Kiwis are cute little green fruits encased in somewhat off putting fuzzy brown skins. If you get past the unattractive exterior, you are rewarded with a bright green piece of fruit that is delicious and packed with nutrients. Kiwis are higher in vitamin C than oranges (they have almost twice as much), and they’re a good source of potassium and magnesium and fiber for a healthy stomach and digestive system.
These tart fruits pair well with many other fruits and will make a healthy addition to your favorite smoothies.
For your kiwi smoothies, make sure you use kiwis that are really ripe — it should give when you press the sides. The flax seeds contribute omega-3’s; you won’t be hungry anytime soon if you add them.
Kiwi provides a wide array of nutrition benefits. According to a study at Rutgers University, kiwi is the most nutrient dense fruit, ounce for ounce.
Kiwi provides 16% of the RDA for fiber and 10% of the RDA for folic acid. Kiwis have phytonutrients, which repair DNA, act as the body’s protection against some cancers, and function as antioxidants.
Studies in Italy performed on 18,000 6-7 year old children have demonstrated health benefits of kiwis to the respiratory tract. The study found that children eating the 5-7 servings of citrus and kiwifruit per week had 44 percent less incidence of wheezing compared to children eating less than once a week.
According to another study, eating kiwi fruit every morning has the same effect as aspirin for heart health (reduces blood clotting), but without the side effects.
Plus, they are so delicious in green smoothies!
And did you know that there are over 400 varieties of this fuzzy fruit, which grows off of vines on a trellis, similar to grapes?
Kiwi Smoothie Recipes
Many kiwi smoothie recipes available both online and in recipe books call for dairy, such as yogurt or cream. One way to make a non-dairy version, is by simply adding banana, and maybe some sweetener and/or non-dairy milk or yogurt. (If you are wondering why I’m against adding dairy to smoothies, read this post and this post). Adding a cup of orange juice to the blend will do the job too.
So, here are a few kiwi smoothie recipes for ya. They contain no dairy, and are deliciously green, not just because of kiwi, but also because they contain GREENS.
Why add greens to a perfectly delicious kiwi smoothie?
The Harvard School of Public Health recommends at least nine servings, or four cups, of fruits and vegetables daily. Most of us don’t even come close.
So there you go! Delicious green smoothie recipes with kiwi!
Ingredients
- 2 kiwis, peeled
- 1/4 small lime, peeled
- 1 ripe banana, peeled
- 5 to 10 mint leaves (to taste)
- 1/2 cup fresh spinach
- 1 cup of water, almond milk, or other non-dairy milk (adjust the quantity to reach the desired consistency)
Instructions
- Blend all the ingredients (I use a Vitamix) on high for 30 seconds or until the smoothie is creamy.
Kiwi-Avocado Smoothie
2 kiwi fruits
1 ripe banana
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
¼ avocado
¼ cup cranberries (optional)
1/2 cup water or fresh orange juice
Blend the ingredients until smooth. Enjoy!
Kiwi Pineapple Smoothie
Kiwis are native to New Zealand so they pair well with other tropical fruits, such as pineapple. A smoothie that blends kiwi and pineapple will supply a large dose of vitamin C as well as fiber, potassium and several antioxidants.
2 kiwis
1/4 cup of chopped fresh pineapple
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
1/2avocado
1/2 cup of 100 percent pineapple juice
Blend until smooth and garnish with chopped kiwi.
Also check out this Kiwi-Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
Picture of two cute kiwi fruit
Kiwi smoothie: getting the ingredients ready. Instead of baby spinach I used kale.
It’s practically smiling at you now!
Note: Be careful if you have an actinidin allergy, as it contains a healthy dose, though most people should be completely fine.
How do I choose a kiwi?
Select fruit that is plump and fragrant with no visible bruising and a slightly firm feel. Unripe kiwi fruits ripen faster when stored in a paper or plastic bag with a ripe banana.
Once they are ripened, store them away from other fruit or they will decompose more quickly! Ripe kiwi can last in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
Can I eat the skin?
You can, but buy organic and/or wash carefully to remove unwanted pesticides! Even though kiwis rank low in potential pesticide residue (13 out of 100) according to study conducted by the Environmental Working Group. Also, rub it a bit to minimize the fuzz. The skin will provide more fiber to your sweet snack. If you’re not fond of the fuzzy exterior, simply “sloop” it out by slicing the kiwi in half horizontally and spooning out each end to enjoy.
For all my blending recipes I use Vitamix. If you don’t already own a VitaMix, I strongly encourage you to check out what this machine is capable of! For more information about VitaMix you can go directly to the VitaMix website. You may also want to read my post about the Best Blender.
I LOVE my VitaMix and highly recommend investing in one if you are ready to make serious changes to your diet. I have had mine for almost 5 years and use it daily!
If you decide to purchase Vitamix – be sure to use Promotional Code 06-004554 to get free shipping.
green smoothie still in Vitamix
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!
I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!
