Beets might not be the first thing you think about putting in a smoothie, but maybe it should be! Our Banana Beet Smoothie is lightning fast, a little sweet, a little spicy, and a little earthy all at the same time. It's got more protein than an egg, and is high in potassium and magnesium, too - perfect to kickstart your day the heart healthy way!
This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclaimer for more information
My favorite thing about this Banana Beet Smoothie is, of course, how amazing it tastes. The banana flavor shines through as the primary taste, and the beet is more of a muted background taste. Underlying it all is a mildly spicy gingery note, which you can easily play up or down to your taste.
And we use the beet raw, so you don't need to worry about having cooked ones on hand! Just peel and blend! Of course, if you already have your beets cooked, that's fine to use, too. If you're a fan of using veggies in your smoothies, you might also like our Apple Cucumber Smoothie, or Orange Mango Smoothie.
Jump to:
Heart Health Benefits of Banana Beet Smoothie
Our smoothie isn't just delicious! It's super good for you and your heart, too!
Beets
Beets have been the topic of a lot of research lately for their cardiovascular benefits. Importantly, beets contain one of the highest concentrations of dietary inorganic nitrate among (edible) plants, a substance that seems to play an important role in cardiovascular health. Spinach, radishes, celery, and lettuce are also good sources (1).
It's widely known that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can be protective against a wide range of lifestyle diseases, including heart disease. It's long been thought this is due to the high calcium, potassium, antioxidant, and fiber content, and low sodium content of these foods. And while these nutrients are cardioprotective, and newer player in the game is nitric oxide.
Studies have demonstrated that dietary nitrate (which converts to nitric oxide) reduces blood pressure in both healthy and hypertensive individuals (2, 3) in a dose dependent way. This means that higher consumption of dietary nitrate reduces blood pressure more. Nitric oxide appears to both open and relax arteries, accounting for at least some of this effect.
Important! It's important to note that dietary nitrates from fruits and vegetables are not the same as consuming nitrites in cured meats, that are used for the purpose of preservation, color, and antimicrobial functions. These nitrites generate reactive nitrogen species, which can cause damage to the lungs, eventually leading to diseases like emphysema and COPD (4, 5). They also have a carcinogenic effect, potentially leading to some cancers (6). By contrast, dietary nitrates from fruits and vegetables generate nitric oxide, and subsequently form molecules called thionitrites (7), which, among other functions, package and store the nitric oxide so it's ready for use when it's needed.
Beets are also an excellent source of folate, and are high in fiber.
Bananas
Bananas are high in antioxidants, and can help with mood and emotional stability, as well as lower cholesterol (8). They also contain carotenoids, which can boost immunity and reduce the risk of a variety of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease (9). Bananas are also high in potassium and fiber, aiding in blood pressure management.
Ginger
Ginger is rich in phenolic compounds and boasts myriad anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties (10), making it a great addition to our banana beet smoothie.
Bottom Line
Overall, our smoothie is full of heart protective benefits, like dietary nitrates, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and heart healthy plant protein. It's a good source of fiber, vitamins A, D, and K, and high in folate, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium! And it's delicious!
Ingredients
Just four little ingredients! So easy!
- Unsweetened nondairy milk
- Bananas
- Beet
- Ginger
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Smoothies are so easy to make, which is why they make such convenient on-the-go breakfasts. Here's how to make this beetroot banana smoothie:
- Step 1: Peel and chop the beet, and peel and mince the ginger.
- Step 2: Add all the ingredients to the blender.
- Step 3: Blend on high until the beet and ginger are completely blended and smooth.
Hint: the beet will stain most anything it touches. Be careful not to get it on your clothes! I recommend using a dark colored cutting board to avoid stains. You can also try rubbing your cutting board with a little oil before cutting the beet, especially if you have a wood board.
Substitutions
Try these substitutes:
- Milk - use almond milk, hemp milk, cashew milk, dairy milk, or any other milk sub you like. Be mindful of protein content if that's a concern for you.
- Ginger - leave it out, or sub cinnamon, clove, cardamom, or even a twist of black pepper
Equipment
Besides a cutting board, knife, and vegetable peeler, you'll need a blender. High speed works best for this recipe, since both the beets and ginger can be a bit of a challenge.
If you have only a standard blender, you might want to cook the beet first to soften it, and grate the ginger. If you're looking for a high speed blender, I love my Vitamix (affiliate link), and it works great for Banana Beet Smoothies!
Storage
Refrigerate any leftovers and use within 2 days.
Pro tip
Make sure you run your blender at least a minute or two to ensure the raw beet gets well-blended. If you don't have a high speed blender, consider cooking your beet first, so it's soft.
FAQ
Yes! That's how we use them for our smoothie! Most people cook them first because they are very hard, but raw beets make a great slaw when shredded.
Yes, if you want to make sure your smoothie is quite cold, add some ice, or freeze the banana before blending.
Related
Looking for more smoothies? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Banana Beet Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Bananas peeled
- 1 medium Raw Beet peeled and chopped
- 1-2 inch piece Fresh Ginger peeled and diced
- 2 cups Unsweetened Soy Milk or nondairy milk of choice
- (optional) up to 1 tablespoon Sweetener of choice (honey, maple syrup, etc.)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients (except sweetener) in a high speed blender, and blend on high until smooth. It may take a few minutes to completely blend the beet and ginger.
- Taste and add sweetener if desired.
- Best consumed immediately, but will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind for this smoothie recipe.
- Wash any fresh produce, and your hands before beginning
- Make sure to secure the lid on the blender before starting
- Carefully clean around the blades to avoid cuts when cleaning up
- If you have any leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container right away
Leave a Reply