Recipes from Around the World: Tangy Mango Smoothie

Enjoy this mango season with a cold and creamy blend of delicious flavors in a tropical inspired smoothie. This thirst quenching summertime smoothie is filled with tropical fruit like mangoes to give you a sweet energy-boost during the summer. With nutrient-rich ingredients such as mangoes, oranges, bananas, yogurt, and turmeric, this smoothie is the perfect morning snack or midday refreshment. Enjoy the perfect brain freeze on a hot summer day with a creamy blend of fiber, vitamins, protein, and probiotics. Whether you’re on the go or at home, the ease of blending fresh tropical ingredients in minutes makes this smoothie the perfect creamy delight for any time of day.

What’s in the smoothie?

Mangoes: Best during the summer months! Ripe fresh mangoes are delicious in this smoothie, but frozen mango is a good substitution all year round.

Turmeric: a popular spice that you may already have on your spice rack. Try fresh turmeric root for this recipe instead for an added immune system boost.

Banana: Freeze a banana ahead of time for a chilled smoothie. Banana balances out sour notes with an added sweetness.

Yogurt: Add Greek yogurt for extra creaminess and protein. For fewer calories, try 0% Greek yogurt or low-fat.

Oranges: Use freshly sliced oranges to get the most vitamin C and an additional tangy flavor!

Turmeric

Turmeric is a popular ancient yellow root spice that is known for preventative therapeutic effects in certain types of cancers [i]. Its derivative Curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory ingredient in turmeric that is used for its therapeutic effects against biliary disease, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, Alzheimer’s, erectile dysfunction, baldness, and hirsutism [ii, iii]. Several studies have suggested Curcumin may help improve cognitive function due to its antioxidants and may reduce feelings of stress or depression [iv]. Patients should check with their doctor before using turmeric or curcumin supplements. However, intake of turmeric from the root or dried spice in foods is acceptable for daily consumption. 

Mango

Native to India and Southeast Asia, mangoes are packed with nutrients and many refer to it as a “superfood” [v]. Rich in fiber and vitamins, mango is a sweet tasty snack that has only 100 calories per 1 cup serving [vi]. About 1 cup of mango provides more than half of our daily Vitamin C needs [vii]. Due to its high concentration of beta-carotene (a precursor to Vitamin A), phytochemicals, and antioxidants (such as ascorbic acid), mangoes are shown to help reduce the risk of leukemia and the progression of prostate, breast, and colon cancers [viii]. Please note mango and banana are both high in potassium; therefore, this recipe may not be ideal for patients with chronic kidney disease or high potassium levels. 

Recipe

Tangy Mango Smoothie

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 medium mango, peeled, cubed, and frozen
• 1 banana, sliced, frozen, ideally overnight
• 1 cup peeled, fresh orange slices, set one slice aside
• 1 Tbsp Turmeric, chopped
• 1 1/4 cup 0% Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp honey (optional)

Instructions

1. Add the mango, banana, orange, turmeric, and yogurt to a blender
2. Pulse for 20-30 seconds until smooth
3. Once done, scrape out the contents into a serving glass
4. Top with an orange slice and honey, serve immediately 

Variations:

• If there is no frozen banana, chilled banana works fine, or add 1 cup of ice.
• 1 cup of cubed frozen mango is equivalent to 12 oz of fresh mango. 
• Want a vegan or dairy-free recipe? Substitute Greek yogurt with creamy dairy-free options such as pili nut or coconut yogurt.
• Honey may be substituted with other sweeteners such as maple, agave, or stevia.
• Feel free to substitute oranges with pineapple or other fruit you have.
• Add full-fat Greek yogurt instead of 0% for an ultra-thick consistency.
• 1 Tbsp of grated ginger will add a spice and may help with nausea or digestive issues.
• For additional protein and thickness, add nuts, chia, flax, or hemp seeds to this recipe.
• Place this smoothie into a bowl and top with fresh fruit, nuts and seeds, and/or nut butter!

References:

[i] Ancient Drug Curcumin Impedes 26S Proteasome Activity by Direct Inhibition of Dual-Specificity Tyrosine-Regulated Kinase 2 | PNAS. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1806797115#ref-2. Accessed 20 June 2022.

[ii] The Essential Medicinal Chemistry of Curcumin – PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5346970/. Accessed 20 June 2022.

[iii] Biological Activities of Curcuminoids, Other Biomolecules from Turmeric and Their Derivatives – A Review – PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5388087/. Accessed 20 June 2022.

[iv] Kocaadam, Betül, and Nevin Şanlier. “Curcumin, an Active Component of Turmeric (Curcuma Longa), and Its Effects on Health.” Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, vol. 57, no. 13, Sept. 2017, pp. 2889–95. Taylor and Francis+NEJM, https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2015.1077195.

[v] Is Mango the Luscious Superhero of Fruit? | American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/06/02/is-mango-the-luscious-superhero-of-fruit. Accessed 21 June 2022.

[vi] FoodData Central. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1102670/nutrients. Accessed 20 June 2022.

[vii] “Mango Nutrition.” Mango.Org, https://www.mango.org/mango-nutrition/. Accessed 21 June 2022.

[viii] Lebaka, Veeranjaneya Reddy, et al. “Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Compounds in Three Different Parts of Mango Fruit.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 18, no. 2, Jan. 2021, p. E741. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020741.