Wellness smoothies have collagen, creatine and matcha in them, but are they worth the price you’re paying for them?

From hyaluronic acid to lion’s mane, so-called functional smoothies are the wellness world’s latest obsession – and at £9 a pop, the stakes are high. Hannah Twiggs investigates whether they’re worth the hype or just another expensive health fad

These £9 ‘wellness’ smoothies promise everything from glowing skin to better gut health – but experts say the benefits often don’t match the price tag (Getty)

At Elevate, a sleek new smoothie bar tucked inside London’s Royal Exchange, you’ll find “the glow” – a vivid pink smoothie made with strawberries, pitaya (also known as dragon fruit), collagen, hyaluronic acid and yoghurt. The price is £8.90, but most customers don’t stop there. With add-ons like prebiotics, bee pollen and creatine at £1 a scoop, this drink can quickly hit £15 – roughly what most Londoners spend on their entire lunch. Or on a “cheap” martini.

Drinks like The Glow promise glowing skin, gut health, enhanced energy and even improved mental clarity. But are these glossy, ingredient-packed blends the future of nutrition, or just another overpriced lifestyle product dressed up in the language of health?

To understand the wellness smoothie boom, we need to look across the Atlantic. At Erewhon, the ultra-luxury grocery chain in Los Angeles, smoothies became status symbols almost overnight. Hailey Bieber’s “strawberry glaze skin smoothie”, which claimed to support skin health thanks to collagen peptides, sea moss gel and hyaluronic acid, reportedly sold 40,000 units a month at $20 a pop. Soon came collaborations with Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter.

These drinks are undoubtedly beautiful: layered, colour-coded and wrapped in aspirational branding. They aren’t just smoothies – they’re on display. The trend didn’t take long to cross the pond. In London, smoothie menus at places like Soho Health Club and Elevate mirror Erewhon’s aesthetic and ingredients. Even Loewe joined in, launching a limited-edition marble-effect matcha smoothie as part of its May 2025 pop-up at Selfridges.

It’s no longer just about what you drink – it’s what that drink says about you.

At the core of these products is a recurring cast of functional ingredients: collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid, sea moss gel, lion’s mane, adaptogens, protein powders, prebiotics and fruit-heavy bases like banana and pitaya. They’re sold as beauty boosters, brain enhancers and energy stabilisers – often with science-adjacent language to back it up.

“Erewhon-style smoothies blend wellness trends with a premium aesthetic, offering nutrient-dense, thoughtfully curated beverages that appeal to those seeking convenient, health-focused options,” says Belle Amatt, expert nutritionist at W-Wellness. “While many of the ingredients used – such as adaptogens, antioxidants and collagen – can offer benefits as part of a broader, balanced diet, the health claims surrounding these drinks are often more suggestive than scientifically verified.”

She adds: “Their appeal lies as much in the experience, branding and aspirational lifestyle they represent as in their nutritional content.”

Still, not all the science is purely decorative. Some ingredients in these blends do have potential health benefits – if used properly and consistently. Collagen, for example, has been linked to improved skin elasticity and joint support, while hyaluronic acid and sea moss may contribute to hydration and micronutrient intake.

“It’s really refreshing to see somewhat of a shift in behaviour with consumers on the whole becoming more and more inclined to actively take steps to improve their wellbeing,” says Dr Lena Rebecca Larsen, a nutrition specialist at More Nutrition.

She acknowledges that functional ingredients like collagen peptides and hyaluronic acid can support genuine wellness benefits – but only under the right conditions. One of her main concerns is that many smoothies don’t include enough of these active ingredients to be effective, or fail to combine them with key cofactors like vitamin C, which enhances collagen synthesis.

And when they’re loaded with sugar, “The end result can be counterintuitive where consumption undermines the intended benefits, contributing to blood sugar spikes, and counteracting goals like energy balance and skin clarity,” Larsen says. “It’s simply not sustainable – or affordable, given the prices of some high street ‘wellness’ drinks – to be drinking 30g of sugar a day.”

Nutritionist Stephanie Moore echoes the sentiment. “On a positive note, they do include some high-quality, functional ingredients that do have good data for health benefits,” she says. “However, the small amount of matcha, maca or lion’s mane is unlikely to be efficacious unless one were having it every day, and even then it might not be enough to have a therapeutic benefit.”

She adds: “The cost is crazy but then ceremonial grade matcha, good quality lion’s mane and raw cacao are pricey. It would be interesting to make one up at home and cost it out – it will be a fraction of the cost, of course.”

Moore also warns that it’s not just the sugar content that should raise eyebrows, but the overall carbohydrate load. While many of these smoothies are positioned as gut-friendly or energising, their actual nutritional profile often tells a different story.

Net carbs are what matter, whether from sugar or grains or sweet fruits – all become sugar in the blood. The Matcha Cloud has 40 grams of net carbs – that’s equivalent to 10 teaspoons of sugar!

Stephanie Moore, nutritionist

“One of the important things to check on, as far as I am concerned with a view to metabolic health, is the carb load, not just sugar,” she explains. “Net carbs are what matter, whether from sugar or grains or sweet fruits – all become sugar in the blood. [Elevate’s] matcha cloud smoothie has 40 grams of net carbs – that’s equivalent to 10 teaspoons of sugar!”

“Bearing in mind we should ideally have around one teaspoon of sugar in the blood, that’s a heck of a lot of glucose to burn off – or turn into body fat.”

Nutritionist Jo Travers is similarly sceptical of some of the terminology used on wellness menus. “The first thing I noticed about the menu was the use of the term ‘functional protein’. This term is meaningless!” she says. “Protein gets digested, broken into its constituent amino acids and then gets reassembled by the body into new proteins. This happens with all protein that we eat.”

While some specific ingredients, like collagen or hyaluronic acid, can offer benefits, Travers notes, “There is no indication that good quality collagen is used in the smoothie that contains it. Similarly with hyaluronic acid, there are known benefits... but quantity and quality are important.”

Even ingredients with established benefits – like matcha, spirulina or lion’s mane – aren’t without caveats. “There is plenty of evidence that they have health benefits,” she says. “Again, there is a ‘but’. Although these smoothies have no added sugar, when you blend a fruit it becomes free sugar – which is almost the same thing.” Unlike eating whole fruit, she explains, the blending process breaks down the fibrous cell walls, making the sugar more quickly absorbed and potentially disruptive to blood sugar levels. “While smoothies still provide nutrients and fibre,” she adds, “eating whole foods definitely confers benefits to blood sugar management.”

The protein shakes, on the other hand, fare slightly better. “They do have a reasonable amount of protein and fewer carbs,” Moore says. “But with such simple, easy-to-get ingredients, why would anyone buy it when they can make it for so much less?”

Amatt notes that even smoothies made with natural sugars, such as fruit or dates, can easily tip into problematic territory. “While Erewhon-style smoothies often use natural ingredients, they can contain 15-35g of sugar per serving – enough to exceed recommended daily limits if consumed regularly. Even without added sugars, daily intake may contribute to blood sugar spikes or dental issues, so moderation and ingredient awareness are key.”

With striking colours and buzzword ingredients like collagen and maca, these drinks are designed to look as good on Instagram as they taste – but is there real science behind the hype? (Getty)

Beyond the nutrient breakdown, all three experts caution against relying on these smoothies as a primary health solution. They may look the part, but as with many wellness trends, style can take priority over substance. While these drinks might offer small boosts, they’re unlikely to provide lasting benefits unless paired with consistent, well-rounded habits – and in many cases, there are simpler, cheaper and more evidence-based ways to achieve the same results.

“There are more cost-effective and evidence-backed strategies and products out there to improve your health and wellbeing,” says Larsen, pointing to targeted skin supplements with clinically supported ingredients, rather than the vague blends often found in smoothies.

Amatt highlights a number of proven alternatives. “Creatine is a well-researched supplement that supports physical performance in high-intensity exercise, while omega-3 fatty acids contribute to the normal function of the heart and maintenance of normal vision and brain function. Keeping on top of your vitamin D by regular testing can support muscle function, energy metabolism and immune health.”

She also stresses that no supplement or smoothie can replace the basics: “A Mediterranean-style diet rich in antioxidants and healthy fats also promotes overall wellbeing. Finally, an often-overlooked pillar of health is sleep quality, which plays a vital role in physical recovery and skin regeneration.”

If you still feel tempted by the aesthetics or convenience of a wellness smoothie, Moore suggests making your own at home – not just for the savings, but for control over the ingredients.

“I recommend a shake or blended drink to my patients based on raw cacao powder, frozen berries (no banana unless very under-ripe and only a third – green band starch is a great prebiotic), dairy or coconut kefir, black seed oil (a true superstar that has a ton of evidence), matcha green tea powder, creatine monohydrate, medicinal mushroom blend, an egg yolk, Ceylon cinnamon and bone broth powder,” she says.

“There are quite high amounts of all these incredible ingredients and it will be less than half the cost of one of these – but it’s not pretty, definitely not sweet, and it does mean opening several jars… but it takes about three minutes tops.”

She’s also quick to point out that high-quality collagen is widely available in powder form, making it easy to add to your own shakes or yoghurt with vitamin C-rich fruit like berries or kiwi, all for a fraction of the price of a grab-and-go alternative.

So, are wellness smoothies really worth it?

“If someone is happy to spend the money – or can’t be bothered to make their own – then opt for the protein versions and add in some of their additional ingredients for more nourishment,” Moore says. “Creatine is a great addition for muscle and brain health, as is MCT for energy and prebiotics for gut health – although for many people, prebiotic powders can be very bloating.” Although, she adds, the fibre in these blended drinks will still offer some benefits to our guts.

But she’s clear on one thing: “These drinks should be consumed as a treat because someone fancies treating themselves and not seen as a means to being healthier.”