Banana Mango Smoothie

January got you down? How about a trip to the tropics? Maybe not literally, but at least your mouth can take a vacation with this cheerful, fruity smoothie. Mango, banana, and orange juice combine for a midwinter treat without any extra sweeteners, and you can use your choice of coconut milk for extra tropical flavor or almond milk if you’re not huge on the coconut taste.

Of course, all the usual smoothie caveats apply here. This is not a meal (no protein!) and shouldn’t be mistaken for one. The calories come mostly from sugar, and sugar from fruit is completely identical to any other kind of sugar. Yes, it does have vitamins in it – mangos in particular are rich in Vitamin C  – but you can get all those vitamins from other sources without also getting so much sugar in liquid form.

To minimize the blood sugar impact, this would be good with a meal, as a quick snack, or maybe as dessert once you’ve already had something with protein and fat.

Banana Mango Smoothie Recipe

SERVES: 2 PREP: 10 min.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen mango
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup almond or coconut milk (coconut for AIP)

Preparation

1. Place frozen mango and coconut or almond milk in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Add the banana and orange juice, and pulse until everything is well-mixed and smooth.
3. Serve immediately.