The One Ingredient Everyone's Adding To Their Smoothies
A simple search on Pinterest will tell you everything you need to know about smoothie trends right now. While smoothies are typically made with different combinations of fruits, vegetables, yogurts, or plant-based milk, there's one surprising ingredient in particular that we can't help but notice, and that's turmeric. We noticed numerous food bloggers throwing a teaspoon or so of turmeric powder into their smoothies as of late, and we can't help but applaud the effort. Turmeric is full of incredible health benefits, and probably the best smoothie ingredient you can be adding to your blender right now.
Here's why you should consider adding turmeric to your smoothies, and for even more healthy tips, be sure to check out our list of The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
Why turmeric is the best smoothie ingredient.
Let's start off with turmeric's anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, an active ingredient that gives your body a boost of antioxidants and decreases inflammation. However, while the amount of curcumin in turmeric is small, curcumin is also fat-soluble, which means you'll have a high percentage of reaping the benefits of curcumin if you're mixing turmeric in with something fatty, according to the Nutrition Journal. So if you're using turmeric in a smoothie, add in 1/4 cup of low-fat Greek yogurt or a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter to reap those benefits.
Consuming foods that are proven to be anti-inflammatory is key for decreasing your risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. Along with turmeric, you can also throw in other anti-inflammatory foods into your smoothies such as blueberries, oats, nut butter, pineapple, spinach, yogurt, and even chia seeds.
Along with turmeric's anti-inflammatory benefits, it also contains an antioxidant that can help with oxidative damage in the body. Oxidative damage is what's to blame for aging and diseases, according to Healthline. By consuming turmeric in your smoothies, you're giving your body even more of a chance to fight free radicals that cause oxidative stress.
Along with these benefits—plus fighting off chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, or even Alzheimer's—studies have also shown that curcumin can help against other mental health issues. One study published by the journal Phytotherapy Research proved that 60 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder were able to see an improvement in their mental health after a six-week trial period of taking a curcumin supplement.
Smoothie combinations that work well with turmeric.
Given that turmeric is a common spice found in curries and other savory dishes, it may not seem like a go-to ingredient for a sweet smoothie. However, we've done a bit of research on the Internet to see ways people have been using turmeric in their smoothies.
Most people love combining turmeric with other yellow/orange fruits such as pineapple, banana, peach, and mango. Ginger (either ground or fresh) also seems to be an ingredient popularly used with turmeric, as well as cinnamon. As for vegetables, carrots seem to be a popular choice. Different ways of using coconut are also popular—whether it's dried coconut flakes topped on your smoothie, or using coconut milk in the actual blend Chia seeds are also a great way to thicken the smoothie and give it a boost of fiber.
So why not give turmeric a try when blending up your next smoothie? And if you're on the hunt for even more smoothie combinations that can boost your health, check out our list of 27 Best Immune-Boosting Smoothie Recipes.
