Many people have replaced a soda habit with a smoothie habit in an attempt at better nutrition. If made right, with fresh ingredients and no additives, a smoothie can be a healthy way to grab nutrients on the go. Be forewarned, however, that just about every component of a smoothie can cause bloating for one reason or another. Some can be avoided, others cannot, but the effect is only temporary, whatever the cause.
Air
Most smoothies are whipped in a blender for a minute or two during preparation. This is not just to mix the ingredients, but to also incorporates air into the mixture to create the light and creamy texture you associate with your favorite brand. As you drink the smoothie, the air bubbles travel to your stomach with the blended ingredients -- as your digestive juices get to work on the fruit and dairy content of the drink, the air bubbles get released. This may cause a temporary inflation of your midsection until the solids get digested and the air moves into the intestines or is released by a belch or two.
Lactose
Your choice of mixer may also cause bloating. If you use milk, the lactose may cause some intestinal discomfort if you are even the least bit lactose intolerant. Yogurt usually doesn't cause the same problem because it is so low in lactose, but it may still bother some people. Replace the milk or yogurt with soy, almond or rice milk to avoid lactose entirely and save a few calories along the way.
Fruit Content
Assuming your smoothie is made with whole fruit instead of the processed puree used by some smoothie shops, it could be the fruit content that makes you bloat. Some of the most common smoothie fruits -- berries, oranges and papaya -- are also especially high in fiber. A typical smoothie usually contains about 1 cup of fruit per serving. Many fruits can have 8 or more grams of fiber per cup, and if you're not used to eating that much fiber, your digestive system can react. Digesting fiber releases gas, which causes bloat. Similar to the air situation, the gas will either be released as a belch or pass through your intestines.
Sheer Volume
If you're drinking "too many" smoothies, your bloating may come from sheer volume. A typical smoothie is more like a small meal than a beverage -- even after blending, there is still solid food matter in there that must be digested. The blended nature of the smoothie means that digestion will happen more quickly than it would with a solid whole food, but it still can take a couple of hours. Don't think of smoothies as thirst-quenching drinks, think of them as convenient mini-meals. On the other hand, some can have more calories than a cheeseburger, especially if you order a jumbo size -- in that case, think of it as your lunch.
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