5 Reasons Your Smoothie Doesn't Taste Good (And How to Save It) (2024)

Is your go-to smoothie lacking a little in the deliciousness department? Not to worry: Just about every smoothie issue is easily fixed with a few smart swaps and secret ingredients. Here, we diagnose and treat the five most common afflictions rendering your smoothie undrinkable.

Fix it right now: One teaspoon of vanilla extract will mask that earthy flavor without adding excess calories or sugar—each teaspoon of the stuff has just 12 calories.
Fix it in the future: Check out your selection of greens. Some varieties (like mustard greens, dandelion greens, and broccoli rabe) are way too bitter to use raw in a smoothie and are frequent contributors to that dirt-esque flavor. Stick to milder leaves like spinach, Swiss chard, or curly kale. Beet greens are another good choice, since they've come with built-in beet sweetness. Or try swapping out greens for more neutral or sweet-tasting veggies: Baked sweet potato, pumpkin puree, cucumber, carrots, and cooked beets work beautifully. If you'd rather not experiment, pick out a tried-and-true recipe, like one of these 5 Zero-Added-Sugar Smoothies That Actually Taste Delicious.

MORE: 90-Calorie Clean Blueberry Detox Smoothie

3) The problem: It's thin and watery.
Fix it right now: There are plenty of ways to thicken up a loose smoothie. The easiest is good ol' calorie-free ice: Toss in 3 or 4 cubes and blend well. Bananas (especially frozen ones) work wonders, but they also add about 100 calories and 15 g of sugar, so use them judiciously. You can also try a quarter cup of rolled oats, a half-cup of Greek yogurt, half an avocado, a tablespoon of chia seeds, or half a baked sweet potato—all are surefire smoothie thickeners.
Fix it in the future: First, scale back on added liquid—whether it's water, coconut water, juice, or milk. If that doesn't work, try swapping out ingredients that have high water content. Instead of apples, pears, oranges, grapes, celery, cucumbers, or watermelon, try bananas, dates, mango, or avocado.

MORE: 5 Clean Weight Loss Smoothies That Double as Dinner

4) The problem: It's full of stringy stuff.

Fix it now: If your smoothie's on the thinner side, send it through a strainer. If that's not an option, break out a standard fork. Comb through the smoothie like the fork is a little fishing net and it should catch any wayward strands. Just be sure to surface occasionally and shake them off into the sink.
Fix it in the future: These little strings most often come from the thick rib in the center of large leaves (you'll find them in kale, swiss chard, etc.). Make sure you tear the leaves off and leave the rib out of your smoothie (but don't throw it away—they taste great sautéed with dinner later on.) Some produce, like celery, is inherently stringy and is best saved for the crudité platter. Another common culprit is ginger: Make sure you finely mince fresh ginger root before you toss it in. And, lastly, you might want to consider a more powerful blender. High-end models can pulverize even the stringiest stalk of celery, and if you're a frequent smoothie maker, it could be worth the investment.

MORE: 8 Herbs and Spices You Should Be Adding to Your Smoothies

5) The problem: It's totally boring.
Fix it now: Your standard smoothie recipe (say, banana, strawberries, plain yogurt, and unsalted nut butter) starts to feel a little blah after the zillionth time you drink it. Liven things up with a pinch of salt—seriously. The sweet-salty interplay works for exactly the same reason Reese's Peanut Butter Cups taste so good. If only we could put those in a smoothie…
Fix it in the future: Get creative with fresh herbs and the spices in your pantry. And don't be afraid to go beyond the standard shake of cinnamon. Fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro add an insane boost of bright flavor (and nutrients!) to your blend, while ground spices like red pepper and curry powder will wake up your taste buds and your metabolism. Here's a handy guide to expertly seasoning your smoothies. Still unsure of your spice-adding skills? Start with foolproof recipes like these 6 Healing Smoothies, then strike out on your own.