Looking for the best fruits and vegetables for your smoothies?
The list is practically endless, although some of them may not be what you expect.
Among the typical berries and bananas, we also include some uncommon and unusual suggestions, some of which you may never have dreamed of blending into a beverage.
Nevertheless, they all have something of value to contribute, and they may just become your favorite smoothie ingredients yet.
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Health Benefits of Fruit and Vegetable Smoothies
There are many reasons why everyone from parents to doctors recommends a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. According to the Harvard University School of Public Health, a daily diet that includes two to six servings of fruits and vegetables can reduce heart disease and stroke risk, lower blood pressure, and even help prevent certain types of cancer. Furthermore, a fruit and vegetable-rich diet can also reduce the risk of eye disease and prevent intestinal inflammation.
Fruits and vegetables are known to be rich sources of vitamins and minerals. Including them in your diet is also a great way to get the fiber that you need in a palatable and easy to digest form.
Then there are antioxidants. Relatively little is known about antioxidants as yet, but what little is known is quite promising.
Antioxidants are thought to combat the debilitating effects of aging and disease, which makes them essential components for cancer-risk reduction and disease prevention.
In particular, fruits such as berries and orange vegetables such as carrots and pumpkins are rich in antioxidants, making them essential parts of a healthy diet.
Perhaps the best thing about smoothies is that they provide children and adults with a way to get the fruits and vegetables that they need in order to maintain good health. Many children–and even adults–don’t always get the nutrients that they need from the food that they routinely eat.
By incorporating healthy vegetables into smoothies, the thought of getting the recommended daily allowance of nutrients becomes a lot more appealing.
Best Fruits and Vegetables for Smoothies
Practically any fruit or vegetable can be made into a smoothie, and combining different fruits and vegetables together could make your blends even more enticing.
Most every one of these natural treasures has some sort of health beneficial component to it, and some have even been accorded the status of superfood.
Here are some of the best fruits and vegetables that you can make into your own nutrient-rich concoctions.
Avocados
There was a time when avocados were the darlings of the health food scene, and they are still highly-regarded to this day.
A virtual grocery list of vitamins and minerals are stored in its creamy flesh, including vitamins B6, C, E, and K, magnesium, niacin, potassium, and riboflavin.
They are also loaded with fiber, and are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Berries
If you like berries, you are in luck. These are among the best fruits you can add into your smoothie, and their natural sweetness and tanginess make them ideally suited to a wide variety of cold beverages.
Antioxidants are of course the most valued nutrients in berries, and most of them contain significant amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals as well.
Citrus
Citrus fruits are a virtual shoe-in for smoothies. With their high vitamin C content, they are just the thing to boost your immune system and put a spring in your step.
Pineapples, oranges, lemons, and limes are all vitamin C powerhouses of course, but they also contain health essential ingredients such as potassium and folate.
Bananas
Bananas are another obvious choice, not just for their nutrient content, but their flavor and texture as well.
I mean…who hasn’t had a banana smoothie?
Packed with potassium, they are an excellent choice for those that like to power up before a workout or replenish their depleted energy reserves afterwards.
Stone fruits
The so-called “stone fruits”–those with a hard seed in the center–include peaches, plums, mangoes, nectarines, and cherries.
They include good amounts of vitamins and minerals, but their antioxidant content is what makes them perfect smoothie ingredients.
Whether you mix and match or alternate between fruits, you are sure to get a good supply of these essential nutrients.
Orange vegetables
Perhaps not quite as popular as bananas or berries, orange vegetables such as carrots, pumpkins, squash, and sweet potatoes actually make for flavorful smoothies.
In addition to the unique flavor and texture they will add to your drinks, they also give you a good dose of vitamin A, potassium, and iron.
Greens
For those with more adventurous palates, green vegetables such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and even green peppers might just be what you need to take your smoothies to the next level.
They actually impart their own unique flavor that is by no means unpleasant, and their nutritional value is undeniable.
And when you combine them with any of the fruits listed above, they make for a tasty way to get your recommended allotment of green vegetables.
Smoothie Recipes You Can Try
Now that you have an idea which fruits and vegetables you can make into smoothies, why not try some of these recipes out for yourself? In addition to all the health benefits that they provide, they are undeniably tasty and refreshing as well.
But don’t stop there. Keep in mind that most any fruit or vegetable can serve as a flavorful ingredient for a smoothie, or make an excellent base for other flavors. Use these recipes as a guide for your own experimentations, and feel free to come up with your own nutritious creations!
Blueberry and Spinach Smoothie
Packed with loads of fiber, it is also a rich source of superfoods. And if you have ever struggled to get your kids to eat their daily recommended allowance of spinach, this might just be the most effective way to go about it!
Ingredients
1 cup blueberries, frozen
1 banana (slightly overripe is preferable)
1 cup spinach, fresh
⅔ cup milk
⅓ cup yogurt, plain
1 to 2 tablespoons of honey (You may use maple syrup instead)
1 tablespoon flax seed, ground finely
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients and puree in a blender until the consistency is smooth.
Berry Smoothie
This berry smoothie is a deliciously tangy concoction that combines raspberries and orange and lime juice with the sweetness of honey. A refreshing treat that can be enjoyed any time of the day, it is packed with vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants.
Ingredients
1 ½ cup ice
2 cup orange juice
1 cup raspberries, frozen
Juice of half a lime
2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
Blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy!
Raspberry Peach Smoothie
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Fresh tasting with a subtle sweetness, this smoothie is more like dessert than health food! Nevertheless, it packs an assortment of nutrients such as vitamins, fiber, and proteins into one tasty beverage.
Ingredients
1 cup ice
12 ounce can of frozen orange juice concentrate
1½ cup milk
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
1 cup raspberries, fresh
1 cup frozen peaches
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a blender and set to pulse. Process until smooth, and serve immediately.
Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie
“Superfoods” are among the hottest buzzwords in the health food industry, and for good reason. Nutrient-dense foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, they are perfect additions to any healthy diet. This blueberry-pomegranate combo is especially nutritious, giving you a nice energy boost as well.
Ingredients
2 cups ice
2 cups pomegranate juice
1½ cup spinach, fresh
1½ cup blueberries, fresh
1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a blender and set to pulse. You’ll know it’s ready when the consistency is smooth.
Mango Blueberry Smoothie
This recipe combines the sweetness of blueberries, with the rich tropical flavor of mango. The combination is quite heady and exotic, as you could imagine. Furthermore, you get the health benefits of both fruits, with the added bonus of the nutrients from the spinach.
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup spinach, fresh
1 cup mango
1 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons peanut butter
Juice of half a lime
1 tablespoon honey
1 ½ cup ice
Instructions
Blend all ingredients until smooth.
Strawberry Pineapple Kale Smoothie
This strawberry-pineapple-kale combination is so good, that anyone would mistake it for a decadent dessert. Make no mistake though: this smoothie is as healthy as they come, and it makes a great start to an active day.
Ingredients
1 cup ice
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1 ½ cups strawberries
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup kale, chopped
½ cup pineapple, chopped
1 banana
½ cup apple juice
Instructions
First, remove the ribs and thick stems of the kale. Then chop up the leaves along with the pineapple. Place the strawberries, milk, honey, and half the ice in blender, and pulse until smooth. Transfer it to another container, and then pulse the kale, pineapple, banana, apple juice, and remaining ice until smooth. Pour the strawberry in a tall glass and top with the kale mixture.
Spinach, Pear And Celery Smoothie
The idea of adding celery to a smoothie might give you reason to pause, but don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it! Along with the spinach, the celery adds just the slightest hint of ‘green’ to the sweet and tangy pear base, making for a delightful treat.
Ingredients
2 pears
2 celery stalks
2 cups spinach
1 ½ cup water
2 tablespoons yogurt (optional)
Instructions
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve in tall glasses. And enjoy 🙂