makes them ideal as a post-workout drink. They also have some carbs which makes it even more perfect as a post-workout drink which will make sure that your body is achieving the most from your workouts.
- If your goal is to find a good meal replacement in the form of a drink, then it is advisable to go ahead with a smoothie. Adding some oatmeal, protein powder, or peanut butter will make the smoothie heavier and will be more fulfilling. Shakes on the other hand are great to be had alongside your meal, as a midday snack, or as dessert after your meal.
Smoothie vs. Shake
| Smoothie | Shake |
| Made of Fruits with milk, yogurt, or ice cream | Made of Milk, flavoring, and ice cream |
| Always contains fruits | It may not contain fruits |
| The primary ingredient is fruits | Primary ingredients are milk or ice cream |
| Considered healthy compared to shakes | Considered less healthy compared to smoothies |
| Topped with nuts, fruits, or nutritious ingredients | Usually topped with Candies, whipped cream, or fruits |
Smoothie And Shake Difference
The Main Difference Between Smoothie And Shake
Smoothies and shakes are the most common drink worldwide. It’s easily available in a large range of food places and restaurants. But what people often get confused about is how do the two differ from one another. Both smoothies and shakes have very similar properties and yet are wildly different from one another. They both also serve different purposes to the body and have different flavor aspects. Since both contain a variety of fruits and veggies and have similar bases, how do we differentiate one from the other? How do we know when to drink which to get the optimal benefits of the drink? Below are some ways to know which is which and put an end to the confusion altogether.
Shake:
Shakes, being more commonly consumed than smoothies, are nothing but some fruits, milk, or ice cream and some sugar thrown into a blender and topped off with crushed candy, cherries, whipped cream, nuts, or berries of your choice. To add extra flavor to the shake, syrups are used. They happen to be consumed at a much more regular rate than smoothies. By adding milk to your shake you are making it high in protein and calcium. But on the other hand, they have a higher percentage of saturated fats and are also higher in calorie count in comparison to smoothies.
Although they are high-calorie and are quite fulfilling, one should not substitute them for a meal. They are to be an addition to your balanced meal. The most commonly consumed shakes are mango, chocolate, and banana.
Smoothie:
Smoothies are juices, but thicker when it comes to their consistency. It is a mixture of veggies and fruits, blended along with ice which gives it its signature smoothness. These fruits and veggies are mixed in as per your taste and requirements. Smoothies are a great way to consume a lot of fruits and veggies at once. The best part of a smoothie is the fact that it contains all the pulp. They are also quite low in fat and contain natural sugars from all the fruits that you add to them. This makes a glass of smoothie a lot healthier than a glass of juice due to the fiber present.
Smoothies are a popular pre-workout drink because they are quite filling and yet super light on the body which makes it so very easy to digest. You can add in oats or your protein powder to make it richer in fiber and nutrients. They fill you up quickly and easily hence can be consumed as a substitute for meals. They fill you up which makes you eat less junk and snack less.
Due to which they are a great way of losing weight while feeling healthy and getting all the necessary nutrition. It is also a great non-dairy option for all the base liquid can be obtained solely from the vegetables and the fruits, water, or ice are also added. People who prefer dairy can use milk or yogurt for the base. The most common fruits and veggies used for making smoothies are green veggies, and juicy fruits like berries, pineapples, etc.
Smoothies vs. Milkshake:
Smoothies and milkshakes are different from one another in many ways starting right from their texture to their taste and nutritional value. Both of them are very popular among people of all ages. People usually get confused while differentiating between the two and use the terms interchangeably.
Nonetheless, the way these two drinks are made, the way they taste, their consistency, food value, etc differ greatly. The primary ingredient in a milkshake is dairy products like milk, ice cream, yogurt, etc. They are flavored using syrups. On the other hand, smoothies are primarily made of veggies and fruits, which also give the smoothie its flavors. You can add in some milk or yogurt to it, but it will be just that, an addition to the smoothie.
Smoothies are high in a variety of vitamins and minerals, which makes them a great replacement for meals, while milkshakes are to be consumed along with the meals or as a snack in between two meals.
Smoothies mainly have pureed versions of various fruits and veggies, seeds, yogurt, and seeds of your choice. They get their name from their texture, which is smooth and thick. You can choose the fruits and veggies that you like and prefer to give them your flavors. Smoothies are light and filling at the same time.
They are higher in their carb content than their protein content, which makes it a great meal alternative or pre-workout drink. It has a variety of minerals and vitamins which make it perfect for people of all age groups. It is a very beloved drink among people who cannot or choose not to consume dairy products for smoothies that can be made without any dairy. It is very healthy because it gets all the flavoring from the added fruits. It is said to be the healthier version of the milkshake.
Milkshakes have a heavy base of dairies like ice cream or milk. They also contain an array of fruits and veggies along with dairy and they are sweetened and flavored using syrups. Milkshakes are more on the sweeter side. Although smoothies are healthier, milkshakes are tastier than smoothies. They, hence, accompany a meal or act as a midday snack or dessert post meals. They do have a lot more fats and sugar in comparison to smoothies.
Know More About Smoothie And Shake
The Basics Of A Smoothie
Smoothies have a similar consistency to shakes but are quite different from shakes. They can be easily consumed in place of a meal due to their heavy and nutritious nature. They can also be consumed alongside breakfast or as a snack. They consist of fruits and veggies, in puree form, along with a dairy base. They can be made without any dairy as well. We can add grains, protein powders, oatmeals, etc to the smoothie to thicken up the consistency. To add some sweetness, you can add honey to it.
The Basics Of A Shake
A shake is sometimes called a milkshake. They are sweet and are usually consumed as a form of sweet snack or dessert. It is not advisable to replace your meal with a shake. The most common base to make a shake in is dairy products like milk, yogurt, or ice creams. To add in the flavors, syrups are used. You can also use a variety of fruits and flavor powders to add flavor to your shake. You can also use flavored ice cream and make it the main source of flavor. You can pick toppings like candy, berries, chopped nuts, or whipped cream, or anything else as per your liking.
Overall Nutrition
Smoothies are quite low in fat content even though they are high in carbohydrates. Although adding ingredients that are high in fat can crank up the fat levels of the smoothie. Smoothies are made of real fruits and veggies which makes them packed with nutrients. They also contain fiber which adds up to the food value of a smoothie. They have a rich base that helps one to not snack in the middle of two meals by keeping them fulfilled with the smoothie. Some smoothies use ice creams, syrups, and sherbert juices to add flavor to the smoothie, they feel more for fun than for health and diet.
Shakes have a higher calorie count and are also higher in their fat content as compared to smoothies. Shakes are considered the less healthy version of smoothies due to the amount of sugar present in them. Regardless of that, shakes happen to be high in their protein and calcium content which comes from all the dairy products used in them.
History And Popularity
Smoothies aren’t a new sensation, they have existed for many decades now. In the 60s, due to the health movement, smoothies started to gain popularity and more and more people started understanding the benefits of consuming smoothies. Smoothies got their name from their iconic smooth texture. Whereas the first milkshake was more like eggnog and showed up in the 1880s. Starting sometime in the 1910s they transformed into alcohol-free, vanilla and chocolate-flavored drinks that were consumed by all ages. Sometime in the 70s the smoothie king, Steven Kuhnau, branded smoothies by marketing them as a lactose-free option to milkshakes. This is what popularized the modern smoothie that we know and love as a healthy diet drink.
