Aronia berry smoothie

Antioxidant Boosting Aronia Berry Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 organic banana
  • 1 cup frozen berries
  • 1 tbsp Aronia berry powder
  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ½ cup water

Did you try our antioxidant Aronia berry breakfast smoothie? Be sure to snap a picture and tag us on Instagram @jj_aronia!

Nutrition Facts

Calories447
% Daily Value
Total Fat 5.4g7%
Saturated Fat 3.2g16%
Cholesterol 10mg3%
Sodium 76mg3%
Total Carbohydrate 78.9g29%
  Dietary Fiber 13.4g48%
Total Sugars 49.7g
Protein 23.9g
Calcium 266mg20%
Iron 3mg14%
Potassium 1060mg23%

When it comes to improving your body’s natural defences against illness, there is nothing better than a boost of antioxidants. A great way to start the day and protect your immune system is with this Aronia berry breakfast smoothie. Berries are one of the richest sources of antioxidants on the planet and make an incredibly tasty ingredient too. 
Ready to give your body the boost it needs? Give this super simple 5-minute recipe a go! 

Make sure you have a blender on hand to whizz up your ingredients and let’s get started.

  1. Add all of your ingredients to your blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Serve immediately and enjoy!

What Are Antioxidants?

You may be wondering what makes antioxidants so important to our health, so before we dive into the recipe let me explain what makes this smoothie so good for you. 

Antioxidants are cell molecules that fight off any nasty free radicals within the body. Although not all free radicals are bad and the body’s immune system can use them to fight off infections. If the level of free radicals outweighs that of antioxidants in your system, the body can enter what is known as “oxidative stress”.

When in oxidative stress, the high level of free radicals in the body can start to cause damage to your proteins, fatty tissue and DNA. Resulting in various diseases from diabetes and heart disease, to cancer and even Alzheimers. Antioxidants keep these levels under control and assist in preventing us from falling ill.

What’s Great About The Ingredients Of This Recipe?

Aronia Berries

This recipe features a powdered version of this powerful superfruit, made from 100% dried, organic Aronia Berries (also known as Chokeberries). Packed full of vitamins A, B, C, E and K, Aronia berries also contain four times the level of antioxidants as their popular cousin, the blueberry.

By adding a spoonful of the Aronia berry powder to your morning smoothie, your body will also reap the benefits of their high levels of manganese. This mineral is essential in maintaining proper brain and nervous system function but also plays a role in many chemical processes within the body. Such as activating enzymes in the body, breaking down proteins and utilizing those all-important vitamins you are consuming.

Banana

The banana is a fantastic breakfast smoothie ingredient, to keep you fuller for longer choose a banana that isn’t quite ripe yet as these contain higher levels of resistant starch. This starch not only fills your tummy but also helps to feed the good bacteria in your gut, helping to maintain a healthy digestive system.

Bananas are well known for their high levels of potassium, a mineral that is important in the support of heart health. But they also contain great levels of the antioxidants dopamine and catechins, known to help reduce the risk of heart disease as well as degenerative diseases.

Greek Yogurt

Both filling and creamy, Greek Yogurt is also packed with protein, probiotics and vitamin B-12. Protein is one of the 3 vital ingredients in energy production, making it the perfect way to start your morning. Vitamin B-12 is also necessary for red blood cell production, as well as brain function, but levels of both protein and B-12 are often low in vegetarians. This makes greek yogurt a fantastic meat-free option to add extra goodness into your diet. 

Probiotics are also packed full of good bacteria that keep your gut healthy and assist in warding off too many bad bacteria in the stomach and intestines. Adding probiotics into your diet help to support your immune system, keep your digestive system regular and studies have even shown that they can lower stress and sadness!

Frozen Berries

Using frozen fruit for your smoothie is not only convenient but also adds a lovely thick consistency to your drink. While you can choose your frozen berries to your taste, there are a few I recommend trying to include for this recipe. 

Strawberries add both sweetness as well as a host of health benefits of their own. A fantastic source of vitamin C, just one serving of strawberries can provide up to 150 milligrams worth, which is 150% of your recommended daily intake! Vitamin C has shown to help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve iron absorption. 

Raspberries are another vitamin-rich berry often found in supermarket freezers. Packed with their antioxidants, raspberries are also a fantastic source of fibre. Just one cup provides a whopping 8 grams of dietary fibre, which equals one-third of your daily recommended amount. Making them a filling option that will also support a healthy gut. 

Blueberries, last but not least, this little berry is the better-known cousin of the Aronia berry. Another superfruit praised for its high antioxidant levels, to give your smoothie an extra boost make sure to combine it with these powerful berries.

Honey

As sweet and flavourful as berries can be, this smoothie can be too tart for some palettes without a spoonful of honey. And what better way to sweeten the flavour than with this antioxidant-rich gift from the bees. 

Scientists believe that the combination of organic acids and phenolic compounds is what gives honey its strong antioxidant capabilities. Making honey another great food to assist immune function. Studies have also shown that honey can help lower levels of bad cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

It cannot get much simpler than that, which is why this super smoothie makes such a great breakfast option. Fuel your body for the day ahead while supporting your immune system, improving your heart health and aiding digestion. 

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