What to Eat at Jamba Juice: Healthy Menu Choices and Nutrition Facts

Jamba Juice

Verywell / Christian Alzate

Known for its fruit smoothies, the Jamba Juice menu sounds like a healthier alternative to the classic fast-food burger and fries—but is it really more nutritious? While it depends on the ingredients, the calories and sugar content in juices and smoothies tend to be high whether you buy them or make them yourself. The key is minding portion sizes.

Even when a drink is made with mostly healthy ingredients, it doesn’t mean it will be the right choice for your diet. Some Jamba Juice drinks have more than a full day's recommended allowance of sugar—not a healthy choice if you have diabetes, for instance.

When enjoyed in moderation and packed with fresh fruits and veggies, some Jamba Juice drinks can be good sources of key vitamins and minerals. Reviewing the nutrition facts before you go, as well as figuring out what's considered a serving size, can help you make the most nutritious choice.

What Experts Say

“Jamba Juice offers smoothies, smoothie bowls, oatmeal, and snacks—typically with more fiber and protein than juice. Some smoothies contain fruit and sherbet, so if you’re eating here often, choose the options that emphasize fruit and protein to create a more satisfying meal.”

Willow Jarosh, MS, RD

Navigating the Menu

Here’s a breakdown of the nutrition of Jamba Juice’s menu, some suggestions for creating a healthy smoothie, and what you need to know about ordering if you’re on a low-carb, gluten-free, or another special diet.

What to Order & Avoid at Jamba Juice
 Most Nutritious Options Least Nutritious Options
Vanilla Blue Sky (Smoothies) Peanut Butter Moo’d (Smoothies)
Vanilla Blue Sky (Bowls) Chunky Strawberry (Bowls)
Purely Carrot (Fresh Juice n' Shots) Purely Orange (Fresh Juice n' Shots)
Spring Veggie Egg Bake (Food) Sweet Pretzel (Food)
Bold 'n Cold Brew (Iced Beverages) Gotcha Matcha With Sweet Cloud Whip (Iced Beverages)
Strawberries Gone Bananas (Kids)  Blueberry Strawberry Blast-Off (Kids)

Most Nutritious Option

The Jamba Juice menu features many healthy ingredients and dishes, but if you're searching for the most nutritious option, select the Vanilla Blue Sky smoothie.

Smoothies

The many options for made-to-order smoothies at Jamba Juice can be overwhelming. The chain offers an ever-expanding line of classic smoothies, boosted smoothies, coffee smoothies, all-fruit smoothies, whole food nutrition smoothies, fruit and veggie smoothies, protein smoothies, and creamy treat smoothies.

✓ Vanilla Blue Sky

A small (16 oz.) Vanilla Blue Sky smoothie provides 210 calories, 4.5g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 43g carbohydrate, 27g sugar, 2g protein, and 90mg sodium. With almond and coconut milk, as well as bananas, pineapple, and blue spirulina boost, this low-calorie smoothie packs in nutrient-rich fruits and even 5g of fiber.

✗ Peanut Butter Moo'd

Of the most calorie-dense smoothie options, the Peanut Butter Moo’d is among the least nutritious. A small (16 oz) comes in at 430 calories, 10g fat, 2g saturated fat, 75g carbohydrate, 63g sugar, 13g protein, and 190mg sodium.

Up your order to a large (28 oz) and you're in for 910 calories, 28g fat, 5g saturated fat, 144g carbohydrate, 119g sugar, 29g protein, and 420mg sodium. To save on calories and sugar, opt for a smaller fruit cocktail like the Strawberry Surf Rider, which boasts 250 calories, 1.5g fat, 0g saturated fat, 60g carbohydrates, 54g sugar, 1g protein, and 15mg sodium.

Bowls

If you’re looking for something that feels a little more like a meal, Jamba Juice offers “energy bowls” that combine basic ingredients like Greek yogurt and nut butter with fruit, chopped nuts and seeds, brown sugar, and granola. You can change the nutrition of a Jamba Juice bowl by customizing it.

✓ Vanilla Blue Sky Bowl

Like the smoothie version, the Vanilla Blue Sky Bowl is also the most nutritious option in its section of the menu with one bowl (384g) providing 330 calories, 9g fat, 3g saturated fat, 62g carbohydrate, 33g sugar, 6g protein, 85mg sodium. It also packs 110% of your daily value of vitamin C, as well as 25% of your daily recommended intake of calcium.

✗ Chunky Strawberry Bowl

The Chunky Strawberry Bowl (559g) comes in at 580 calories, 17g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 94g carbohydrate, 49g sugar, 20g protein, and 135mg sodium. With strawberries, peanut butter, bananas, and Greek yogurt, this bowl packs in high sugar and calories.

For an added boost of fiber and less sodium, consider the oatmeal bowl, which brings 170 calories, 2.5g fat, 0g saturated fat, 31g carbohydrates, 5g sugar, 6g protein, and 20mg sodium. To reduce carbs, skip toppings like granola.

Nuts and nut butter can be good protein sources. Just keep an eye on the amount—high-fat, high-calorie nuts can easily add 100 to 200 calories to your bowl.

Fresh Juice n' Shots

As its name implies, Jamba Juice also offers a wide range of juices made with interesting blends of fruits and veggies. You can also add “boosts” or “shots” of other ingredients, like chia seeds, wheatgrass, and even caffeine.

With fewer ingredients, juices are generally lower in calories than smoothies. All of the drinks in this category of the Jamba Juice menu are under 250 calories (for the 16 oz size), but all contain a good amount of sugar.

If you add extra shots and boosts, however, it’s easy to end up with a much higher calorie juice. Your best bet is to stick to small-sized juices made from the most nutritious fruit and veggie basics.

✓ Purely Carrot

A small (16 oz) Purely Carrot juice contains 190 calories, 1g fat, 0g saturated fat, 45g carbohydrate, 22g sugar, 4g protein, and 330mg sodium. With fresh carrot juice as the sole ingredient, this juice supplies 1580% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin A, 80% of your vitamin K, and 45% of your vitamin C needs.

✗ Purely Orange

A small (16 oz) Purely Orange juice provides 220 calories, 1g fat, 0g saturated fat, 52g carbohydrate, 42g sugar, 3g protein, and 0mg sodium. If you're craving orange juice, consider the ginger orange cayenne juice shot, which has only 25 calories and 3g sugar, but brings 25% of your daily recommended vitamin C.

Food

While the chain’s focus is on making meals from juices and smoothies, Jamba Juice does offer some prepared food items, including baked goods, waffles, and breakfast sandwiches. With so many ways to create a filling smoothie or juice, the prepared food options at Jamba Juice might not be as tempting.

But consider having a bite to eat instead of a smoothie or juice. Choices like breakfast sandwiches offer more protein and less sugar, which will feel most satisfying throughout the day. High-carb foods, like those high-sugar smoothies and juices, provide a quick, but fleeting energy boost.

✓ Spring Veggie Egg Bake

With egg, cheese, artichoke hearts, and red bell pepper, the Spring Veggie egg bake delivers 200 calories, 14g fat, 8g saturated fat, 8g carbohydrates, 10g protein, and 480mg sodium.

✗ Sweet Pretzel

The Sweet Pretzel comes in at 390 calories, 4.5g fat, 0g saturated fat, 78g carbohydrate, 15g sugar, 9g protein, and 290mg sodium. If you're craving a sweet bakery item, reach for the Belgian Waffle if you want something lower in calories (310), though be mindful that it is also higher in sugar (19g).

Iced Beverages

Jambe Juice features limited iced beverages on its menu, all of which are caffeinated. Between the cold brew and the matcha, as well as blended iced drinks featuring those two bases, you can find an energizing beverage.

✓ Bold 'n Cold Brew

A small Bold 'n Cold Brew with agave features 45 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 10g carbohydrate, 5g sugar, 0g protein, and 15mg sodium. With 253mg caffeine, this drink can be customized with any level of sweetness or milk.

✗ Gotcha Matcha With Sweet Cloud Whip (Iced Beverages)

A matcha drink topped with whipped coconut milk, the Gotcha Matcha with Sweet Cloud Whip boasts 150 calories, 7g fat, 6g saturated fat, 22g carbohydrate, 12g sugar, 2g protein, and 20mg sodium.

For the full matcha flavor with fewer calories and sugar, order the basic Gotcha Matcha instead. It doesn't include the whipped topping and comes in at only 50 calories and 5g sugar for the small 16-ounce version.

Kids

Jamba Juice's kid's menu features only two smoothie options, so if you're ordering off the kid's menu, choose the flavor combination that you prefer.

✓ Strawberries Gone Bananas

With strawberries, bananas, and juice, the Strawberries Gone Bananas smoothie keeps it simple and adds 150 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 36g carbohydrate, 27g sugar, 1g protein, and 10mg sodium.

✗ Blueberry Strawberry Blast-Off

For a different taste, the Blueberry Strawberry Blast-Off smoothie adds blueberries to a strawberry-banana combination and provides 190 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 46g carbohydrate, 37g sugar, 1g protein, and 15mg sodium.

Diet-Specific Options

Jamba Juice offers choices for gluten-free, low-fat, low-sodium, vegetarian, and vegan diets. But it doesn’t have low-carb, low-FODMAP, or diabetes-friendly menu items.

Gluten-Free

  • Greens 'n Ginger Smoothie
  • Peach Perfection Smoothie
  • Strawberry Whirl Smoothie
  • Orange Carrot Twist Juice
  • Purely Carrot Juice

For a gluten-free drink, opt for the Purely Carrot juice, which also comes loaded with vitamins A, C, and K. The majority of Jamba Juice’s menu is gluten-free, however, some items do use gluten- and wheat-containing ingredients.

Some ingredients, such as the brown sugar topping, can be left off your order if you ask. If you have celiac disease and are concerned about the potential of cross-contamination, let the Jamba Juice employee taking your order know.

Low-Fat

  • Pomegranate Paradise Smoothie (5 calories from fat)
  • Apple 'n Greens Smoothie (10 calories from fat)
  • Purely Orange Juice (10 calories from fat)
  • Orange-C Booster Smoothie (10 calories from fat)
  • Vanilla Blue Sky Smoothie (40 calories from fat)

Order the Pomegranate Paradise smoothie for a low-fat option, which also delivers a healthy dose of vitamins A and C, as well as manganese, all at only 220 calories.

Low-Sodium

  • Mega Mango Smoothie (10mg sodium)
  • Strawberry Whirl (15mg sodium)
  • Peach Perfection Smoothie (25mg sodium)
  • Amazing Greens Smoothie (40mg sodium)
  • Açaí Primo Bowl (45mg sodium)

Keep your sodium intake low by ordering the Mega Mango smoothie, which includes only 10mg sodium in the small 16-ounce serving.

Vegetarian

  • Impossible Breakfast Sandwich
  • Spring Veggie Egg Bake
  • Belgian Waffle
  • Vanilla Blue Sky bowl
  • Açaí Primo bowl

As the majority of its menu is based on fruits and veggies, vegetarians will find plenty of options at Jamba Juice. From regular juices and smoothies to plant-based boosts, if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, you’ll have more to choose from at Jamba Juice than you would at most fast-food restaurants.

For a vegetarian smoothie, choose the Vanilla Blue Sky bowl. If you're craving food, opt for the Spring Veggie egg bake for added protein.

Vegan

  • Mega Mango Smoothie
  • Peach Perfection Smoothie
  • Pomegranate Paradise Smoothie
  • Strawberry Whirl Smoothie
  • Greens 'n Ginger Smoothie

Jamba Juice's plant-based smoothies are vegan, including all of the smoothies listed above. Choose the Greens 'n Ginger smoothie if you'd also like more than your daily recommended intake of vitamins A, C, and K.

With the availability of non-dairy milk alternatives, you can custom order most (but not all) smoothies at Jamba Juice to be vegan. There are some exceptions. For example, coffee blend smoothies and those made with peanut butter are not made with vegan-friendly ingredients. 

If a Jamba Juice food or drink contains honey or crumble toppings made with butter or brown sugar, you can ask for these additions to be left off to make it vegan-friendly

That being said, the chain does use animal products in many of its menu items, particularly dairy. As a result, it’s possible that ingredients used to make your food or drink may have come into contact with animal products during production, storage, transportation, or preparation.

Food Allergies and Safety

If you have a food allergy, let the Jamba Juice employee taking your order know. They may be able to take extra precautions to ensure your order is not made using equipment or in areas where specific allergens have been stored or prepared. 

Check the ingredients list carefully before you order. If you have certain food sensitivities, intolerance, or allergies, be aware that powdered blends in Jamba Juice smoothies may use ingredients like sherbet (which contains dairy), soy protein, eggs, milk, peanut butter, nuts, and wheat.

While you may be able to get a drink made with these ingredients omitted, they’ll be included unless you specify otherwise—even if they aren’t listed on the menu item’s nutritional breakdown.

A Word From Verywell

A treat from Jamba Juice can be part of a healthy diet as long as you enjoy it in moderation, choose the healthiest ingredients available, and keep your portion sizes small. While the menu sounds healthy, some items are better choices than others. Depending on your dietary needs and goals, you’ll want to be aware of nutrition facts for the drinks or meals you order at Jamba Juice.

While the focus on fresh fruit and veggies contributes important nutrients to your diet and can give your body energy, the chain’s smoothies, bowls, and juices can also be high in carbohydrates and sugar. To feel the most satisfied, emphasize menu options that offer a good balance of vitamins, healthy fat, and protein.

3 Sources
Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Diabetes Diet, Eating, & Physical Activity. Updated December 2016.

  2. Jamba Juice. Jamba menu brochure.

  3. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Eating to boost energy. Updated April 2021.

By Malia Frey, M.A., ACE-CHC, CPT
 Malia Frey is a weight loss expert, certified health coach, weight management specialist, personal trainer​, and fitness nutrition specialist.