This Beet Smoothie tastes like a rich slice of red velvet cake in a cup! Except you can rest assured that this smoothie is much healthier than a big slice of sugary cake. Packed full of antioxidants and nutrients, this Beet Smoothie is just as healthy as it is delicious, and satisfying!
Beet Smoothie
If you’ve ever had beets, you’d probably describe their flavor as a bit earthy and bitter. However, beets also have a sweet component that make them the perfect addition to smoothies, juices, and desserts! They also give off a beautiful pink/red pigment that makes them the perfect natural dye alternative. Next time you’re decorating cupcakes, skip the red 40, and opt for beet powder when making pink or red icing! Click here for a healthy icing recipe.
On top of all of this, beets are full of nutrients and health benefits that make these root veggies even more appealing.
Benefits of Beets
Beets are full of fiber, manganese, potassium, iron, folate, and much more! Among numerous health benefits, beets offer benefits such as being:
Anti-Inflammatory
Like mentioned earlier, beets are a very aesthetic food, full of vibrance and color. The source of their beautiful color is also a large part of what gives beets their anti-inflammatory component as well! Betalains, the pigment in beets have been studied for their ability to help reduce inflammation, among being a great source of antioxidants, and detoxification support.
Click here to learn more about the benefits and studies of betalains.
Great for Steadying Blood Pressure
Due to the high content of nitrates in beets, beets have been studied for their ability to aid in reducing blood pressure. This can potentially lead to a reduction in risk of medical events like heart attacks, strokes, and more.
Click here for more information on the effects of beets on blood pressure.
Click here for an academic study on this subject.
Helpful for Digestive Health
Due to the high fiber content of beets (3.4 grams in 1 cup), beets are a great food to include as a regular part of your diet for digestive health! Regularity plays a huge role in optimizing our health as a whole. The American Heart Association and the FDA advises adults get at least 25 per day from food for optimal digestion.
While this post covers a few of the major benefits of beets, there are endless additional benefits that we didn’t get to. To learn more about the value of implementing beets as a regular part of your diet, click here!
Beets & Cherries Help Make a Sweet, Creamy Smoothie
I had made roasted beets the night before and planned to use them to make a clean Red Velvet cake, but was out of eggs and every single grocery store (and business) in town was already closed in preparation for an incoming hurricane. I decided to turn my cake idea into a smoothie and it was the only thing that went right that entire day!
Adding the frozen cherries along with medjool dates and a touch of pure maple syrup gave my Beet Smoothie all the sweetness it needed. No need for refined sugar. By the way, pure maple syrup actually has some surprising nutrition benefits!
A Bit of Superfood Maca Eases Stress
And finally, there was no way I was going to make a smoothie on the day before a hurricane and not include some stress-busting maca.
A root vegetable, maca supports the health of the adrenal glands by enabling them to regenerate. Maca is also helpful for balancing hormonal issues (especially those related to stress.) The hormonal benefits derived from Maca are due to the fact it is rich in plant sterols.
Gelatinized Maca is Best
Gelatinized maca powder is the best form to use because it is easily digestible and quickly assimilated. Plus, the published clinical studies showing maca’s effectiveness were all performed using the gelatinized form.
You can purchase Maca Powder online HERE.
If you’re ready to make this delicious Beet Smoothie, let’s get into it!
Kitchen Favorites
Beet Smoothie
This Beet Smoothie tastes like a rich slice of red velvet cake in a cup! Except this smoothie is just as healthy as it is delicious!
- Prep Time: 7 mins
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 52 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted beet root -approximately 1 small beet root, chilled or at room temperature *if using fresh, see notes below on how to roast beets
- 1 cup frozen cherries
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/2 cup coconut “cream” (see notes below)
- 1 cup chilled filtered water
- 1 cup ice
- 8 medjool dates, pitted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon gelatinized maca (optional)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (optional)
- Pinch of Himalayan salt
- Puffed whole grain cereal for topping, optional/not paleo
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients, except for the cereal, in the order listed above in a blender.
- Process on high until smooth and creamy.
- Divide into 2 cups and sprinkle the whole grain cereal (if using) on top. Serve at once.
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Notes
How to Roast Beet Roots: Individually wrap beet roots in foil. Place wrapped beet roots on a baking sheet. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until fork tender.
Coconut Cream: The coconut “cream” is the thick, non-watery part from a coconut milk can.
