Breakfast, as we all know, is the most important meal of the day. And a breakfast smoothie is a speedy and cost-saving solution to the bodega bagel or soggy coffee-chain egg cup. Ultra-processed options be damned. But the science-savvy voice of Jessie Inchauspé—better known as the Glucose Goddess—issues a clear statement for when you break out the blender.
“It is really important to not have a breakfast that is just a fruit smoothie…what you really want to avoid is a pure mango, banana, apple, strawberry fruit smoothie,” she says on her Instagram. “The fruit can be there…as long as it’s there for taste and you’re adding lots of the other good stuff in there.” While that sweet—and sugary—kick sounds like a sunny way to start your morning, Inchauspé is echoing the bigger picture of why the first meal of your day deserves more than blended fruits—essentially, getting that first source of protein, fiber, and healthy fats in in the a.m. is tantamount.
When she last spoke to Vogue, Inchauspé explained the stakes of your smoothie: Breakfast isn’t just momentary fuel, it’s the starting gun for your body’s metabolic race. After an overnight fast, our glucose system is primed, and if we begin with a high-sugar and low-substance breakfast, we set up ourselves for a rollercoaster of energy crashes, cravings, and mood dips.
Inchauspé’s own go-to breakfast smoothie mix underscores exactly what she’s talking about. Her blueprint: whole milk or unsweetened nut milk (half to two cups), two scoops of whey isolate protein powder, two-thirds of a cup of frozen berries, a handful of nuts (she prefers almonds, often soaked overnight) and an optional tablespoon of unsweetened nut butter. It’s a compact breakfast beverage that hits the three big pillars: protein, healthy fat, and fiber—a winning trio for morning metabolism.
Protein, as we’ve also come to know this last year especially, is the hero of any meal. Inchauspé has reminded us before: “A high-protein breakfast prevents glucose spikes, reduces cravings, and sends a message to the brain that food has arrived.” Nutritionists and dieticians often recommend around 30 grams of protein at breakfast to build a strong foundation for energy, focus, and metabolic balance. Don’t let your morning meal under-perform.
At the same time, fiber quietly plays an equally essential role. Shocking statistics reveal the fact that 95% of people are deficient in this essential dietary food. “It’s the closest thing we have to a superfood,” Dr. Emily Leeming, microbiome scientist and dietitian, previously told Vogue. Fiber does more than fill your tummy—it slows the release of energy into the bloodstream, supports gut health, and is associated with lower risk of illnesses like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. So consider adding nuts, nut butter, and frozen berries to your blender to upgrade that fiber profile.
To go a little deeper on the Glucose Goddess breakfast smoothie recipe: whole milk or unsweetened nut milk supplies healthy fats (and adds a bit of creaminess) that further moderate the speed at which sugars hit your bloodstream. Add in the two scoops of protein powder: That’s your structural anchor, ensuring that your breakfast tells your body “Okay, fuel is here, time to build, time to wake up.” Then the frozen berries: smaller amounts of fruit still hit that sweet note and provide antioxidants and fiber content, but don’t dominate the macro-balance. The handful of almonds (especially soaked) and optional nut butter bring in fat, further fiber, and texture dimension, plus, a great taste. Chug it for stabilizing your energy, attending to your glucose rhythm, and feeling ready for the day.
In need of more inspo? Naturopathic nutritionist and hormone specialist Jessica Shand shared a high-protein peach smoothie recipe that delivers more than 30 grams of protein with the help of hemp seeds, kefir, and nut butter—supporting everything from blood sugar balance to muscle recovery and neurotransmitter health. Adding maca root powder to your smoothie can also help energy and hormone balance, and bee pollen supports immunity. Sources of probiotics—like greek yogurt—also contribute to the maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome, and promise to keep you full right up until lunch time.
While there’s plenty of healthy breakfast options out there—and absolutely no one is suggesting a juice cleanse in 2025—a smoothie is a functional, macro-hitting, tasty breakfast when you strategize right.
