6 Healthy Ingredients to Supercharge Your Smoothie

By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D. Associate Nutrition Editor for EatingWell Magazine

I’m on a big smoothie kick lately. Every morning, I’ve been blending up different variations of frozen fruit and skim milk or yogurt with a handful of walnuts. It’s a refreshing breakfast on hot mornings that also happens to be nutritious.

More from EatingWell:
21 Quick & Healthy Smoothie Recipes
Best & Worst Smoothies to Buy at Fast-Food Restaurants
4 Foods to Boost Your Workout

As a registered dietitian and associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, I’ve been thinking of ways to kick up the nutritional impact of my new favorite breakfast even more. Here are six health-packed ingredients to supercharge your smoothie:

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• Green Tea

  Really, what can green tea <em>not </em>do? The world's most popular beverage boasts cancer-fighting catechins. Those antioxidants may also help to boost your immunity. One more benefit? It may help to protect your skin from sun damage. <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeyparsons/3330122842/" target="_hplink">joey.parsons</a></em>

• Silken Tofu

  Silken tofu is loaded with protein, which can help you feel full longer and curb snack attacks midmorning. If you buy calcium-set tofu, you'll also get a good dose of calcium. <em>Photo from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Morinu-Soft-Silken-12-Ounce-Packages/dp/B000LKZ84W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345651338&sr=8-1&keywords=silken+tofu" target="_hplink">Amazon.com</a></em>

• Pomegranate Juice

  Preliminary research suggests pomegranate juice helps relieve sore muscles after exercise (cherry juice is credited with the same effect, so that's another juice you could try in your smoothie). But that's not all: the antioxidants in a daily cup of pomegranate juice might help to keep free radicals from oxidizing "bad" LDL cholesterol, suggested a preliminary study in the <em>American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</em>. (Oxidized LDL contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries.) <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fisherkate/4480996999/" target="_hplink">fishbone1</a></em>

• Vanilla Kefir

  If you haven't tried kefir, you should. It's a drinkable yogurt that's full of calcium and healthy probiotics that may help give your immune system a little extra edge.

• Kombucha

  Kombucha is a fermented tea with a fizzy "zip," offered in flavors from mango to cayenne-watermelon. Newly available in supermarkets, it has probiotics and more antioxidants than other teas. <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/inkdroid/3270983064/" target="_hplink">inkdroid</a></em>

• Flaxseed

  The health community is buzzing about omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed and flaxmeal (ground from flaxseed) are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3. ALA may help to lower inflammation and increase blood flow in the body, reducing the risk of high blood pressure and blood clots.

What are your favorite smoothie ingredients?

By Kerri-Ann Jennings

Kerri-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian, is the associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, where she wields her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends. In her free time, Kerri-Ann likes to practice yoga, hike, bake and paint.

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Comments

[Brett Rabbat]

11:34 PM on 10/17/2012

Need help, blender or juicer.

[Jenny Fox]

10:10 AM on 10/16/2012

I add 2 scoops of Body By Vi shake mix for the protein,fiber and vitamins keeps me full longer and keeps me on my toes

[jamisonmonroe]

09:01 AM on 08/26/2012

1st thing one should do to make a smoothie more healthy is cut out the dairy. The dairy creates a lining of the intestinal walls that inhibits absorption of all the nutrients.

[NotMyBirthday21]

10:34 AM on 08/26/2012

If you cut of the dairy, that smoothie that just tasted incredible now tastes horrible.

[homer winslow]

04:50 PM on 08/28/2012

Which means you do not know how to make good smoothies.

[pignewtons]

05:59 PM on 08/24/2012

I put chia seeds in my smoothies, which I think is better than flax. Weight for weight, chia seeds contain: 10 times more Omega 3 than salmon, 4 times more antioxidants than blueberry, 3 times more iron than spinach, 20% high quality protein, high levels of the natural anti-inflammatory omega 6, an assortment of naturally occuring vitamins and minerals, 5 times more calcium than milk, 15 times more magnesium than broccoli and 18 amino acids. These tiny little guys are considered the Aztec superfood.

[Lisa Arends]

05:51 PM on 08/24/2012

My current favorite is one I call green gingersnap: 1/2 banana, ice, fresh ginger (1", peeled), 1/4 soaked cashews, vanilla extract, vanilla protein powder (I use Vega), 1 tbs molasses, 2 cups spinach, 1 loose cup kale, vanilla almond milk. I love it after a workout - refreshing and a good source of protein and carbs to refuel. http://lessonsfromtheendofamarriage.com

[rc42]

03:52 PM on 08/24/2012

I love smoothies.My new fav is coconut water,spinach,frozen cherries,hemp seed,green powder and coconut oil.