Over the last few years, many studies have shown that inflammation contributes to a number of health conditions and symptoms. Things like skin rashes, digestive troubles, headaches and migraines, brain fog, fatigue, and more can often be attributed to inflammation. So I took foods that I know help with these symptoms and blended them up into an anti-inflammatory smoothie recipe that legit works.
Table of Contents
Foods that Cause Inflammation
The foods that cause inflammation won’t surprise you. Red meat, processed and preserved meats and sausage, dairy, gluten and white flours/starches, refined sugar, and preservatives top the list. A diet rich in these potent foods will most likely cause you to feel cruddy anyway. If you’re susceptible to inflammation, these things can make symptoms even worse.
What can you do? Consuming a diet that is full of foods that fight inflammation is a great place to start.
Focus on whole food that are very similar to a Mediterranean diet, making it super doable for most people in the western world. Heck, I can get all of these foods at my local grocery store! It’s hard to make excuses when it’s accessible, right? Here’s a whole food list to focus on when fighting inflammation:
- tomatoes
- olive oil
- leafy greens + cruciferous veggies
- fruit, berries + other low glycemic fruits
- citrus – lemons and oranges
- fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids – salmon, sardines, mackerel
- ginger
- garlic
- turmeric
Certain seeds also have inflammation fighting properties – like chia, hemp and flaxseed. The good news is, you can find them all right in my homemade protein powder, plus 10g of protein! Try the anti-inflammatory smoothie below with the boost and soothe your body from the inside out. You really can use this in an of my healthy smoothie recipes to give them a boost.
Helpful FAQs
Citrus cilantro smoothie, anti-inflammatory smoothie, lemon smoothie, and pineapple ginger smoothie are all at the top of my list.
Outside of smoothies, there are lots of great and simple tonics with ingredients like ginger and turmeric that can help soothe the body.
For sure! Bananas are rich in antioxidants and fiber, making them a great addition to your anti-inflammatory diet.
A green smoothie with plant-based protein is a great way to start the day. Fight inflammation before it creeps up by consuming fruits + veggies like leafy greens and berries first thing in the morning.
More Anti-inflammatory Recipes
Here are a few of my fav recipes to help fight inflammation. Add these to your meal roster over the next few weeks, then let me know how you feel!
- Roasted veggie Mediterranean bowl
- Golden milk
- Citrus cilantro smoothie
- Carrot ginger soup
- Turmeric smoothie cubes
- Lime popsicles
- Lemon smoothie
- Avocado caprese salad
- Soothing PCOS smoothie
- Pineapple ginger smoothie
If these recipes are right up your alley, then sign up for my newsletter to get plant-based recipes just like these delivered to your inbox. Don’t forget to give the anti-inflammatory smoothie below a blend and let me know how you liked it with a rating + review!
Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup kale
- ½ cup beets peeled and chopped
- 1 cup water
- ½ orange peeled
- 1 cup mixed berries frozen
- ½ cup pineapple frozen
- 1 tsp ginger root peeled
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- Place kale, beet, water, and orange into a blender.
- Puree until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients.
- Blend again until smooth.
Notes
- Carrots can be substituted for the beets.
- Mango can be substituted for the pineapple.
- Baby kale or spinach can be used to make the smoothie less bitter.
- Use at least 1 frozen fruit for a refreshingly cool smoothie.
Is the coconut oil an anti-inflammatory; was wondering if I can leave that out?
Thank you!
Hey Amanda,
Yes, the coconut oil is an anti-inflammatory so if you can tolerate it I would definitely keep that ingredient.
Hello,
I would like to try this shake, but I have an allergy to pineapple. Do you have any recomendations for a replacement?
Mango is a good replacement for pineapple.
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Thanks for sharing the green smoothie love! 🙂
Can you use cows milk ?
Hi Villa,
Great question! Dairy can be pretty tough on your digestion, for that reason you won’t find it in our recipes – especially our Anti-Inflammatory Green Smoothie above where we want to show your belly some extra love. Including dairy in your diet – is definitely a personal decision. For us here at Simple Green Smoothies we’ve found that diary doesn’t make our bodies feel great, and if you’re not reaching for organic milk you can find yourself drinking a lot of additives, and lastly – dairy is actually the #1 undiagnosed food allergy. Love dairy and the way it makes you feel? Then go for it – and try adding it to a green smoothie recipe. I’d just suggest skipping our Anti-Inflammatory Green Smoothie as this recipe specifically is designed to heal your gut!
Every time i use spinach in my smoothie i have heart burn
Hi Christine.
Spinach not making your body happy? Swap out spinach for another leafy green you love! Here are a few of our favorites…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/leafy-greens
Love your website and all the information! However, should there be a concern about the high levels of sugar and carbs that are in the recipes? How does this fit into an overall healthy lifestyle? THANKS
Hi J,
Great question. Each smoothie has 3 cups of fruit in it, and it is recommended that an adult has 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit a day. When you drink 16oz of our green smoothie recipe you will be meeting, or just under your daily intake for fruit. If you feel like that is too much fruit, feel free to do 2 cups of fruit in each smoothie with 3 cups of leafy greens. Hope that helps. 🙂
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/low-sugar-fruits
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/
I tried this one today. It was first time I’ve used Kale. Having just completed the 10 day kickstart. I really enjoyed the kick the ginger gave it and I love fresh beetroot anyway. I had 2 servigs cos my hubby wasn’t keen. So now I’m stuffed like a little piggy 🙂
Hi,i have one question and i wanna know what do you think about it,i heard some rumors that when you blend your food you lose fiber and nutrition from it,personally i dont believe in that especially if you use a high power blender that can blend all food in 30s,i searched on internet and i cant find any studies that confirm that rumors,but i want to know your thoughts about it 🙂
Hi Strahinja,
Great question! We do believe that nutrients begin to “go away” and oxalate, but we don’t believe this happens right away. Our stance is that green smoothies stay good for you for up to two days, as long as they are in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
And while some nutrients may oxalate before you finish your green smoothie. If green smoothies help you add leafy greens + healthy nutrients to your body, we say some nutrients are better than no nutrients at all. #win!
Amanda, I’d like to make a correction to your reply to Strahinja. I believe you meant to say ‘oxidize’ instead of “oxalate” ~calcium oxalate is a crystal found often in urine and is a common cause of urinary/bladder/kidney stones.
Respectfully, Joanna B.
I’ve read that you lose the fiber when you use a juicer to process fruits or vegetables. I think with using a blender, everything stays in place. I’ve never used a juicer. I’ve been told that there is a filter/screen in juicers that catch everything except the liquid.