You probably already know that turmeric and I are bffs. Besides the fact that it stains my hands, I love the anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric in golden milk, turmeric healing soup, curry dishes and more. So why wouldn’t I put it in a smoothie? That question is exactly how I came up with this tropical turmeric green smoothie and I’m so glad!
Did you know turmeric has been proven to reduce inflammation in those with arthritis and other pro-inflammatory conditions? Turmeric is also considered an antioxidant, which means it can help protect us against free radical damage (free radicals are known to lead to illness and even cancers). Source: NCBI
Curcumin is the major active ingredient in turmeric that reduces inflammation and offers amazing health benefits. To improve your body’s absorption of curcumin, you’ll want two things in your smoothie:
- A healthy fat (i.e. coconut oil, nuts, seeds, avocado)
- Black pepper
These two things will help make the curcumin more available for your body to absorb. My preferred way of taking turmeric is with the whole turmeric root, but this can sometimes be difficult to find. If that’s the case, I use an organic turmeric powder.
Now, you might be thinking – turmeric doesn’t belong in smoothies! And yes, I was on your side years ago. But turmeric blends very nicely with tropical flavours like coconut and pineapple, so I’ve made sure to boost up those complimentary ingredients so that the turmeric isn’t overpowering and savoury.
But let’s talk about this protein powder for a quick second. Botanica was kind enough to send me a couple of their Perfect Protein powders to test out and review. Before agreeing to the collaboration, I asked some of the most important questions that came to mind:
- What is the source of the protein?
- Is your protein powder tested for quality?
Beside the fact that Botanica is 20g of plant-based protein per scoop, it’s also a very clean and additive-free formula. Most of the protein comes from brown rice, but also organic quinoa and coconut! My favourite part about it? No added sweeteners. No stevia, no sugar; just whole, organic foods.
However, with brown-rice sourced protein and any plant-based protein powders, there are concerns of heavy metals and arsenic content. Before agreeing to review the product, I made sure to ask about any of the testing done on their protein powders. Botanica is committed to quality and they test all of their protein batches for heavy metals and arsenic to ensure the healthiest product every time.
I love a company that does their research!
Alright, are you ready for the recipe?
- 1 banana
- 1 scoop Botanica Perfect Protein vanilla protein powder
- 1" turmeric root or 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- Pinch of black pepper (for curcumin absorption)
- 1 cup greens (kale, romaine lettuce or spinach)
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
- 2 tbsp flax seed
- 1+ cups of coconut milk for consistency
- Pranin Organic A-Z multi, iron, B vitamins and/or vitamin C (for an added nutritional boost - use coupon code "KellyMNutrition" for 20% off)
- 1/2 tsp spirulina (for a serious nutritional boost)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (for more coconut flavour and as a healthy fat option)
- 1 tsp honey (to sweeten)
- Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend. Enjoy!
- If you like your smoothie a little sweeter, add some raw, unpasteurized honey.
- If you like your smoothie a little thicker, use less liquid. Runnier? Use more.
Sources:
Curcumin: A Review of Its’ Effects on Human Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5664031/
