Drink Your Way to Gut Health (13 page)

If you have been reluctant to try green-colored beverages, this is a great one to start with! The sweetness of the strawberries, apple, and apple cider add delicious flavor to the kale. For a detox bonus, the apples contain the soluble fiber pectin, which can help you detox by removing food additives and metals from your body.
Serves 1 (1½ cups)

Combine the kale, cider, apple, and strawberries in a blender (see Note) and blend until smooth.

In a glass, stir together the green juice mixture and vanilla yogurt until combined.

Serve, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

Note:
This works best with a high-speed blender. If using a traditional kitchen blender, chop the kale, strawberries, and apple before blending.

nutrition facts
(per serving)

250 calories, 2½ g fat, 1½ g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 75 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 37 g sugar, 10 g protein, 110% vitamin A, 30% calcium, 190% vitamin C, 8% iron

Green Goodness Smoothie

This is simple to whip up and is completely refreshing! The semi-sweet and tart flavor of the grapefruit pairs nicely with the ginger beer. The drink provides 70 percent (44 milligrams) of the daily requirement of vitamin C and 25 percent (1,186 IU) of vitamin A! In addition, the grapefruit provides the antioxidants beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene.
Serves 1 (1½ cups)

Combine the grapefruit and ginger beer in a blender and blend to puree. Pour into a glass, finish with a few ice cubes, and serve immediately.

nutrition facts
(per serving)

140 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 34 g sugar, <1 g protein, 25% vitamin A, 2% calcium, 70% vitamin C, 0% iron

Grapefruit Ginger Beer

Icy, refreshing and filling—each serving of this freeze has only 100 calories but packs in 3 grams of fiber to help fill you up.
Serves
2 (1 cup each)

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender (see Note) and blend until icy and smooth.

Divide between 2 glasses and serve.

Note:
This works well with a high-speed blender. If using a traditional kitchen blender, chop the apple into smaller pieces first.

nutrition facts
(per serving)

100 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 21 g sugar, 0 g protein, 2% vitamin A, 0% calcium, 10% vitamin C, 0% iron

The lemon and lime in this refreshing drink provide 12 milligrams of vitamin C (20 percent of what you need every day). Another benefit is that lemons can help decrease fluid retention. When you are choosing the citrus, look for fresh limes and lemons that are brightly colored. This is best when served chilled.
Serves 1 (1½ cups)

In a glass, gently muddle the lime and lemon slices to release the juices. Add the kefir and ice.

Serve, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

nutrition facts*
(per serving)

45 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 10 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 9 g sugar, <1 g protein, 10% vitamin A, 4% calcium, 20% vitamin C, 8% iron

*
It is difficult to calculate the nutrition facts for water kefir because the nutrition varies based on how much sugar is fermented by the kefir grains during the process.

A fresh tomato beverage with a little zip from miso. Each serving delivers 370 percent (18,746 IU) of the vitamin A you need, in addition to beta-carotene (from the carrot juice), lycopene (from the tomatoes), and lutein (from the kale). To lower the sodium, choose a low-sodium vegetable broth.
Serves 1 (1½ cups)

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Serve, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

nutrition facts
(per serving)

80 calories, ½ g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 2 g protein, 370% vitamin A, 4% calcium, 35% vitamin C, 4% iron

Pears and raspberries are among the fruit with the highest fiber content, so each serving of this smoothie has 6 grams fiber, which helps to fill you up. One cup of raspberries provides 8 grams fiber and 1 pear provides about 5½ grams.
Serves 3 (1 cup each)

Combine the yogurt, frozen raspberries, and milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the pear and blend until smooth.

Divide among 3 glasses and serve, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

Note:
If pear-flavored yogurt is not available, instead use ¾ cup vanilla
Greek yogurt or Vanilla Bean Smoothie
.

nutrition facts
(per serving)

130 calories, 1½ g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 55 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 18 g sugar, 8 g protein, 4% vitamin A, 15% calcium, 25% vitamin C, 2% iron

Peach and ginger combine perfectly to sweeten kombucha, with an extra boost of sweetness from honey. Look for frozen peach slices that are not packed with added sugar or syrups. If peaches are in season (late June through August), then opt for fresh peaches. Choose peaches that are firm and free of blemishes. You can tell when a peach is ripe by gently applying pressure to the skin, if you can slightly push in on the skin, then it is ripe.
Serves 1 (1½ cups)

Combine the peaches, water, and honey in a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour the kombucha into a glass, add the frozen peach mixture, and gently stir to combine. Serve immediately.

nutrition facts
(per serving)

100 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 21 g sugar, 2 g protein, 10% vitamin A, 2% calcium, 20% vitamin C, 2% iron

Peach Ginger Kombucha

The saying “cool as a cucumber” probably originated from the idea that cucumbers are so refreshing on account of their high water content (up to 90 percent). That refreshing cucumber works well in this smoothie and is an excellent way to add vegetables to your beverages. In addition, the enzyme bromelain from the pineapple can improve digestion and cleanse the body.
Serves 2 (1 cup each)

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If necessary, add water to thin the mixture to ease blending.

Divide between 2 glasses and serve, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

nutrition facts
(per serving)

150 calories, 2 g fat, 1½ g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 60 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrates, <1 g fiber, 18 g sugar, 9 g protein, 10% vitamin A, 25% calcium, 35% vitamin C, 4% iron

The nutrition boost of this beverage comes from the deep purple color that the blueberries and pomegranate provide, which makes it rich in anthocyanins. Pomegranate juice is rich in flavor as well, and not overly sweet. When buying pomegranate juice, choose 100 percent pomegranate juice for the maximum nutrition benefit.
Serves 1 (1½ cups)

Combine the blueberries, pomegranate juice, and ice in a blender and blend until icy and smooth.

Add the kombucha to a glass and stir in the icy blueberry pomegranate mixture.

Serve, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

nutrition facts
(per serving)

120 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 10 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrates, 62 g fiber, 22 g sugar, <1 g protein, 0% vitamin A, 10% calcium, 0% vitamin C, 2% iron

One of my very favorite vegetables is roasted beets—I like them just as much when they are blended with yogurt, pomegranate juice, and fresh ginger. If you make roasted beets for dinner, make extra for smoothies throughout the week, they blend well and add a beautiful bright purple-red hue.
Serves 1 (1 cup)

Combine the roasted beets and yogurt in a blender and blend until smooth.

Add the pomegranate juice and fresh ginger and blend until smooth.

Serve, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

Note:
To roast beets, scrub and chop a medium beet into ½-inch cubes. Tightly seal in tin foil. Roast in a 425°F oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. If you have extra, you can refrigerate them to use for smoothies throughout the week.