I’ve experimented with all kinds of different diets over the years. I’ve tried everything from crash diets (what a mistake that was!) to more sustainable long-term eating plans like the keto diet and the paleo diet. Out of all of the diets that I tried, I definitely had the most success with the paleo diet. The foods available to me matched up perfectly with foods that I enjoyed eating anyway so it made losing weight effortless for me. With that in mind, I’m pleased to share this recipe for what is quite possible the best paleo smoothie ever. It makes a strawberry, chocolate, and avocado smoothie that is out of this world good. The ingredients used in this smoothie are all 100% paleo-friendly and they’re guaranteed to leave you feeling like a million bucks after drinking it.

The Paleo Diet in Liquid Form

This smoothie recipe is absolutely packed full of essential nutrients thanks to the great mix of fruits that are added. Strawberries and bananas are one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations, especially when it comes to making tasty smoothies. Both ingredients are also incredibly nutritious, providing this smoothie recipe with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a solid amount of disease-fighting antioxidants. In fact, one particular study actually found that strawberries and bananas were both ahead of oranges (the three of them are the most commonly consumed fresh fruits in the United States) when it comes to antioxidant capacity and cellular protection. (1)

Two tablespoons of chopped avocado are also added for this recipe which provides a good amount of heart healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. Not only are avocados an excellent healthy fat source, they’re also rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals as well. They’re also known to be a major dietary source of antioxidants that help to protect against certain neurodegenerative diseases. (2) Avocados were actually a huge part of my diet on both the keto and paleo diets, which goes to show how valuable they can be when it comes to sound nutrition. They also help to give this smoothie a nice and creamy consistency while also making it more satiating due to the high fat content.

Next, we come to the addition of unsweetened cacao powder to give the smooth its chocolate flavor. Not only is raw cacao an incredibly healthy way to give your smoothies a chocolate taste, but it also keeps with the theme of ingredients that provide a ton of valuable antioxidants to this recipe. Cacao contains a compound known as theobromine that has demonstrated several impressive potential health benefits like helping to protect against cancer. (3) However, much like dark chocolate, many people find the taste of raw cacao to be rather bitter, especially in its unsweetened form. To work around that, this recipe also adds in a couple of fresh dates plus some pure vanilla extra to help improve the overall taste of your smoothie. Other than that, the only things you’ll need to finish the recipe off are a single cup of unsweetened almond milk and a bit of ice.