This vitamin C smoothie combines grapefruit juice, frozen banana, pineapple and kale for a delicious, energizing drink that’s loaded with nutrients!
Vitamin C makes most people think of oranges because they are known for their vitamin C content, however, there are other produce items like red bell peppers and strawberries that contain more vitamin C than an orange! Turns out, when comparing 1 cup of kale to 1 fresh orange, there’s more vitamin C in the kale. Fresh pineapple, grapefruit and bananas all have vitamin C as well.
So this smoothie combo contains no oranges, but still has well over the RDA for vitamin C. This is a good thing considering RDA is just the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of most healthy individuals, not the optimal level. While research isn’t clear on whether vitamin C helps with the common cold, scientific evidence does indicate that increased vitamin C intake is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases.
Why You’ll Love This Smoothie
It comes together in no time at all and is perfect for breakfast or as a mid-afternoon snack to give you a boost of energy to power you through the rest of the day.
It’s made with just six ingredients! I’m willing to bet you have most (if not all!) of these ingredients in your kitchen right now.
This smoothie is not only loaded with vitamin C, it’s also packed with high levels of vitamin A and a good amount of calcium and iron. You also get a little healthy fat (9 grams), protein (8 grams) and fiber (8 grams). These components make the smoothie more filling and the healthy fat content helps your body absorb the fat soluble vitamins. Drink up!
Ingredients Needed
grapefruit – if you’re not using grapefruit juice make sure you’re using grapefruit segments! Segmenting the grapefruit removes the bitter pith and makes for a sweet and juicy smoothie without any bitter aftertaste.
frozen banana – frozen banana is the key to making smoothies with a creamy, thick texture. Just be sure to freeze your banana (unpeeled) before you want to make this smoothie.
pineapple – is packed with nutrients and an important enzyme called bromelain, which metabolizes protein, eases inflammation and decreases bloating. <— Yes please!
kale – I really like using Dole Power up Greens baby kale for this smoothie.
coconut oil – for the medium chain fatty acids, which are easily digested, burned for energy and promote blood sugar stabilization.
hemp seeds – for some fiber!
How to Make This Smoothie
Prepare grapefruit: Press 1 grapefruit through a juicer for fresh grapefruit juice. If you don’t have a juicer, you can use bottled grapefruit juice or simply add 1 whole peeled grapefruit to a high-powered blender.
Blend: Add frozen banana slices, pineapple, kale and hemp seeds into the blender with the grapefruit. Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and enjoy.
Serve: Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Variations
While it’s easy to think you can just throw a bunch of ingredients into the blender and your smoothie will turn out, I’ve found that isn’t actually always the case! I love the combination of flavors I’ve shared for this smoothie, but if you want to switch it up, here are some ideas:
Kale – not a fan of kale? Switch up your green and add spinach.
Banana – I know not everyone is a fan of bananas. The banana provides sweetness and creaminess to the smoothie. You can use fresh avocado or a frozen zucchini (seriously!) to add creaminess to the smoothie and then add a little bit of sweetener like honey or maple syrup to taste.
Hemp seeds – you could also use flax or chia seeds in this smoothie!
Pineapple Grapefruit Vitamin C Booster Green Smoothie
5 from 1 vote
This pineapple grapefruit vitamin C booster green smoothie provides more than your daily dose of vitamin C and tastes like the tropics. Slurp on this smoothie for an energizing afternoon pick-me-up! Vegan and gluten-free.
Prepare grapefruit: Press 1 grapefruit through a juicer for fresh grapefruit juice. If you don’t have a juicer, you can use bottled grapefruit juice or simply add 1 whole peeled grapefruit to a high-powered blender.
Blend: Add frozen banana slices, pineapple, kale and hemp seeds into the blender with the grapefruit. Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and enjoy.
This was my first time using grapefruit in a smoothie. It was good for something different and I always like to add greens to my smoothie. Thanks for another great recipe.
Totally agree! Frozen mango is also a good substitute if you happen to run out of frozen bananas one day. It adds the same sweetness and texture as the frozen banana, with mango flavor of course. 🙂
subscribe
Leave a Comment
This was my first time using grapefruit in a smoothie. It was good for something different and I always like to add greens to my smoothie. Thanks for another great recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this smoothie, Joy! Thanks for trying it and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Interesting recipe… this is the first for me to see the combination between banana and grapefruit into one glass of drink
This smoothie sounds SO good! The combo of pineapple and grapefruit…holy yum. Can’t wait to try it out!
My hubby and I just started making smoothies for breakfast. The key ingredient is always frozen banana.
Totally agree! Frozen mango is also a good substitute if you happen to run out of frozen bananas one day. It adds the same sweetness and texture as the frozen banana, with mango flavor of course. 🙂
Not a day goes by that I don’t eat a Dole banana with my breakfast!
Nice! I love having bananas with breakfast too!