Category: Smoothie

Mango in a smoothie is one way to start your healthy morning. Learn about the fruit benefits and get ideas for your smoothie.

You’ll learn all about the mango healthy sides here…

First of all, the stone fruit has a good amount of fiber, so it’s a great morning starter to rev up the gut engines… plus the bright taste and sunny color is going to leave you happy. 🌅

You may not have a choice about what side of the bed you woke up on… but you do have a say in turning that wake-up frown, upside down to prepare you for your better day! 🥭

And saying yes to the fruit means adding vitamins and minerals that you may not have without.

For starters, mangos are loaded with Vitamin C that’s a smart morning staple. It’s the vitamin that has stayed constant in health benefits over the centuries. The “C” could stand for “cure” as it has been. And is a great immunity booster.

Plus, it’s water soluble so you can’t take too much.

The fruit is also a good source of Vitamin A good for eyesight and dry eyes if that’s you.

Mangos are inexpensive and found year-round in the U.S so there’s nothing stopping you.

You can get a fresh juice in seconds for less than you would pay for a soda loaded with sugars.

And if you think a mango is loaded with sugar… you’re right. It’s like a pineapple in that way. And mango has more sugar than low-sugar cookies.

…But the 20 or more vitamin and mineral benefits offset the sugar sides as shown in a 12-week study.

The findings include that despite the high sugar amount in a mango, the blood sugar in study participants tested lower as a deemed low-glycemic index food.

That’s what actually counts more than the printed sugar count on a cookie package.

And that news can be a game changer for pre-diabetes, preventing or even managing Diabetes if that’s a concern.

It also is named an anti-inflammatory food… that we like! And is good for everyone to protect against chronic inflammation and diseases.

Because of the polyphenol and fiber counts, eating a mango does good to help offset the gut-inflammatory aspects.

And in my own tests, my skin doesn’t crawl when I eat them… and is probably adding a rainbow glow and erasing lines. 😊

Which btw, you can probably guess what rainbow polyphenols are living in a mango based on its Goldenrod bright orange (paper) color. There was a Vitamin A hint above.

Found in carrots too, mangos have beta-carotene. They also have quercetin (found in apples and onions) as part of the great mango tango.

…And maybe that makes you dance inside a ‘lil 💃🏻 or look at a mango more positively than before.

Or even consider mango as a smoothie starter.

Add a banana and water or milk, and you’ve got a solid mango smoothie!

But you don’t have to stop there…

You can add all the healthy ingredients that help your gut, detox, and provide vitamins and antioxidants on top of mango!

You can pucker up with lemon that’s a winter citrus. It has a summer fruit reputation despite its year-round availability.

And for a third taste dimension, add ginger and turmeric that would make a super mango smoothie, that’s an anti-inflammatory powerhouse.

If you’re food dreaming of a mango drink 🥭, then you may also love mango lassi spiced just right or a mango juice vs. orange juice. Or a tropical green smoothie or morning mango parfait for probiotic gut-health bonus.

The healthy variety of tastes is unlimited!

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Mango Parfait

A morning mango parfait is an easy way to bring a smile to your mornings and weekends.

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

• mango, pureed
• Greek yogurt
• blueberries or blackberries (optional)

Instructions

• Layer yogurt bottom and add mango puree. Add a layer of contrasting berries if you like. Enjoy!

Coconut carrot apple smoothie is refreshing and healthy… and one you ought to consider on your list of smoothies.

It’s a bright anti-inflammatory smoothie that you can drink year-round and start your balanced breakfast with that includes fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fat to prep you for your protein bites.

AND it’s a great start for supporting weight loss goals

For starters:

Ginger – is a detox ingredient. This is a good ingredient to add to your daily beverage or water.  It’s a punchy flavor that helps digestion and inflammation.

Ginger pairs great with a carrot (…carrot ginger soup 💭).

Carrot is a balanced veggie that’s known for beta-carotene and it’s no surprise that it’s anti-inflammatory. Carrots also have lutein that’s good for eye health. 🥕

Pairing apple with carrot is another balanced pairing. “A” is for apple, and “b and c” is for beta-carotene and carrots.

Red Apple – loaded with anti-inflammatory quercetin. The apple skin has the most antioxidants, so when using all in your smoothie… choose organic apples.

A medium sweetness apple like Gala, Fuji, or Red Delicious apple works well.

And…

Coconut flour is a gluten-free flour that is good for thickening. Since there’s no peanut butter or banana in this smoothie (that’s another smoothie 😋), you need a denser solid ingredient that complements the smoothie taste.

The flour version is a more subtle coconut taste that’s consistent and gives the smoothie a creaminess. If you’ve ever had coconut milks, you may have experienced the inconsistency, where the liquid separates from the solids.

The separation can cause a mix of tastes (not good for picky critics).

Btw, if you have someone who doesn’t like an ingredient, you can always substitute or omit.

…That’s close to my heart because I used to detest ginger and now I love it. And you have stories with your food journey where you evolve in tastes when you give foods another chance… and even some earlier food allergies, you can grow out of.

Spices can be part of that journey.

Cinnamon is one good sweet anti-inflammatory ingredient that you want to keep trying.

…Like in this coconut carrot apple smoothie as one way. 

Ceylon cinnamon is the cinnamon that’s good for beverages as it’s the healthiest. It has a more sophisticated taste (my way of saying an acquired adult taste) than Cassia or traditional cinnamon we usually see and fragrantly use in baking treats like apple pie or galette desserts.

And to smooth-ie balance this smoothie, add your milk of choice.

Almond milk is a balanced plant-based milk. It has Vitamin D, E, A.

Adding some healthy fat like almonds (that almond milk comes from) help absorption.

Plus almond milk is usually easy to find in the stores, next to the cow’s milk you grew up drinking (that helped you grow up maybe a few extra inches). 🥛

Ready to make this tall smoothie?

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Coconut Carrot Apple Smoothie

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut flour, gluten flour
• ½ cup almond milk
• ½ red apple, chopped
• 10 baby carrots, cooked and softened
• ginger juice or powder to taste
• Ceylon cinnamon to taste
• shredded coconut to zhugh
• seeds, crushed

Instructions

• Blend milk, apple, carrots, flour, cinnamon, and ginger. Tip: keep the peels for texture if you prefer with organic apples. Gala or Fuji apples work well.