Healthy Glow: Immune-Boosting Smoothie Ideas
Looking for a way to make breakfast at home a little more fun? Making your own smoothies and juices is a great way to ensure your drink is loaded with veggies and superfoods.
Whether you’re solo or trying to keep your kids entertained, mixing up smoothies at home is a fun way to keep busy, learn about important nutrients and guarantees you squeeze in some vitamins into your diet with a tasty treat.
If you’re kid-free, we think you’ll still appreciate these tips and ingredient recommendations… and maybe with a little less clean-up mess, too!
Pro Tip: Pour your smoothie into a popsicle mold for an easy, pre-made snack that’s free from added sugar and preservatives.
Keep reading to see what we’re blending up in our smoothies.
Berry Power
⋅Berries are on of the healthiest fruits you can eat. They are low in calories, high in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants and have proven benefits for heart health like lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.
Blueberries (1 cup):
Blueberries contain good amounts of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidant anthocyanins. Eating blueberries may help reduce risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. Save on money by buying frozen berries versus fresh, especially if they are out of season.
- Vitamin C: 16% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 24% of the DV
- Manganese: 22% of the DV
Raspberries (1 cup):Raspberries are full of fiber and antioxidant polyphenols, which makes them great to eat for a pre-workout as the antioxidant polyphenols helps significantly decrease oxidative stress caused by exercise.
- Vitamin C: 36% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 8% of the DV
- Manganese: 36% of the DV
Strawberries (1 cup):
Strawberries area great source of vitamin C and are proven to reduce risk factors for heart disease and help control blood sugar. Using fresh berries? Poke a straw through the bottom of
- Vitamin C: 97% of the DV
- Manganese: 24% of the DV
Drink Your Greens
Greens are an important part of giving your smoothies a boost. Typically you’re not going to sit down with a big bowl of kale (especially your kids!), so loading up your smoothies with veggies is a good way to increase your nutrition and vitamin intake. Bonus: Add in 2-4 different greens in your smoothie for an extra boost!
Kale (1 cup):
Kale is filled with some of the most important nutrients you can eat, such as potassium, iron, protein, vitamins A, B6, and C, calcium. Don’t have a high-powered blender? Chop your kale finely for a smoother texture.
- Potassium: 329mg | 9% of DV
- Vitamin A: 133% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 134% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 10% of the DV
Swiss Chard (1 cup):
Swiss chard is one of nutritionist top picks for smoothie greens. It has soft, easy to blend leaves, the flavor complements fruit really well and is also a good source of plenty of vitamins (A, C, and K), as well as calcium and iron.
- Potassium: 136mg | 3% of DV
- Vitamin A: 44% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 18% of the DV
Spinach (1 cup):
Even though spinach is probably a given, it’s because it’s always easy to find and has a refreshing, mild taste (versus some greens). It also has a good amount of calcium, fiber, protein, and vitamins A, B6, and C.
- Potassium: 167mg | 4% of DV
- Vitamin A: 56% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 14% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 5% of the DV
Superhero Superfoods
Blend up your smoothies with other tasty ingredients like greek yogurt, almond milk, peanut butter or protein powder. Once your drink is done, top it off with one of these amazing superfoods that will take your smoothie to the next level. We’ll list them below and click on the links for more info on these amazing little ingredients that are small, but pack a punch!
- Hemp Seeds: protein & fat
- Chia Seeds: protein, fiber, omega-3
- Goji Berries: antioxidants & fiber
- Maca: iron & vitamin C
- Turmeric: anti-inflammatory
- Collagen: smooth & glowing skin
- Matcha: antioxidants & boost metabolism
- Cacao: antioxidants & anti-inflammatory
