10 Vegetable Smoothies That Actually Taste Amazing
Today, more than ever, healthy eaters understand the benefits of a diet rich in vegetables. They prevent all the things you don’t want, like heart disease, weak bones, and inflammation. In fact, a 2017 study found that eating up to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day (compared to none) reduced the risk of premature death by 31 percent. Even two servings per day resulted in a 15 percent reduction.
But eating the same salads and roasted vegetables every day can get boring. The fix? Sneak vegetables into your meals and snacks—and smoothies are the perfect way to do that. Plus, when done right, vegetables can make your beverages extra silky without altering the flavor.
Ready to whip one up? Here are some of our favorite sneaky vegetable smoothie recipes. They’re so delicious, you won’t even be able to taste them.
Strawberry Banana Cauliflower Smoothie
There’s a good reason cauliflower has stolen the limelight in recent years: It’s perhaps one of the most versatile vegetables, easily blending in as “rice” for dinner or providing a nutritious, barely-noticeable base to a smoothie. This blend by Julie of Peanut Butter Fingers is specifically called a “Strawberry Banana Hidden Cauliflower Smoothie,” because its frozen cauliflower is camouflaged by ingredients such as creamy almond butter, juicy strawberries, banana, and avocado. (Here are 25 other creative ways to use avocado.)
Vegetable benefits: Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that’s been associated with decreased cancer risk. This is likely due to sulfur-containing compounds, which may protect cells from DNA damage and help deactivate carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds). It is also chock-full of vitamin C and provides a good dose of vitamin K and folate, a B-vitamin.
Find the full recipe here.
(Looking for more healthy recipes? Check out the Metashred Diet from Men’s Health—it’s packed with meal ideas that will help burn fat while maintaining hard muscle.)
Sunrise Sweet Potato Smoothie
You already know that sweet potatoes can make irresistibly delicious pie—so why not turn your smoothie into a healthy dessert or sweet breakfast? In this treat by Cassie of Wholefully, sweet potato is paired with ingredients like potassium-rich banana and bone-healthy milk and sweetened with vanilla, maple syrup, and cinnamon. (If you’re looking to reduce your sugar intake, only use the cinnamon—and don’t miss out on these 10 low-sugar desserts for even more healthy ways to satisfy your sweet tooth.)
Vegetable benefits: Sweet potatoes are an incredible source of vitamin A, a nutrient that boosts immunity and helps keep your vision sharp.
Find the full recipe here.
(Want a sweet smoothie that will feed your muscles at the same time? Check out the recipe below.)
Power Peach, Mango & Carrot Smoothie
You were likely told to “eat your carrots,” as a child—so why not drink them as an adult? Since carrots are widely available both fresh and frozen, they’re an accessible ingredient for a variety of smoothies. For this recipe, Alyssa of My Sequined Life blends two large carrots with peaches, mangos, and lime juice for a drink bursting with flavor and nutrition.
Vegetable benefits: Aside from immune-protective beta-carotene, carrots are a good source of vitamin K, which helps blood clot and supports bone health, keeping bone fractures and osteoporosis at bay.
Find the full recipe here.
Related: How Running and Lifting Makes Your Bones Stronger
Blueberry & Cabbage Power Smoothie
Lorie of Mississippi Kitchen sneaks an entire cup of shredded red cabbage into this vibrant smoothie. In this drink, it’s blended with almond milk, memory-boosting blueberries, and chia seeds, which are packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Vegetable benefits: Like cauliflower, cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable, and serves up a healthy dose of cancer-preventing substances such as flavonoids and sulfur-based compounds. It also provides dietary fiber, vitamin K, vitamin A, and inflammation-fighting vitamin C.
Find the full recipe here.
Related: 15 Foods You Need For Your Penis to Perform
Spinach & Kiwi Smoothie
For some picky eaters, spinach can be a hard sale. But even if you don’t like the taste of the leafy green, sweet fruits easily mask its flavor. This smoothie, by Lucy of Turnip the Oven, showcases kiwi and banana, while still managing to pack an entire cup of fresh spinach for added nutrients. Trust us: if we didn't tell you, you wouldn't have the slightest idea.
Vegetable benefits: Spinach is a rich source of vitamins A and C. Your body needs vitamin C (which is also abundant in kiwis) to produce and maintain collagen, which can reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Find the full recipe here.
Related: The Anti-Aging Secret For Every Cell In Your Body
Arugula Smoothie
Arugula leaves may be tiny, but they sure are mighty. Sonnet of In Sonnet's Kitchen blends it with a refreshing mix of coconut water, lemon juice, kale, and cucumber for a nutrient-packed smoothie that doesn’t hold back on flavor.
Vegetable benefits: By adding arugula to a smoothie, you’ll get a ton of health benefits with very few calories. The ½ cup of arugula used in this smoothie, for example, contains a mere three calories. Arugula is an incredibly rich source of plant-based nitrates, high intakes of which can lower blood pressure and enhance athletic performance by decreasing how much oxygen your body requires during exercise. In fact, it has more than 250 milligrams per 100 grams—more than other high-nitrate vegetables like kale, beets, and Swiss chard. Arugula also provides vitamin K and an antioxidant found in leafy greens called alpha-lipoic acid. This antioxidant has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar levels, and may even protect against nerve damage in people with diabetes.
Find the full recipe here.
Related: 7 Sneaky Signs Your Blood Sugar Is Too High
Creamy Pineapple Cucumber Smoothie
Trying to add more greens to your diet but not a huge fan of ubiquitous kale? Be like the Minimalist Baker, and you won’t even taste the vegetable in your drink. This recipe blends a handful of kale with sliced cucumber, cubed pineapple, frozen banana, light coconut milk, and lime. It’s basically an island vacation, by way of your straw.
Vegetable benefits: Kale has the same blood sugar-lowering antioxidant as arugula, plus potassium, vitamins B6 and C, and fiber, all of which support heart health. The green vegetable also offers a dose of calcium, vitamin K, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), and minerals including manganese, phosphorus, iron, and copper. It's low in oxalates (molecules that reduce absorption of certain minerals), meaning its calcium and iron are highly available to your digestive system—and in turn, your entire body.
Find the full recipe here.
Related: 5 Foods That Protect Your Heart
Berry Pomegranate Smoothie With Romaine
This smoothie by Keri of Fashionable Foods combines a cup of shredded Romaine lettuce with chopped celery, cucumber, pomegranate seeds, berries, pineapple, almonds, mint, lime, and unsweetened almond milk for a satiating smoothie that’s deliciously nutritious.
Vegetable benefits: For all the fanfare that trending superfoods receive, it’s sometimes easy to bypass the everyday superstars in your fridge. Humble romaine lettuce, for instance, has been loyal to you in salad mixes and sandwiches for years, but you rarely hear anyone sing its nutritional praise. Not only does it have high doses of vitamins A and K, but it also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that prevent age-related macular degeneration.
Find the full recipe here.
Related: 6 Reasons Why Your Vision Is Changing That Have Nothing to Do With Aging
Very Berry Beet Smoothie
Cooking fresh beets may sound like too much work for a smoothie, but today many grocery stores offer pre-cooked, cubed beets that you can toss into a smoothie—no scrubbing or roasting necessary. Emilie of Emilie Eats blends beets, frozen bananas, berries, and almond milk for a creamy drink that’s hard to resist. (This pineapple-beet blast is another delicious way to add more of the root vegetable to your diet.)
Vegetable benefits: Research shows beetroot juice can lower blood pressure, likely due to its high nitrate levels. It also provides high levels of fiber (important for staying “regular”), alpha-lipoic acid (the antioxidant that helps lower blood sugar levels), and choline (a nutrient that can reduce chronic inflammation and improves brain health).
Find the full recipe here.
Related: Skip the Supplements—Here Are 30 Foods to Eat Instead
Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie
Amber of Homemade Nutrition uses ½ chopped raw zucchini in her chocolate smoothies and says that it only slightly mellows the cocoa powder flavor. For extra flavor, this smoothie includes a touch of maple syrup and vanilla, but you can skip both if you’re watching your added sugar intake.
Related: 8 Creative Zucchini Recipes You Have to Try
Vegetable benefits: A low-calorie quasi-vegetable (it’s technically a fruit, but in the culinary world, it’s typically considered a vegetable), zucchini is high in magnesium, which is crucial for muscle contraction and strong bones. Zucchini also provides a nice dose of folate, or vitamin B-9, which supports metabolism and helps your cells maintain tissue. Bonus: It’s low-calorie with only about 10 calories per half cup (the amount used in this recipe).
Find the full recipe here.
The article You Can Hardly Taste the Vegetables In These 10 Mouthwatering Smoothie Recipes originally appeared on Prevention.
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