Instructions for all recipes: Combine ingredients and blend until smooth.
Assemble the recommended nine servings of fruits and vegetables on your kitchen counter, and the prospect of choking them all down in a day seems impossible. Blend them into an ice-cold smoothie, however, and suddenly being healthy becomes very doable. "Smoothies give you a fantastic nutritional bang for the buck," says Wendy Bazilian, R. D., author of The SuperFoods Rx Diet.
These pureed powerhouses can do much more than help you hit your nutrition quotas. We've whipped up the six best smoothie recipes designed with ingredients that tackle a variety of health concerns. Get ready to stretch your blender's limits way beyond party drinks.
The Tummy Smoother
You crunch and Pilates your way to a lean, mean middle, and then digestive woes like water retention, bloating, or constipation sabotage your flat-belly dreams. This stomach-friendly smoothie will help: It contains the enzyme papain as well as potassium, both of which calm an angry digestive system, plus four grams of fiber to tame and flatten an upset tummy. Ginger and mint nix nausea, fend off flatulence, and freshen breath. Bonus: The probiotics in yogurt boost friendly bacteria in your digestive tract to lessen gas.
What You'll Need
1 c peeled, seeded, cubed papaya
1 c frozen sliced peaches
1 medium pear, cubed, skin optional
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp sliced ginger
6 mint leaves
1/2 c low-fat Greek yogurt 6 ice cubes Garnish with mint after blending. Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 109 cal, 2 g fat (0.5 g sat), 21 g carbs, 15 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein
The Wrinkle Fighter
This berry-based beautifier will get a thumbs-up from your dermatologist for its skin-smoothing combo: anti-aging vitamin E from wheat germ, sun-damage- fighting omega-3 fatty acids from flax seed, and vitamin C from berries. "Vitamin C is essential for making collagen, tissue that literally holds your skin together and reduces the appearance of fine lines," says certified dietitian Christine Avanti, author of Skinny Chicks Don't Eat Salads. Plus, the oleic acid (a type of monounsaturated fat) in avocado has been linked to reducing wrinkles.
What You'll Need
1 c blueberries
1 c pitted cherries
1/2 c strawberries, hulled
1/4 avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tbsp wheat germ
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 c plain low-fat yogurt
1 c ice Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 153 cal, 5.6 g fat(1 g sat), 23 g carbs, 35 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 6 g protein
The Immunity Builder
Loaded with boosters like beta-carotene and vitamin C from mango, cantaloupe, and pineapple, this smoothie primes your infection-fighting army for action. "Vitamin C increases the production of white blood cells and antibodies," says Tanya Zuckerbrot, R. D., author of The F-Factor Diet. Finally, the duo of almonds and almond milk delivers plenty of defense-fortifying zinc.
What You'll Need
1 c peeled, pitted, cubed mango
1 c chopped cantaloupe
1/2 c cubed pineapple, fresh or canned
1/3 c ground almonds
1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
1 c ice Garnish with sliced almonds after blending. Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 150 cal, 6.8 g fat (0.5 g sat), 22 g carbs, 41 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein
The Baby Protector
This prenatal superstar packs the nutrients you need when you're expecting: Folate from OJ reduces the risk of birth defects, iron in prune juice helps blood carry oxygen to the baby, and calcium in milk helps prevent bone loss, says Cheryl Forberg, R.D., nutritionist for NBC's The Biggest Loser and the author of Positively Ageless. Blackberries, apricots, and kiwi offer healing vitamin C for a postnatal edge.
What You'll Need
3 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
1 c frozen blackberries
2 c peeled, cubed kiwis 2 apricots, skin optional
1/2 c skim milk powder
1 c prune juice, frozen in ice cube trays (or 1/2 c prune juice and 1 c ice cubes) Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 200 cal, 0.6 g fat (0 g sat), 45 g carbs, 78 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 6 g protein
The Hunger Killer
This hearty blend is stocked with filling fiber from fruit and protein from tofu. "Fiber helps you feel full without contributing tons of calories, and protein is the most satiating nutrient," says WH advisor Lisa Drayer, R. D., author of The Beauty Diet. Get added ammunition from the omega-3 fatty acids in flax seed oil. "Omega-3's help increase your metabolic rate and burn fat," Avanti says. "They've also been found to reduce the size and number of fat cells, especially in the belly."
What You'll Need
1 c strawberries, hulled
1 c cubed mango
1 lime, peeled and seeded
2 Tbsp flax seed oil
1/2 c silken tofu (1/4 of a package)
1 1/2 c ice Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 165 cal,10 g fat(1 g sat), 18 g carbs, 6 mgsodium,3 g fiber, 3 g protein
The Energy Booster
Potassium-rich bananas deliver energizing carbs, while protein powder and peanut butter give you energy to get through the three o'clock slump. Pantothenic acid, a B vitamin in yogurt and honey, helps convert food into fuel. Iron-rich wheat germ and cinnamon up blood oxygen levels so you won't get winded during your midday workout.
What You'll Need
2 frozen bananas, peeled and chopped
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp wheat germ
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp honey
3/4 c low-fat Greek yogurt
4 Tbsp skim milk powder 2 c ice Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 294 cal,7 g fat(2 g sat), 38 g carbs, 102 mgsodium,4 g fiber, 25 g protein
