Feb

Heart Healthy Green Smoothie Recipe

By Tracy Russell

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the USA. February is Heart Healthy month so I wanted to make a super heart healthy smoothie just for you.

I like to use oranges, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries in smoothies. Oranges have been shown to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol as well as having anti-inflammatory properties. Berries are also full of antioxidants which help reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

I also like to use some healthy fats. Avocados are packed with monounsaturated fat and can help lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels while raising the amount of HDL (good cholesterol) in your body. They also contain 81mcg of lutein. I also like to use flax seed as it is full of fiber, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which are essential for a healthy heart.

Greens are important too so I always add plenty of fresh baby spinach since it is full of lutein, folate, potassium, and fiber.

Heart Healthy Smoothie Recipe

– banana, peeled
– 1 orange, peeled
– 1 cup berries (I like to use 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup raspberries and 1/4 cup strawberries)
– ¼ avocado, pitted
– 2-3 cups or large handfuls of fresh, baby spinach (or other leafy green)
– 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed
– 4 ounces of water

Blend on high until smooth.

Smoothie Modifications

If you don’t want all the seeds from the strawberries, you can make this smoothie using only blueberries. Be sure to use a full cup of berries. You can add some protein powder to boost the protein content as well. Use dandelion greens or kale to increase the amount of calcium.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 334
Fat: 8g
Protein: 6g
Carbohydrates: 66g
Calcium: 17% Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
Iron: 19% RDA
Vitamin A: 264% RDA
Vitamin C: 191% RDA

This smoothie is also a rich source of folate, vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6 and K, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and potassium.

For more heart healthy smoothie ideas, take a look at our 100+ recipes. Submit your own recipe as well!