What Nuts Work Best For Smoothie Bowls

Smoothie bowels have become super popular. They’re even popular among people who normally wouldn’t enjoy a smoothie. Part of this has to do with all of the fast casual health food stores that have started to sell them.

And another aspect is that smoothie bowls are so simple and easy to make and transport. They are a lot easier to buy and take with you to work, or even make at home for a quick breakfast before you start your day.

And the other great thing about smoothie bowls is that they solve that problem for people who have always found a smoothie to be a bit too basic for breakfast.

Smoothie bowls on the other hand, are a great alternative to a big breakfast of eggs, oatmeal, or something even worse like pancakes or waffles and bacon!

I’m sure you are all aware of the popular ingredients for smoothie bowls. This includes bananas, berries, yogurt. Though some people are completely averse to bananas and will only make a smoothie bowl without them!

Personally, I’m not a big fan of smoothie bowls with bananas, and so I like recipes that don’t include bananas.

But what I do like are nuts in my smoothie bowls.

If you are a long time reader of my blog then you’ll be familiar with my love of nuts! I even wrote an entire blog post on the best blender for nut butter.

However, what I’m going to do here is a bit different. I’m going to set out to to list, review and then discuss the best nuts for smoothie bowls.

Some of these nuts are going to be nuts you’re used to using in your regular smoothie, while others might be nuts that you’ve never though of using in a blender before.

Let’s get goin!

Table of Contents

Almonds: Sliced Vs Whole?

The first nut we’re going to look at is the almond. Why? Because almost every smoothie recipe and every smoothie bowl recipe is going to have some variation of the almond. It’s king of the blender nuts.

There are a couple of reasons. First, almonds are super healthy. They are in fact one of the healthiest nuts around. Countless studies have shown that almond intake is corelated to a healthy blood profile. In fact the fat in almonds is one of the vital types of fats that your body needs. (1)

When it comes to using almonds in your blender, you have a few different avenues to look at. First, you can always blend up whole almonds. If you’re going to do that, then I suggest that what you do is soak the almonds in water in your fridge. You can do this overnight. It softens the almonds and makes them easier to blend up.

I’ve made nut butter in a blender with almonds. Specifically pure almond nut butter. But for a smoothie bowl I’d suggest not trying to blend up whole almonds.

Most people would do best if they were to use sliced almonds. Balanced is best. I don’t suggest trying to use raw almonds. Even if you’re making nut butter, most people would tell you that you’re going to have to roast the almonds to make them more soft and easier to blend.

So, my tip is to get a bag of sliced almonds.

Now, should you blend them or should you simply sprinkle them into and over the smoothie bowl. That’s a bit of a question of personal taste. Some people like the crunch that almonds provide. If that’s you, then you should definitely at least leave some of the almonds unblended.

My personal preference is to blend some, and then leave some for garnish.

Cashews: Easy To Blend

You often hear about cashews in mixed nut mixes, but not necessarily in smoothies. And that’s a shame since cashews are both super easy to blend up and they are also really healthy for you!

While I like to eat a handful of cashews as a snack, I also think that they make a great addition to smoothie bowls because they are so soft. They are not as hard as almonds, or most other nuts.

Additionally, cashews have been shown to have a positive correlation to fat loss. In one study, researchers found that eating cashews was linked to a lower incident of visceral fat–which is the most dangerous type of fat.(2)

Macadamia Nuts: Healthy Fats

Turn on any keto youtube channel and you will hear the host extolling the virtues of macadamia nuts.

Most people think of these nuts as the ones that are super expensive. The Hawaiian nuts. In fact, many brands of macadamia nuts advertise themselves with pictures of a tropical island or some other picture.

But the other thing to remember about macadamia nuts is that they are one of the few nuts that has a positive Omega 3/6/9 ratio. This is why Keto youtubers such as Thomas DeLauer likes them so much.

And additionally, these nuts have been studied and found out to be linked to a decrease in heart disease (3)

The one problem that people tend to have with academia nuts is that they are sort of pricey. This can be fixed if you buy from a place like Costco, BJs or online from a discount retailer.

I recommend sticking to a well known brand if you are getting macadamia nuts just because some of the off-brands have a tendency to go rancid.
I like Manua Loa brand myself.

Walnuts: Chopped For Garnish

So walnuts tend to get lumped in with almonds because they are so healthy. They are considered one of the best nuts to eat for your brain and your heart.

They are so good that some advertise their walnuts with heart photos and illustrations.

Personally, I love the flavor of walnuts and they are also soft and so are perfect for making blender based smoothie bowls. These nuts are soft enough to easily blend with a stick blender aka immersion blender or a regular jar blender.

There’s also the benefit that walnuts give your brain. Unlike some other foods, walnuts have a studied positive correlation between brain health and preventative cognitive decline (4).

I like to buy shelled walnuts and sprinkle them on top of a smoothie bowl. You can also blend up a few into the fruit and yogurt to make everything taste a bit thicker and more substantial.

Brazil Nuts: The Bodybuilders Favoraite Nut

Brazil nuts are a favorite of people who are into bodybuilding. Zinc is listed as one of the main natural supplements to take if you’re doing high intensity exercise (5)

The reason is that they are one of the best sources of Zinc. Now, the cool thing here is that you don’t have to be a bodybuilder to want extra zinc in your life.

Zinc is important and it’s a nutrient that I prefer to get from food.

But be cautious about eating too many Brazil nuts as you will get a stomach ache and feel nauseous. Also Brazil nuts are really hard, so you have to have a strong blender in order to blend them up.

Peanuts: Not A Nut!

Honestly, I would just skip adding peanuts to your smoothie bowl. Peanuts are not a nut, for starters. Secondly, they are not even that healthy. The main reason people eat peanuts is that they taste good.

If you’re dead set on getting a peanut flavor, just go ahead and buy a good organic brand of peanut butter online and add that to your blender when you’re making a smoothie bowl.

Studies