Every now and then, I feel like I need a little unconventional routine to start my day. An immune-boosting banana orange smoothie seemed like the appropriate way to welcome the morning. So, if you share this feeling, please check out my eccentric combo or bookmark it for that special moment!
Why This Smoothie Is a Morning Mood Booster
This recipe is rich in taste and is literally packed with highly beneficial nutrients. The ingredients I chose make for an abundant antioxidant environment and a really powerful mood regulator. What got me excited about this smoothie was the basic combination: orange and banana.
While mixing fruits from different acidity groups (bananas – sweet, and oranges – acid) is important for proper digestion and minimizing the risk of IBS and similar disorders, it is not my priority when making smoothies because it tends to get in the way of unbiased experimenting, which is an environment I appreciate the most.
The thick and mushy banana taste is contrasted by the sharp and acidic flavor of the orange and dominated by its refreshing scent. This tropical-flavored mix, combined with the nutritional values contained within, made me interested in making it a nice recipe.
Benefits of Bananas
Bananas, the famous potassium supercharge, act as a blood pressure regulator and help decrease cancer and asthma risks. Aside from the potassium, they are rich in magnesium and folate as well, the latter making them pregnancy-friendly.
Another benefit is the fight against kidney stone creation and assistance toward the preservation of memory. Finally, the most amazing role of bananas is replenishing the body with all the nutrients we lose in case of diarrhea.
I will use milk as a base for this banana orange smoothie and will leave it up to you which kind you choose. And as I’m after that eccentric flavor, I decided to go with one cup of my favorite: goat milk.
Chop two bananas in a blender while adding the milk and oranges.
Why Whole Oranges, Not Just Juice
Many people online suggest squeezing the oranges and using the juice. While it’s the tidier option, you don’t have to peel carefully nor worry about removing the seeds, I would suggest otherwise.
Spend a couple of minutes carefully peeling and cleaning up the oranges, and enjoy the full taste of the pulp! Although there is no clear understanding of the reasons yet (boosting the antioxidant effects is one suspect), the fact remains that the pulp is recommended along with the juice.
Two oranges seemed like the right amount to go with. This will empower the antioxidant environment and contribute toward revitalizing your mood as the calcium releases hormones and enzymes that promote a positive mood, affecting all vital functions.
The oranges are a megapack of more than 150 phytochemicals and around 60 nutrients called flavonoids. This combination of anti-inflammatory properties also bears a powerful antioxidant effect, promotes healthy skin, and boosts the immune system, backed by the high vitamin C content. And finally, the rich vitamin B environment in oranges helps the body convert food into energy.
So the contrasting orange taste actually turns into a basic ingredient for this recipe.
Benefits of Cranberries
After the mush finally becomes one pale orange shade, proceed by adding the next, quite refreshing ingredient. Cranberries are an amazing fruit, a very common topic among healthy food promoters, and probably rightly so.
They are extremely abundant in antioxidants, making them an additional immune-boosting ingredient in this recipe. These delicious berries even got the epithet “superfood” these days.
No wonder, given the fact that even the Native Americans used them as food and medicine. Some of the other benefits include an important role in the prevention of some types of cancer, lowering infections of the urinary tract, and blocking free radicals from spreading damage.
Cranberries boost oral health by fighting bacteria and restricting them from sticking to the teeth.
Add 1/2 cup of cranberries into the mix and enjoy the red nuance taking over the pale display. Once again, I do everything I can to find fresh fruits, so using fresh cranberries is recommended.
The Pear Power
Since we are packing this smoothie with profoundly healthy ingredients, we will refrain from overpacking it with ingredients. Thus, the last one for today is the pear. The pear is another extremely healthy fruit, adding the last shot of nutrition to the mix.
From contributing to weight loss and lowering the possibility of cancer development to fighting hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, the benefits are across the board. Also, being rich in fiber, it promotes a healthy digestive tract and a healthy gallbladder.
Pro Tip: There’s no need to always carelessly dismiss the leftovers. Its A, C, E, and B vitamin combo contents, along with the potassium, zinc, manganese, and iron, make the banana peel useful in calming skin inflammation and reducing or preventing acne spread.
Another one. I prefer washing the fruit nicely and not peeling it if I don’t have to. And when it comes to pears, it’s a personal rule.
Did you know that eating the peel can increase the amount of phytonutrients by almost 4 times? And a combination of some carotenoids like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin with vitamins A and C is what can keep us safe from harmful free radicals in our body.
The Final Blend + Optional Ginger Kick
Chop and seed one pear, add it to the mix, and blend it nicely. The main flavor is ready to be served. But before you do so, there’s an optional finishing touch for today’s banana orange smoothie recipe.
Try to add a couple of drops of ginger before serving. It is a really magnificent root with proven benefits, but today I am mostly after that sharp, punchy aftertaste.
The Banana Orange Smoothie Recipe:
- 1 cup of cold milk (of choice)
- 2 bananas, peeled
- 2 oranges, peeled and seeded
- 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries
- 1 mid-sized pear
- Few drops of ginger (optional)