Smoothies have become a hugely popular way for folks to pack a little extra nutrition into a busy day. If you don’t have time for a sit-down breakfast, most of us do have time to chuck some fruit and yogurt into a blender with ice, and drink a refreshing shake on the way to work.
But if all you’re doing with your smoothies is blending fruit, ice and yogurt, you may be missing out on one of the biggest health benefits of these hyper-convenient drinks. You could be adding immunity-boosting food that not only adds depth and fresh flavor, but also supports your immune system.
We’ve got recipes for four deliciously healthy smoothies that are pumped with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients tailored for your immune system:
Frozen Fruits Smoothie
- 10 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 cup frozen cranberries or berry of choice (can use fresh but will not be as thick)
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
- 4 oz unsweetened coconut or almond milk
- 1 small banana (see notes for substitute to thicken)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (omit for whole 30 option)
- optional – mint to garnish
Place fruit, milk, and juice in blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses. Garnish with extra orange slice and mint leaf, if desired. Save for later or enjoy right away!
Good Green Tea Smoothie
- 3 cups frozen white grapes
- 2 packed cups baby spinach
- 1 ½ cups strong brewed green tea, cooled
- 1 medium ripe avocado
- 2 tbsp honey
Combine grapes, spinach, green tea, avocado and honey in a blender; blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Coconut & Banana smoothie
- 100g Coconut yogurt
- 3 tbsp milk of your choice
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 3 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 small ripe banana
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp oats
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
Add the coconut yogurt and milk to a high-speed blender then add the turmeric, fresh ginger. Tip in the remaining ingredients then blend until smooth. Add ice and blitz again if you prefer a colder drink. Pour into glasses and serve.
Vitamin Booster Smoothie
- 1 orange, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
- 50g mango, roughly chopped
- 200ml water
Put all the orange, carrot, celery and mango in the blender, top up with water, then blitz until smooth.
Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients—without them, our bodies wouldn’t be able to perform vital tasks such as converting food into energy, building and maintaining bones, teeth, muscle, skin, blood and hair, and keeping our brain, eyes, nervous and immune systems in good working order. And because we can’t make most of them, we have to get them from our diets. A healthy balanced diet should provide all the vitamins you need, but supplements (eg.Multivite For Her/Multivite For Him) can help plug any nutritional gaps or restore low levels after illness or periods of poor eating.
