Vitamin C Smoothie
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Published Jun 02, 2022, Updated Jul 02, 2023
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This vitamin C smoothie combines grapefruit, banana, pineapple and kale for a tasty smoothie that’s loaded with immune boosting nutrients!
I’ve got another green smoothie for you today and this one is packed full of Vitamin C thanks to the fresh grapefruit, banana and pineapple!
Whether you’re trying to get more nutrients in, boost your immune system, eat healthier or just want a refreshing smoothie to enjoy, this recipe is for you!
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.
- It’s made with just five ingredients! I’m willing to bet you have most (if not all!) of these ingredients in your kitchen right now.
- This smoothie is loaded with Vitamin C, Vitamin A and has a good amount of antioxidants, calcium, iron, and potassium. 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.
Ingredients Needed
- fresh grapefruit or grapefruit juice – when most people think of Vitamin C they think of oranges, but grapefruit has a good amount of Vitamin C too. I like using fresh grapefruit for this recipe, but you can also use store-bought grapefruit juice to keep things easy.
- frozen banana – frozen banana is the key to making smoothies with a creamy, thick texture. Just be sure to freeze your banana before you want to make this smoothie. Check out all my tips on how to freeze bananas.
- pineapple – fresh pineapple is packed with nutrients and an important enzyme called bromelain, which metabolizes protein, eases inflammation and decreases bloating. Yes, please!
- kale – I like using baby kale for this smoothie, but any variety of kale will work. Curly kale would be my second choice. Spinach would also be a great substitute!
- hemp seeds – for some fiber and protein! I love the Manitoba Harvest hemp seeds.
How to Make This Smoothie
Prepare grapefruit: Press 1 grapefruit through a juicer (or citrus 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 as it should release enough juice to allow the smoothie to blend up properly.
Blend: Add frozen banana, pineapple chunks, kale and hemp seeds into the blender with the grapefruit. Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy.
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:
- Grapefruit – while grapefruit is one of the main ingredients in this smoothie, I bet it would be equally as delicious with an orange or orange juice as well.
- Kale – not a fan of kale? Switch up your green and add spinach or your favorite leafy green!
- Banana – I know not everyone is a fan of bananas. The banana provides sweetness and creaminess to the smoothie. You can use frozen mango, fresh (or frozen) avocado or frozen zucchini to add creaminess to the smoothie.
- Hemp seeds – you can use flax or chia seeds instead
- Ice cubes – if you want a thicker smoothie, throw in a handful of ice to the blender!
- Add more protein – if you want to add more protein, feel free to add a scoop of protein powder, collagen or Greek yogurt!
More Healthy Smoothie Recipes
- Easy Blackberry Smoothie
- Green Detox Smoothie
- Avocado Smoothie
- Lemon Smoothie
- Pineapple Recovery Smoothie
- Health Nut Smoothie
- Watermelon Smoothie
- Kiwi Smoothie
- Cottage Cheese Smoothie
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- Tropical Green Smoothie
- 3-Ingredient Mango Smoothie
- Tahini Smoothie
- Dragon Fruit Smoothie
- Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie
- Raspberry Smoothie
More Grapefruit Recipes to Try
- Grapefruit Smoothie
- Avocado Grapefruit Salad with Arugula
- Grapefruit Avocado Salad with Hearts of Palm
- Grapefruit Apple Cider Vinegar Drink
Be sure to check out all the smoothie recipes here on EBF.
Vitamin C Smoothie
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup fresh grapefruit juice or 1 grapefruit
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup pineapple, chopped into chunks
- 1 cup baby kale , or curly kale
- 1 Tablespoon hemp seeds
Instructions
- 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.
- 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!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yum! Add pineapple to anything, and I’m in 🙂 great recipe!
Ahh! This is perfect for me! I had to stay home from work for 3 days because of a bad cough\cold. I’m still fighting it I defiantly need to try this lol
That looks so yummy Brittany! I’ve been trying to get extra vitamin C since I’ve been around sick co-workers in the office!
I devoured an entire fresh pineapple in 3 days. Wish I had saved some for this smoothie recipe, yum.
It’s easy to do! 🙂
I haven’t bought fresh pineapple in a while! I totally need that in my life. Thanks for the recipe!
Tropical smoothies are the best! I love the grapefruit in here too! Super tart!
I really need to try adding grapefruit to my green smoothies. I have been adding pineapple lately and loving it!
Not a day goes by that I don’t eat a Dole banana with my breakfast!
Nice! I love having bananas with breakfast too!
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. 🙂
This smoothie sounds SO good! The combo of pineapple and grapefruit…holy yum. Can’t wait to try it out!
Interesting recipe… this is the first for me to see the combination between banana and grapefruit into one glass of drink
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!
Great healthy recipe. I made this twice, once with a whole grapefruit and the second with just the grapefruit flesh. I would highly recommend juicing the fresh grapefruit or removing all the white membranes completely otherwise it’s bitter.
This smoothie is delicious and refreshing! Only difference I make is using spinach instead of kale. Once summer comes, I think this will be my go to recipe after working in the yard.
YUM! Love this smoothie, Vickie, I agree is is SO refreshing. I am glad you are enjoying it too! Thank you for your review + star rating, I appreciate it!