Smoothies are often viewed as the ultimate health food, but how can we create smoothies that fuel our gut health? From a dietary perspective we know that different types of fiber are the key to building a diverse microbiome. That means that we need to focus on including a diverse range of plant foods in our smoothies to get the maximum impact for our gut microbes! This blog post will show you a collection of what we think are the 10 best smoothies for gut health – with a wide array of flavours and specific ingredients to benefit your gut!
All smoothie ingredients can be combined at the same time and then blended until smooth. Add a little more liquid if blending becomes difficult.
The 10 Best Smoothies for Gut Health
1. Peanut Butter Chocolate Psyllium Husk Smoothie (Serves 1)
Ingredients:
- 1 banana, frozen
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder
- 1 tsp flaxseed
- 1 cup almond milk (or any milk of your choice)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional, for sweetness)
Psyllium husk is the unique feature of this smoothie and was intentionally included because it is a prebiotic (1). Prebiotics are essentially food for your healthy gut bacteria, supporting the size and diversity of your gut bacteria (a good thing), and can help with constipation! Flax seeds are also prebiotics!
2. Peaches and Cream Smoothie with Kefir (Serves 1)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peach slices
- 1/2 cup kefir (plain or vanilla-flavored)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional, for added sweetness)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground flaxseed
We love Greek yogurt and kefir in smoothies because it has probiotics, which adds extra beneficial bacteria to your intestines, which strengthens your gut health! If you have never heard of kefir, it is similar to a thin yogurt drink.
3. Peppermint Cocoa Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or dairy-free alternative)
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional, adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract or 1 drop food-grade peppermint essential oil (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any milk of your choice)
- ¼ cup oats
Peppermint oil can assist in relaxing intestinal muscles and has been proven to reduce practically all common negative gastrointestinal symptoms, like abdominal cramps, pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea (2). If you have IBS and don’t like the taste of peppermint oil itself, go ahead and try out this recipe. Oats are also a great prebiotic and source of soluble fibre, which decreases gut inflammation and helps the good gut bacteria outweigh the harmful gut bacteria.
4. Mango blackberry zing
Ingredients:
- 1 cup kombucha (any flavor, but a ginger or lemon flavor would work well)
- 1 cup mango chunks (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 cup blackberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 tablespoon honey (adjust to taste)
Kombucha is full of probiotics, which add to the healthy gut bacteria! Its carbonation will pair well with the blackberries, mango, and banana flavours, which are all amazing prebiotics. Mangos and blackberries also are rich in polyphenols, which encourage beneficial gut bacteria growth and prevent inflammation.
5. Tropical Ocean-Inspired Smoothie with Optional Seaweed
Ingredients:
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
- ½ cup frozen or fresh coconut chunks
- 1 tablespoon blue spirulina powder (or blue algae powder)
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional, for added sweetness)
- 1 cup coconut water (or any liquid of your choice)
- 1 small piece of edible seaweed (such as dulse or nori), rinsed and dried (optional for garnish)
Channel all your ocean vibes for this bright blue smoothie that tastes like a refreshing fruity drink on the beach. Get an authentic taste of the ocean in there by adding some edible seaweed to the mix. Seaweed is a gut superstar because it is high in fiber (soluble and insoluble), contains prebiotics, is anti-inflammatory, and can help prevent against intestinal permeability, aka leaky gut (3).
6. Watermelon Gut Health Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cubed watermelon (seedless)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or dairy-free yogurt for a vegan option)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional, for added sweetness)
- Juice of 1/2 lime
Watermelon is such a hydrating fruit and is full of fiber, which makes watermelon a natural laxative, good for those struggling with constipation. Watermelon is also a prebiotic, along with chia seeds. Don’t miss out on another chance to add that Greek yogurt in for some protein and probiotics! Mint suits the watermelon flavour so well and it is a perfect way to relieve some indigestion and digestion discomfort.
7. Green Goddess Bean Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup cooked edamame beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup pineapple
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 cup coconut water or water
Beans (including edamame) are an amazing fiber source, so don’t forget about them! They may seem like an unusual, and somewhat unappealing option in a smoothie, but I promise you won’t even taste them! Avocados are a prebiotic, full of fiber, and have healthy anti-inflammatory fats. The soluble and insoluble fiber in spinach, cucumber, and pineapple also helps to feed your gut microbes.
8. Low FODMAP Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 ripe kiwi, peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional, for added sweetness)
- 1 cup lactose-free yogurt, plant-based, or plain non-sweetened Greek yogurt
For those with IBS, you may be looking for a low FODMAP friendly smoothie!
9. Anti-Diarrhea Pumpkin Spice Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice (cooled)
- 1/2 cup canned or cooked pumpkin puree (plain, unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or lactose-free yogurt)
- 1/2 cup milk (or plant-based milk alternative)
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds (optional, for added fiber)
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional, for sweetness)
- A pinch of ground ginger (optional, for soothing digestion)
- ¼ tsp of cinnamon
This is a smoothie spin of the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) that is meant to prevent diarrhea. If you get bored of those 4 foods, feel free to try this pumpkin spice smoothie out! Ginger is also purposeful in this smoothie as it is known to relieve some indigestion and intestinal cramping (4). Flaxseeds and pumpkin are there for that fibre and the Greek yogurt for its probiotics!
10. Golden Milk Smoothie with Turmeric, Oats, and Banana
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas
- 1 tablespoon rolled oats (quick oats or old-fashioned oats)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground ginger (optional)
- Pinch of ground black pepper (to enhance turmeric absorption)
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any milk of your choice)
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory abilities and can reduce some IBS or IBD symptoms, like gas and bloating (5). The banana and oats are fantastic sources of prebiotics!
References
- Elli M, Cattivelli D, Soldi S, Bonatti M, Morelli L. Evaluation of prebiotic potential of refined psyllium (Plantago ovata) fiber in healthy women. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2008;42 Suppl 3 Pt 2:S174-S176. doi:10.1097/MCG.0b013e31817f183a
- Chang, H.Y., Kelly, E.C. & Lembo, A.J. Current gut-directed therapies for irritable bowel syndrome. Curr Treat Options Gastro 9, 314–323 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11938-006-0013-8
- Davani-Davari D, Negahdaripour M, Karimzadeh I, et al. Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods. 2019;8(3):92. Published 2019 Mar 9. doi:10.3390/foods8030092
- Nikkhah Bodagh M, Maleki I, Hekmatdoost A. Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review of clinical trials. Food Sci Nutr. 2018 Nov 5;7(1):96-108. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.807. PMID: 30680163; PMCID: PMC6341159.
- Peng Y, Ao M, Dong B, et al. Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Curcumin in the Inflammatory Diseases: Status, Limitations and Countermeasures. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2021;15:4503-4525. Published 2021 Nov 2. doi:10.2147/DDDT.S327378
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