Superfood Smoothies: Nutrient-Packed Recipes for Fighting Inflammation

Inflammation is your body’s natural response to injury or infection. It helps protect and heal damaged tissue. However, chronic inflammation that sticks around long after an illness or injury can lead to several diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders .

The good news? The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients found abundantly in superfoods can help counter inflammation. Blending these superfoods into nutritious smoothies makes for a refreshing, satisfying way to fight inflammation from the inside out.

In this superfood smoothie workshop, we will:

• Discuss the top anti-inflammatory superfoods
• Share the benefits of blending versus juicing
• Provide 5 nourishing anti-inflammatory smoothie recipes

So let’s start this smoothie party!

Why Superfood Smoothies?

Smoothies make it easy to pack a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and superfoods into one convenient, portable meal or snack. Unlike juicing, which strips away important fiber, blending maintains the full nutritional profile of ingredients. The chewing action of a high powered blender also breaks down cell walls to boost absorption of nutrients.

Another perk? Smoothies can be customized to your taste and dietary needs. Don’t like kale? Swap in spinach or chard. Almond milk doesn’t agree with you? Coconut, oat or hemp milk can be subbed in. The flavor combos are endless!

Top Anti-Inflammatory Superfoods

Want to fight inflammation from the inside out? Load up your smoothie with these antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient powerhouses:

Leafy Greens – Greens like kale, spinach, swiss chard, arugula, and romaine contain Vitamins A, C, and K. These nutrients protect cells from free radical damage that trigger inflammation.

Berries – All berries are packed with antioxidants called anthocyanins that fight inflammation and protect heart health. Studies show blueberries and strawberries are most potent.

Pineapple – This tropical fruit contains the enzyme bromelain, which research has shown to reduce joint inflammation and swelling.

Citrus Fruits – Oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes are loaded with Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that battles inflammation.

Turmeric – Curcumin, the main active compound in turmeric, is a potent anti-inflammatory. Research shows it outperforms pharmaceutical drugs!

Ginger – Ginger exhibits anti-inflammatory properties that may help relieve joint pain, muscle soreness, and reduce skin inflammation like psoriasis.

Tart cherries – These cherries contain high levels of anthocyanins that mitigate inflammation 7 and reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness.

Seeds – Chia, hemp and flax seeds provide inflammation-taming omega-3 fatty acids. Sprinkling them into smoothies is an easy way to reap benefits.

Cacao nibs – These crushed cacao beans contain flavonoids with antioxidant effects that protect nerve cells from inflammation. Just a tablespoon packs in nutrients minus the added sugar.

Cinnamon – This fragrant spice has strong anti-inflammatory properties according to research. Sprinkle on top of smoothies or add to the blender.

Benefits of Blending vs. Juicing

With both smoothies and juices you can pack in fruits and veggies galore. However, there are a few advantages blending has over juicing:

Fiber – Blending keeps all the fiber intact whereas juicing strips it away. Fiber promotes good gut health to fight inflammation from the inside out.

Nutrients – Juicing separates liquid nutrients from insoluble fiber. Blending allows full absorption of all nutrients in whole ingredients.

Satiety – Ingredients retain their full volume and thickness for increased satiety compared to juice. This results in more sustained energy.

Blood Sugar – Fibrous smoothies blunt spikes in blood sugar that can increase inflammation. The fiber in juice smooths out absorption.

Waste – Blending minimizes waste since you use the entire fruit and vegetable. Juicing discards nutrient rich pulp fiber.

Cost – Blending gets more mileage per buck since it utilizes the entire ingredient. With juicing you toss the fiber pulp.

If you love vegetable juices, stick to a 4 oz serving alongside fiber rich smoothies for best inflammation fighting benefits.

5 Nourishing Anti-Inflammatory Smoothies

Ready to blend up some inflammation soothing sips? Whip up a couple of these yummy antioxidant-rich smoothie recipes each week to fight inflammation from the inside out.

1. Turmeric Sunshine Smoothie

Turmeric pairs beautifully with the tropical mango, pineapple and coconut milk. The black pepper boosts the bioavailability and anti-inflammatory effects of the turmeric.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup frozen mango chunks
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 Medjool date, pitted

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to high speed blender.
2. Blend until smooth, about 60 seconds.
3. Pour into glass and enjoy!

2. Blueberry Bliss Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

Blueberries top the charts in antioxidant power to banish inflammation. Paired with inflammation fighting leafy greens, ginger and tart cherry juice, this smoothie is brimming with health perks.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup chopped kale leaves
• 1/2 banana, sliced and frozen
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup tart cherry juice
• 1 Tbsp almond butter

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a high speed blender.
2. Blend until smooth, about 60 seconds.
3. Enjoy immediately!

3. Green Tea Berry Smoothie

The combo of antioxidant-rich matcha green tea powder with mixed berries makes this smoothie a sweet inflammation-fighting nutrient bomb!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries
• 1 large handful baby spinach
• 1 tsp matcha green tea powder
• 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to high speed blender.
2. Blend until smooth, about 60 seconds.
3. Pour into glass and enjoy!

4. Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

This decadent smoothie secretly packs an anti-inflammatory punch. Cacao nibs provide antioxidant flavanols while tart cherry juice counters inflammation.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup frozen pitted dark cherries
• 1 Tbsp cacao nibs
• 1 Tbsp almond butter
• 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup tart cherry juice

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to blender jar.
2. Blend until smooth, about 60 seconds.
3. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

5. Green Pineapple Ginger Smoothie

Pineapple and ginger combine forces to fight inflammation in this bright, citrusy blend of fruits and greens.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
• 1 cup chopped kale leaves
• 1/2 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 medium banana, sliced and frozen
• Juice from 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp honey or pure maple syrup

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in high speed blender.
2. Blend until smooth consistency, about 60 seconds.
3. Pour into glass and enjoy immediately!

Tips for Building the Ultimate Anti-Inflammatory Smoothies

Follow these simple tips to whip up custom smoothies that fight inflammation and keep you feeling your best:

• Always include leafy greens like kale, spinach or swiss chard. Aim for at least one cup per smoothie.
• Rotate different fruits like blueberries, pineapple, cherries, citrus fruits and pomegranate.
• Boost with spices like cinnamon, turmeric, ginger and black pepper.
• Add healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocado, or nut butters. These boost absorption of fat-soluble nutrients.
• Sneak in anti-inflammatory superfoods like tart cherry juice, green tea powder, cacao nibs and ground flaxseed.
• Swap allergens with substitutions like seed milks if dairy is a no-go or fruit if nightshades cause problems.
• Lean toward frozen fruit to avoid diluting smoothies with ice. They also blend up thicker.
• Use full fat coconut milk versus light. The blend of protein and healthy fats promotes satiety.

Ready, Set, Blend!

Now that you know which superfoods pack an anti-inflammatory punch, let’s get to blending up some beauties! Experiment with different ingredient combos and find your perfect smoothie formula. Just don’t forget to include plenty of leafy greens and antioxidant-rich superfoods in each blend.