A Nutritionist's Take On Smoothie King's New GLP-1 Smoothies

The retail food chain recently launched a new smoothie lineup for people taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic. While their nutritional profiles look promising, some may not differ from non-GLP-1 tailored options already on the menu.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s), including Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy, have taken the weight loss arena by storm, becoming the drugs of choice among people with obesity. According to the latest data, 1,449,442 people in the United States were prescribed a GLP-1 between January 2018 and September 2024.

As a result of this Ozempic craze, food retailers are jumping on the GLP-1 bandwagon and launching new products designed to support the needs of people taking these medications. For example, Nestle recently launched Vital Pursuit — a lineup of meals developed to fill gaps in nutrition that might result from the effects of GLP-1s, such as decreased appetite.

On October 29, Smoothie King, a fast-growing retail food chain, followed suit and announced the launch of its new GLP-1 Support menu for people taking the blockbuster weight loss drugs. The company says the new smoothie lineup is designed to help GLP-1 users achieve their weight loss or weight management goals while providing nutrients needed to support hydration and accommodate side effects often associated with the medications.

"For over 50 years, Smoothie King has blended delicious, nutritious smoothies, and we are thrilled to launch this menu as part of our continued commitment to supporting our guests on their personal health and wellness journeys," said Wan Kim, CEO of Smoothie King in a press release. "We know that every individual's path is different, and with the rising use of GLP-1 medications across the country and our customer base, we want to ensure that Smoothie King provides the nutritional resources to match."

What's in Smoothie King's GLP-1 smoothies?

According to Smoothie King's website, the newly launched menu has five smoothie options with 20 or more grams of protein, high fiber content, and zero added sugar. Customers can choose between 20-, 32-, or 40-ounce serving sizes.

The five GLP-1 options include:

• Gladiator® GLP-1 in chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry: This GLP-1-tailored smoothie contains the customer's choice of two of the following ingredients: almonds, almond butter, wild blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, organic ginger, kale, carrots, or spinach. Depending on serving size, the Gladiator GLP-1 has 220 to 560 calories and contains 45 to 61 grams of protein, 2 to 14 grams of fiber, and zero added sugar.
• Slim N Trim™ GLP-1 Mango Greens: The GLP-1 Slim N Trim contains mangoes, Greek yogurt, Califia Farms® Almond Milk, Slim N Trim™ Blend, organic kale, ginger, and spinach. A 20-ounce serving provides 200 calories, 22 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and no added sugar.
• Keto Champ GLP-1 in berry or chocolate: The Keto Champ contains Califia Farms® Almond Milk, almond butter, wild blueberries, raspberries, a Keto Protein Blend, and 100% Cocoa. A 20-ounce serving has 420 to 450 calories, 24 grams of protein, 14 to 15 grams of fiber, and no added sugar.
• The Activator® Recovery GLP-1 Almond Berry: This smoothie contains strawberries, wild blueberries, Califia Farms® Almond Milk, coconut water, and Gladiator® Protein Strawberry. Twenty ounces of the Activator has 200 calories, 24 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and zero added sugar.
• Power Meal Slim™ GLP-1 in chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla: This GLP-1 smoothie contains bananas, Califia Farms® Almond Milk, Power Slim Protein, and 100% Cocoa. A 20-ounce serving has 190 to 210 calories, 19 to 22 grams of protein, 6 to 10 grams of fiber, and no added sugar.

An expert's take on Smoothie King's GLP-1 menu

While the new Ozempic-tailored smoothie options may look promising, there are no universally accepted official dietary recommendations for people taking GLP-1s. So, maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet is still essential for people using these medications.

Nonetheless, Sandra Vigelienė, BSc, a health researcher at Healthnews, examined the ingredients in Smoothie King's new GLP-1 smoothies to determine their nutritional value. Overall, the products may benefit people taking obesity drugs, but they should not be relied on as the sole source of nutrition.

Protein content

American dietary recommendations suggest that protein should comprise 10-35% of the total daily calorie intake. For a person consuming 2,000 kcal per day, that would equal around 46 grams.

Moreover, adequate protein intake may be critical for GLP-1 users, as some research suggests that ingesting protein may help suppress appetite and promote a sense of fullness.

Vigelienė's investigation revealed that all GLP-1 smoothies on Smoothie King's menu have high protein levels.

"Even a small serving of smoothie provides more than half or, in some cases, even exceeds daily protein intake recommendations just in one smaller serving," Vigelienė says.

However, Vigelienė says it's important to note that people using GLP-1 medication may already experience delayed gastric emptying and appetite suppression. So, a smoothie with high protein levels may exaggerate fullness, potentially promoting an uncomfortable feeling in the digestive tract.

Moreover, people with kidney conditions may want to watch protein intake since consuming too much protein can stress the kidneys, which may eventually lead to organ failure.

GLP-1 smoothies and fiber intake

While data is limited on fiber's impact on GLP-1s, and it's unclear how fiber may affect people using the medications, dietary guidelines suggest that people should get around 14 grams of dietary fiber per 1,000 kcal. This equals around 28 grams of dietary fiber for those consuming 2,000 kcal daily.

The fiber content in Smoothie King smoothies varies between one to 15 grams per 20-ounce serving.

"Compared to the dietary guidelines, some of the Smoothie King smoothies provide almost half of the daily recommended dietary fiber intake," Vigelienė notes. "However, due to the high variation in dietary fiber per serving, those seeking to support their fiber intake should make sure to choose the smoothies that have a higher dietary fiber content."

Is Smoothie King's GLP-1 menu brand new?

People might assume that Smoothie King's new GLP-1 smoothie menu differs from its other offerings.

However, Vigelienė found that some GLP-1 selections are identical to the company's non-GLP-1 options.

For example, when comparing the same smoothies, Keto Champ berry flavor and Keto Champ GLP-1 berry flavor (the one that is specifically designed for those using GLP-1 medication), there are absolutely no differences in terms of specific nutritional values in both of those smoothies.

-Vigelienė

Both smoothies have the same calories, fat, protein, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, and sugar content. Moreover, they both contain a minimal amount of caffeine.

In addition, the company's Power Meal Slim GLP-1 smoothie has the same ingredients and nutritional profile as their non-GLP 1 Power Meal Slim.

Still, the ingredients and nutritional values of the remaining Smoothie King GLP-1 smoothies differ from their non-GLP-1 counterparts.

While people taking Ozempic or similar drugs for weight loss could consume these and other nutrient-dense smoothies to boost their protein and fiber intake, they should do so with caution.

"Smoothies may be a convenient option to include in a healthy and balanced diet occasionally, balancing them with whole foods throughout the day," Vigelienė says. "However, it is important to note that smoothies should not replace varied and balanced meals in the weight loss plan and may only be used as a part of the healthy diet."