Anti-Inflammatory Pomegranate Smoothie

This anti-inflammatory pomegranate smoothie is refreshing, fruity and packed with health protective ingredients to lower inflammation in the body—easy to make in just 5 minutes at home with simple ingredients. Vegan, gluten free and nut free.

Why You’ll Love This Smoothie

• Powerfully anti-inflammatory
• Packed with antioxidants
• Sweet and tart tropical taste

This anti-inflammatory pomegranate smoothie is sweet, slightly tart and juicy tasting. Perfect for pomegranate lovers, it’s made without any bananas and has a tangy tropical pineapple flavour. Perfect as breakfast or a healthy afternoon snack.

The star ingredient of this smoothie is pomegranate. The bright red, juice filled seeds are removed from clusters inside the tough peel. Pomegranate seeds are extremely anti-inflammatory, high in antioxidants and even have anticancer properties. They can lower blood pressure and oxidative stress and may help to treat hyperglycemia.

The cold base of this smoothie is made with frozen pineapple. Pineapple is another anti-inflammatory fruit which is both delicious and highly beneficial. It contains bromelain enzymes which help break down food in the stomach and process protein more effectively. Pineapple is also high in vitamin C which is an antioxidant that strengthens immune function, encourages collagen production and reduces oxidative stress.

Ingredients Needed

These are the ingredients you will need to make this anti-inflammatory pomegranate smoothie.

Chia seeds: Can be added dry or soaked.

Agave syrup: Adds sweetness to balance any tartness from the pomegranate seeds.

Greek yogurt: Any favourite plain vegan greek yogurt. Don’t skip it, the yogurt creates a creamy consistency so the smoothie isn’t too icy in texture!

Frozen pomegranate seeds & pineapple: Creates the refreshing cold base of the smoothie. Pomegranate seeds can be removed from the fruit by hand or conveniently purchased already separated from a grocery store.

Oat milk: The liquid that brings all of the other ingredients together to blend smoothly and adds a creamy consistency.

For ingredient amounts and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Benefits

High fibre

Easily get more fibre in your every day diet! In addition to being generally healthy, getting enough fibre can be extremely helpful for weight loss as it helps keep you feeling full for longer, without adding calories. Fibre also helps improve our gut health.

Nutrient dense

Vegan smoothies are a great way to get more nutrient rich foods in each day. By blending them into a single meal, it’s super quick, easy and fun! Choose ingredients like dark leafy greens, berries, nuts, seeds and fruits to make your smoothies nutrient rich.

Quick and easy

It’s incredibly fast to make a yummy smoothie. Gather your ingredients and toss them in the blending container, blend, and you’re already done! Rinse the blender container. It doesn’t get much more simple than that. Smoothies rarely take more than 5 minutes to make. This makes them a great option if you find yourself short on time for a healthy meal.tastes so good knowing it’s also good for your body.

Variations

Add protein powder

For a high protein version of this smoothie add 1 scoop of any favourite protein powder. Flavours that work best with pomegranate and pineapple are berry, vanilla and plain.

Try an alternative plant milk

This recipe uses oat milk but you can try using any plant based milk you prefer. Some alternatives include soy, almond or cashew! You can also make your own plant milk from scratch in a blender.

Adjust the consistency

If you prefer a thicker consistency you can try the recipe using a bit less liquid than what is suggested. If you want a thinner consistency, try adding a bit of extra liquid to the recipe.

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to blender.

• Start blending at low speed for 5-10 seconds. Increase to high speed and blend for 1-2 minutes. Use the blender tamper to push ingredients down towards the blades.

• Pour into a glass and serve your anti-inflammatory pomegranate smoothie.

Prep & Blending

Add ingredients in the correct order

Always add liquid ingredients to your blender first. Then add powders, nut butters, nuts and seeds. Then add fresh greens and fresh fruit. Finally add your solid ingredients like frozen fruit. If using a small blender container with a twist on lid, reverse the order so that when you turn the container over to blend the frozen ingredients are farthest away from the blades.

Use a tamper

Push ingredients down towards the blades while blending using the tamper that comes with your blender. This helps to avoid thick smoothies from getting stuck, so you don’t have to stop blending and scrape down the sides of the container.

Don’t over blend

Try to blend your smoothie for less than a couple of minutes. If blended for too long, even thick smoothies will become thin. This is because the heat generated by the blades and motor of the blender heat up your ingredients while they are being blended.

Use a high power blender

For smoothies that have a perfectly smooth and creamy texture use a high powered blender such as a Vitamix. It can break down any ingredients to much finer particles than standard blenders, and more nutrients are released. A high speed blender also reduces the time you need to blend your recipe, which helps keep it nice and cold.

Chill your glass

By placing your smoothie glass in the freezer for a few moments you can help your smoothie stay cool for longer. This is especially helpful if you’re in a hot climate. Pop it into the freezer while you are prepping and blending, then take it out when it’s time to pour your finished smoothie!

FAQ’s

Can other berries be added to this smoothie?

Yes, other berries like blueberries, blackberries, lingonberries, strawberries or raspberries can be added to this smoothie. All berries are anti-inflammatory and packed with antioxidants which means you should try to consume enough every day.

Can I lose weight with smoothies?

Smoothies are an excellent weight loss food! This is because they are generally lower calorie and higher in fibre and nutrients. Due to high water content, the large volume of a smoothie helps your stomach to feel satiated. And the fibre keeps you feeling full for longer, without feeling weighed down or tired like a huge meal would.

Can smoothies be refrigerated?

Smoothies are best enjoyed immediately after blending, while they are freshest. However you can refrigerate most smoothies for 1-2 days in an airtight container such as a jar.

Can I make smoothies without a high speed blender?

Yes, you can still make smoothies with a regular blender. It might take more patience depending on the recipe, but it can work. Turn off the blender to scrape down the sides of the container, and secure the lid before continuing to blend. Repeat as needed. Alternatively you can add a small amount of additional liquid to the recipe, which should help.

How can I increase the protein?

If you wish for your smoothie to have a higher protein content, you can simply add (more) protein powder to the recipe. Plain unsweetened plant based protein will work in any smoothie. Alternatively you can try adding hemp seeds or even silken tofu.

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