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For this island tropical smoothie recipe, I’ve included an array of tropical fruits and coconut water blended with a big handful of spinach. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to have a frosty glass of this island green smoothie poolside? And maybe a paper umbrella… Def a paper umbrella.
Our senses of smell and taste have the magical power to transport us directly back to any memory. It’s amazing. This tropical smoothie recipe does that for me. I love traveling to tropical places and spending plenty of time at the beach. I’m a California girl living in Florida, yet I’ll never tire of the ocean!
Take a mini-vacay to the beach with this delicious island green tropical smoothie recipe!
Table of Contents
How to Make an Island Green Smoothie
I’ve mentioned before that I don’t typically limit my fruit intake. I enjoy fruit when I’m in the mood as part of a well-rounded, healthy diet.
I know that’s not always the case for everyone. Those who need to watch their blood sugar should consult with a medical professional before blending.
In any case, I love using fruit to sweeten my smoothies – no processed sugar needed! Fruits like banana and pineapple are naturally sweet and really add a tropical punch to this smoothie. Read on to see just why they’re better for you than refined sugars.
Tropical Smoothie Ingredients
If you’re new to green smoothies, your tastebuds will go through a little adjustment phase as they recalibrate towards the natural sweetness of fruit and other flavors. Some smoothies will taste sweeter than others. If you’re someone who has a sweet tooth, start by blending smoothies made with tropical fruits. Look no further than the tropical beverage below to satisfy the sweetest of sweet teeth!
Tropical fruit adds the most sweetness to smoothies due to their higher sugar content. Lower sugar fruits include berries, bananas, stone fruits, apples, and pears. They are also sweet, but not as sweet as tropical fruit.
As your tastebuds adjust and when you’re ready, start blending other fruits. You’ll find that all fruit starts to taste sweeter and more flavorful now that sugar isn’t masking the other flavors. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself craving a daily dose of leafy green goodness.
Fruit Sugar vs. Refined Sugar
While it’s true that refined or processed sugars digest quickly and totally cause those icky blood sugar spikes, the sugar we ingest with fruit is completely different.
Fruit isn’t just full of sugar. With the natural sugar in fruit comes plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, etc., etc., not to mention dietary fiber.
Fiber is our friend.
Dietary fiber helps prevents blood sugar spikes by slowing things down as they move down the line so your body can absorb the nutrients at an even keel. You will stay full for longer and that same dietary fiber will help with keeping you, ahem – regular.
Give your body a natural reset through whole food
Brace yourself. I’m going to say a word that scares some who are new to plant based eating – detox.
If you’re looking for an easy way to detox daily, then the island green tropical smoothie recipe below is a great one to get blending.
Four times each year, I promise myself I’ll hit the reset button on my eating habits. I consciously make the choice to eat in ways, for short periods of time, that give my body the best of what plants have to offer. Part of that involves green smoothies of course! The nutrient + fiber rich greens do wonders to cleanse my body in a gentle, yet effective way.
If you’re ready to hit that reset button along with me, check out one of my Seasonal Cleanses. They are purely food based, no fancy-fancy pills or powders. You can cook and blend along with me, seeing results that I enjoy too – like better sleep, better skin and better energy.
FAQs
With a good dose of dietary fiber and a whopping 168 mg of Vitamin C, we sure think so! Yet, I know some rawkstars might need a bit less fruit sugar when blending. If that’s you, be sure to check out our Low Sugar Fruits for Smoothies.
Great question! Depending on the greens you use in your smoothies, you can end up taking in higher amounts of oxalates, which in turn may cause kidney stones. While this doesn’t happen often, if it’s something you’re concerned about we def recommend staying hydrated with good water and rotating your greens. Changing up your greens on the regular helps to keep from building up any one particular nutrient in your body and ensures you get a wide variety of all those oh-so-good for you vitamins, minerals and more.
Most of us don’t take in healthy fruits and veggie as often as we should. Using smoothies are an amazing way to up the intake of the good stuff. When I blend, I’m keeping all the fiber in with my veg + fruit, which helps clear out anything bad my body is holding onto. It’s a great way to detox gently.
More Island Tropical Smoothie Recipes
So now do I have you feeling all the tropical island feels??? If you’re ready for more vacation-worthy smoothies, be sure to give these a blend:
- Vegan tropical smoothie
- Tropical smoothie bowl
- Healthy margarita smoothie
- Piรฑa colada smoothie
- Dragon fruit smoothie bowl
- Perfect pineapple smoothie
Where would you like to be sipping these tropical smoothies: beach or poolside? Drop a comment below to let us know!
Island Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- ยฝ cup coconut water unsweetened
- 1 orange peeled
- ยฝ cup pineapple
- ยฝ cup mango
- ยฝ banana
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- BLEND spinach, coconut water, and orange together until smooth.
- ADD remaining fruit and blend again.
Equipment
Notes
- Use at least one frozen fruit to makeย the smoothie cold or serve over ice.
- May swap out coconut water with regular water, if preferred.
- To reduce sweetness, substitute avocado for banana.
- Swap out spinach for the leafy greens of your choice.
I love the Island Green Smoothie.
So refreshing and a wonderful treat.
It’s such a wonderful treat it almost feels like it can’t be good for you, yet it is!
I love coconut flavor but I never used coconut water. Where can you buy it? I love this combination. I looking forward to try it.
Hi Nathalie! Most grocery stores carry it!
Been awhile since I’ve used Coconut water, used to all the time, brought back so many memories ๐
Glad I’ve convinced you to get back to coconut water, Kelli!
I normally LOVE this smoothie, because I love tropical flavors and I even added some unsweetened coconut flakes to bump up the coconut flavor. Normally I donโt add any protein powder, but this time I added a scoop of Raw Organic Protein Powder (Garden of Life, unflavored and no stevia) to the mix and it seems like the powder dulls all the flavors. Bummer! I think Iโm learning that I donโt like protein powder in my smoothies in general. So Iโm going back to adding hemp seeds instead – that always tastes good!
You’re right, Kay! Sometimes the protein powder can be too much yet the hemp seeds are great in this one!
So much flavor in this one! I love it.
Love to hear that, Colleen!!
Loved this one today. So refreshing
This one is my go-to when I need something refreshing, Jayme!
Another tasty smoothie but not quite up to yesterdayโs for me. I added a different protein option so that may have had an impact. Will try it again next week without the addition and see.
Let me know how you like it without the protein!
I will stick with the day 1 smoothie again . not a fan of mango , and little shy on coconut water .
They’re def not all for everyone, Bill. Completely understand!
A smoothie to my liking..
Curious about the next one..
Glad you like this one, Marialuisa! Can’t wait to hear how you like the next one!
This is going to be my go-to in the summer months when I need an electrolyte boost. Thereโs a good balance of tart and sweet, at least thatโs what I tasted. Itโs hard to get good ripe oranges where I am so that may have given that note of flavor. Awesome recipe!
This one is like summer in a glass for sure, Ashley!
Another great smoothie! Loved the tropical flavor profile – with adding my lemon lime collagen it just gave it a little boost of more tropical flavors. Looking forward to having another for lunch today!
Hi Nikole! I bet the lemon lime went soooo good with this one!
I am loving it!
So glad you’re loving it, Ralitsa!
Tasty, reminded me of Orange Julius. Love the greens in this smoothie and how fruity it is! ๐
That’s what this one reminds me of too, Eilidh!!
I substituted the banana with avocado as per the notes and only used 1/4 cup of pineapple and 1/4 cup of mango. I used the optional homemade protein blend. I enjoyed this smoothie.
Hi Randi! Way to RAWK this smoothie!
This smoothie has nice flavor and it’s very filling. I’d love to taste more of the orange
So glad you like this one, Terri!
Love how refreshing this is. Goes down fast!
Almost too fast, Holly! I always want another!