This will probably be the most visually dramatic smoothie you’ll ever make! Who needs food coloring when nature provides such vibrant colors?
What does this taste like? You should see for yourself! But if you’re curious before you try, it mostly tastes like the berries with a sweetness that pops from the orange juice. The earthiness from the beets is very minimal and pretty undetectable.
Why beets?
Beets are fun to use in the kitchen (but they might stain your cutting board!). Aside from being visually stunning, beets are an excellent source of fiber, folate, manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C.
Beets can reduce blood pressure as well as improve physical performance and brain function. How? Beets contain nitrates, which aids in dilation of blood vessels and increases blood flow to the brain. The frontal lobe of the brain in particular, which is the area associated with decision making and working memory.
Studies have shown that exercise combined with beet root juice intake had brain networks that more closely resembled those of younger adults.1
Can smoothies spike blood sugar?
Yes. The beautiful thing about smoothies is the fruits and vegetables are wrapped in fiber, which helps to lower blood sugar. BUT it’s processed into a drink that makes it so much easier to consume quickly versus sitting down and chewing a plate full of all the those same ingredients. With smoothies, you want to take your time and don’t chug it!
This is precisely why I prefer smoothies over juicing: because of the fiber. Juicing removes all that incredibly important fiber and your blood sugar doesn’t stand a chance!
Is frozen fruit as good as fresh?
Absolutely! Don’t feel that you’re missing out on nutrients if your fruit is frozen rather than fresh. Frozen is just as nutritious and is fast and convenient for smoothies. Also, the cold fruit makes it so you don’t have to add any ice!
Flaxseed power!
Flaxseeds are small but mighty, packing an impressive amount of omega-3s (1 Tbsp contains 1,597 mg!), lignans, and fiber as well as vitamins and minerals. Make sure you’re consuming ground flaxseeds, as whole seeds will just pass through before the body has a chance to extract the nutrients.
What are lignans? Lignans are a phytoestrogen and antioxidant and flaxseeds contain 75 to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods!2
Phytoestrogens have a bad reputation that they don’t deserve as they are such a powerful compound with unique health benefits! Phytoestrogens are much weaker than mammalian estrogen and they don’t behave in the same way; they have both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects in the body. When you consume phytoestrogens, your body produces less active forms of estrogen, which reduces breast cancer risk and can help alleviate menopausal symptoms.3 Consuming 1-4 tablespoons of flaxseed meal per day may not only help with reducing the risk of breast cancer but also contribute to the death of breast tumor cells.4
The easiest way for me to get flaxseeds into my regular diet is to sneak them into smoothies! I also sprinkle them on oatmeal, cold cereal, and spaghetti. Easy peasy.
What are hemp hearts?
Think you need fish for omega-3 fatty acids? Think again! Three tablespoons of hemp seeds contain 3,000 mg of ALA omega-3 fatty acids, which is 162–236% of the daily recommended intake.5
Hemp hearts are hulled hemp seeds, they have a delicious buttery/nutty flavor and are loaded with healthy fats, protein, omega-6 as well as vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc.
Hemp hearts may reduce blood pressure, lower your risk of heart disease, and aid in digestion. I always add these to my smoothies for a little nutrient boost!
Print
Beet and Berry Antioxidant Smoothie
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, this fuchsia-colored smoothie is as tasty as it looks!
Ingredients
- 8 oz Orange Juice
- 1 cup Frozen Berry Mix (a blend of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries is my favorite!)
- 1/2 cup of Beets (washed, keep the skin on!)
- 1/2 cup Grapes (purple skinned is preferred)
- 1/2 of an Apple
- 1/2 of a Banana
- 1 Tbsp Flaxseeds (optional but highly recommend! )
- 1 Tbsp Hemp Hearts (optional but highly recommend! )
Instructions
- Roughly chop the apple and beet.
- Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Add anything else to-taste!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: drinks and smoothies
- Method: blending
- Cuisine: American
Did you enjoy this colorful smoothie? I’d love to hear! Leave me a comment below! 🙂
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5861951/
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed#1
- https://www.oncologynutrition.org/erfc/healthy-nutrition-now/foods/flaxseeds-and-breast-cancer
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5808339/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-plant-sources-of-omega-3s#:~:text=Hemp%20seed%20oil%2C%20which%20is,of%20omega%2D3%20fatty%20acids.&text=Three%20tablespoons%20(30%20grams)%20of%20hemp%20seeds%20contain%203%2C000%20mg,of%20the%20daily%20recommended%20intake.
