Difference Between Smoothie and Milkshake

When we go inside fast food restaurants, we often find menu cards containing names of smoothies and milkshakes that are on offer to customers in the form of dairy cold drinks. Sometimes the words are used interchangeably when one or the other should have been mentioned for the kind of dairy treat being served to the customers. This article attempts to highlight the differences between a smoothie and a milkshake depending upon the presence and absence of some of the ingredients.

Milkshake

A cold beverage that uses milk and ice cream as the main ingredients is called a milkshake. A milkshake is always sweet with additional flavors such as chocolate syrup or powder added to the beverage before being served. Sometimes fruit syrups that are in concentrated form are also used to change the flavor of the milkshake. Milkshakes are served at most fast food joints and restaurants with a huge variety of milkshakes available depending upon the flavors added to the milk and ice creams.

Smoothies

A smoothie is a cold, almost icy beverage made with fruits with sometimes milk being added to make the beverage. These days, vegetables are also being used to make smoothies. Ice remains an integral part of smoothies, and for crushing of ice, automatic blenders or mixers are a must.

What is the difference between Smoothie and Milkshake?

• The major ingredient in a milkshake is obviously milk and ice cream, whereas fruits are the basic ingredients of smoothies.

• Milkshakes have higher fat content than smoothies because of the presence of milk.

• Milkshakes also include fruit syrups or chocolate flavors depending upon the taste of the individual.

• There is higher sugar content in milkshakes whereas smoothies contain natural sugar of fruits, so they have less sugar used while making them.

• Crushed ice is needed to make smoothies, but it is not necessary in the case of milkshakes as cold milk and ice cream is sufficient to make them.

• Smoothie can be made of vegetables too.

• A smoothie is mostly served chilled, whereas milkshake can be just cold.