Blend Up a Healthy Green Smoothie for Immune Support*

With worldwide interest in immune health on the rise, there’s no better time to try a tasty, nutritious smoothie blended with one of the four primary immune-supporting micronutrients—beta-glucans, B vitamins, vitamin C, and zinc.*

Healthy green smoothies are known for their full flavors and whole food benefits. And homemade shakes are trending as the new go-to snack or meal replacement. With the right ingredients, they are easy to make, nutrient-rich, and delicious—you’d be amazed how many veggies you can sneak into a blender. Infinite ingredient combinations offer targeted nutrition, giving you the option to make smoothies packed with protein, full of fiber, or maxed out on minerals.

Read on for a list of foods you can easily blend into any smoothie, all featuring active micronutrients. And here’s a handy immunity nutrients shopping list to take on your next trip to the grocery store.

Time to ditch the “quaran-tini” and get to blending for immune health!*

Nuts and Seeds

Zinc acts as an antioxidant and supports the development of immune cells. And it’s not only found in meats and shellfish—many nuts and seeds are also great sources of this key mineral. Hemp, squash, pumpkin and sesame seeds, pine nuts, peanuts, almonds, and cashews all contain zinc, along with other beneficial nutrients and satisfying, healthy fats.*

When blended, the creaminess of cashews makes them a popular vegan-friendly substitute for dairy. Don’t take our word for it—enjoy a sweet scoop from Mr. Dewie’s Cashew Creamery vegan ice cream shop in Albany, CA. And sneak some cashews into your next chocolate avocado healthy green smoothie for an even richer shake—yes, please!

Whole Grains and Oats

Whole grains contain beta-glucans, which support the function and responsiveness of immune cells. Oats, in particular, add a nice, neutral, yet satisfying flavor and texture to shakes. Try sprinkling half a cup of rolled oats into your next strawberry or peanut butter banana-infused smoothie—or give this oatmeal cookie smoothie a spin.*

Oats blend fine into any shake, but you can also make some awesome overnight oat recipes, too. It’s an easy way to enjoy an energizing breakfast on the go.

Citrus Fruits

The word “vitamin” comes from the Latin vita, meaning “life,” plus amine, because it was believed vitamins contained amino acids. We like to think of vitamins as vital—your body needs an adequate blend to function properly. Vitamin C is used by certain white blood cells to reduce free radicals, and its presence triggers the activation of leukocytes, or immune cells.

Grapefruit, oranges, lemon, and kiwi are all rich in vitamin C, which supports the immune system, among other benefits. Add any of them to your favorite citrus-infused shake with a light vanilla base. For an extra zap of lemon-berry flavor, vitamin C, and zinc, sprinkle in some Booster C 600.*

Legumes

Normally we think savory when it comes to legumes and beans. But chickpeas and black-eyed peas both provide a high amount of iron and zinc and, surprisingly, fit into plenty of dessert recipes. Black-eyed pea vegan brownies are a huge hit, as are chocolate chip chickpea blondies.

Bringing it back to smoothies, add one-third of a cup of chickpeas to your next peanut butter banana shake. Or try black-eyed peas with any darker chocolate base, especially recipes with pure cocoa powder. A healthy green smoothie doesn’t have to literally be “green”—they get the name from greens, referring to vegetables, so we’re in the clear here.

Chlorophyll and Moringa

If you want to get scientific with your shake—or already have the perfectly flavored healthy green smoothie—adding a little chlorophyll or moringa extract is an ideal way to provide antioxidants, aid in the digestive process, and support your immune system.*

Chlorophyll is what keeps plants green, but it offers quite a few nutritional benefits when consumed. It’s commonly found as a liquid supplement. Moringa, which offers many of the same benefits as chlorophyll, is extracted from a subtropical tree found in South Asia. It’s available as both a vegetable powder and liquid extract.

You can also support healthy immunity with a probiotic powder. Add it to your smoothie or take directly—it doesn’t get any easier than that.*

Wheatgrass

If you’ve ever been inside a Jamba Juice, you’ve seen the bright green wheatgrass cubes they grow for fresh juice shots. It’s the quintessential juice bar ingredient for a reason, with a variety of nutrients, including vitamin C and chlorophyll.

Wheatgrass pairs well with lemon for a true immunity win-win when you blend them together. Try this green pineapple smoothie recipe. It adds ginger for a pop of flavor, and either kale or spinach to make a truly green treat.

Your Perfect Shake Awaits

Enjoy new tastes and flavors as you mix up your healthy green smoothie routine with these immunity-supporting additions. Let us know your most delicious go-to recipes in the comments, as well as your favorite blender for making them.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.