Fruit shakes and smoothies are a brilliant way to bulk up your five a day! The best natural sweeteners for smoothies are sucralose syrups, made from sugar itself.

We'd recommend an alternative to sugar since fruits contain a high concentration of naturally occurring sugars as-is, which you don't want to add to!

As the best natural sugar alternative for health-conscious smoothie drinkers, Skinny Mixes has developed an incredible range of natural sweetener cocktail mixes that are ideal for shakes.

How to Make a Smoothie Less Bitter

Green juices often taste a little bitter, usually because you're using ingredients such as spinach, kale, or spirulina.

To make your drink more palatable, try:

• Adding a sweet fruit (pineapples or oranges work well). Bananas can also neutralize acidity, but watch out, or you'll be multiplying your carb and calorie count!
• Flavored protein powder will mask the taste a little. Vanilla tends to work best, as a stronger flavor such as chocolate or strawberry can taste weird against the greens!
• Using baby greens instead of mature leaves. Alternatively, use a smaller amount of greens and up the ratio gradually as your taste buds adjust.
• Drop-in a couple of pumps of our Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup, or try Sugar-Free Simple Syrup to give your bitter smoothie a lift without calories, carbs, or sugar.

Other natural sweeteners include options such as agave nectar or honey, but the same warning remains that your super-healthy greens can quickly become a calorie bomb!

How to Make a Thin Smoothie Taste Creamier

Thick, delicious smoothies feel and taste like a milkshake, acting as a decedent drink while filling us up with natural goodness!

If your smoothies are a little on the light side, you can add a few avocado slices, with the mild flavor disguising the huge nutritional burst it offers.

Note that while avocados contain 'good' fats, they're still extremely high in calories, so not ideal if you're switching to smoothies to manage your diet.

You can also add ice cream, but we'd suggest frozen yogurt is a better solution since it's kinder on your well-being and has a fraction of the calories.

We love zapping a smoothie with a generous helping of Sugar-Free Irish Cream Syrup for a heavenly drink that tastes a bit naughty or adding Sugar-Free Vanilla Caramel Crème for that rich, creamy taste.

At zero calories, carbs, or sugar, you can transform the flavor profile of your fruit shakes, absolutely guilt-free!

How to Sweeten a Smoothie Without Sugar

A little sweetener goes a long way to making a sour smoothie far more enjoyable, so pick up a Peach or Coconut Sugar-Free Syrup for a stunningly sweet taste sensation.

There are also a few other ways to brighten your juice:

• Add more sweet fruits, or bulk up with dates. Keep an eye on total fructose and sugars, though, since the more fruit you add, the more you're consuming.
• Watermelon is a suitable replacement for water and will still add the liquidity you need to drink your shake through a straw, but with a bit of added sweetness.

The joy of Skinny Mixes Syrups and Fruit Shots is that you can customize your smoothie to the exact level of sweetness you prefer and be as liberal as you like!

It's best to blend your drinks in this order - liquids, then soft fruits, followed by greens, syrup, and ice to get the right texture.

Feel like your smoothie has come out too sludgy and thick? Chuck it back in the blender with some extra ice, the process for 20 to 30 seconds on the highest setting, and you'll be good to go.