- Watermelon-pineapple smoothie: Your vitamin C-fortified morning drink
This luscious red smoothie is loaded with anti-inflammatory nutrients like vitamin C, lycopene from watermelon, and bromelain from pineapple. The natural sweetness from these fruits delivers a fresh burst of flavor with every sip, meaning you don’t need artificial sweeteners. Enjoy it as a quick drink before work or to cool down in the evenings.
2. Almond milk smoothie
Are you looking for a super tasty combination of healthy fats, protein and fiber to kickstart the day? Consider this almond milk smoothie. It is full of nuts and dates that deliver the right amount of fiber, and laced with cinnamon powder for heightened flavour. The sweetness comes from honey, which is known to kickstart metabolism when taken in the morning.
Ingredients: ½ cup almond/oats milk, raw honey, crushed walnuts, two mejdool dates, ground cinnamon
3. Matcha smoothie
Ditch your regular tea with this refreshing antioxidant-rich matcha smoothie – Matcha is rich in polyphenols and catechols, both of which tone down systemic inflammation and help with weight loss, heart functioning and brain development. Amp up the fiber quotient of your smoothie by blending leafy greens such as kale and spinach along.
4. Radish beetroot smoothie
Taking this radish-beetroot smoothie first thing in the morning is a great way to boost your digestion. Radish is great for the liver and aids in bile movement; plus it’s packed with flavonoids, anthocyanins, folic acid and vitamin C, all of which help nourish the skin. Together with beetroot- which is a potently anti-inflammatory, it makes for a power tonic that keeps you satiated well till lunch.
Ingredients: 1 cup plain nondairy yogurt, ½ a beetroot, ½ a radish, any natural sweetener, roasted cumin
5. Cacao smoothie
Expecting a taxing day ahead? Why not indulge yourself first thing in the morning! This sinfully tasty flavonol-rich smoothie is loaded with heart-healthy fats from chia seeds and almonds, and lots of micronutrients like magnesium, potassium and antioxidants from cacao powder. The blend of cacao and nuts make for a fiber-rich, protein-packed drink that not only supports metabolism but also lifts your mood.
Ingredients: chia seeds, 1 cup almond milk, 3 tablespoons cacao powder, 1 mashed banana (optional), vanilla essence (optional), dates and raisins (for sweetness), ground cinnamon
6. Coconut milk smoothie
Don’t get daunted by the high-fat content of coconut milk. Despite being calorie-dense, it’s full of MCTs, or medium-chain triglycerides, which help reduce appetite and lower calorie intake, making you consume lesser calories for lunch. Not just that, coconut milk has been found to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol. All the more reason to include this humble yet refreshing smoothie to your morning routine!
Ingredients: 2 cups plain coconut milk, 3 mashed bananas, frozen blueberries (optional), 2 tablespoons honey
7. Lemon cucumber mint coconut milk smoothie
This minty green smoothie gets triply refreshed from the addition of lemon, cucumber and mint. Using coconut milk as the base is purely your choice, but we recommend that because of its sweet, nutty flavour that doesn’t really interfere with all that freshness.
Ingredients: 1 cup coconut milk, 1 cucumber, ½ cup mint leaves, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ice cubes (optional)
8. Watermelon-mint smoothie
Low in calories but high in nutrients, there’s no fruit like watermelon! Whether you want to hydrate after a long run or take a cooling drink to beat the heat, this watermelon smoothie will suffice. The freshness of mint leaves just makes it even more satiating. Don’t forget to add the ice cubes!
Ingredients: 1 cup almond milk, 1 cup watermelon chunks, ½ cup mint leaves, ice cubes
9. Mango-Banana smoothie
Are you looking for a combination of taste, health, and flavor? Well, our choice would be this mango-banana smoothie. It’s rich in potassium, which reduces muscle soreness and promotes recovery, making it a great drink post-workout. And mango has a dozen acids like tartaric acid and malic acid, as well as polyphenols that fight oxidative stress, alkalizing the whole body while boosting immunity.
Ingredients: 1 cup almond milk, 1 ripe mango, 1 overripe banana, vanilla essence, raw honey
Pro tip: For an ice-cream like consistency, use frozen fruits and throw a cup of condensed milk to the blender along with the listed ingredients
10. Pineapple-banana cocktail
Need a break from your screen? Whip up this tropical pineapple-orange drink! It tastes like summer vacation and takes you to idyllic beaches even while you wear away at your desk job.
Ingredients: 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks, 1 cup orange juice, 1 banana, 1 cup almond milk
For garnish: coconut shavings, chopped nuts, ground cinnamon
