Pineapple Smoothies

Pineapple is the most popular tropical fruit after bananas. It originated from South America, specifically Brazil and Paraguay. Christopher Columbus introduced the pineapple to Europe, and its taste has spread the world over. It’s a favorite ingredient in some of our favorite foods, like pizza and smoothies. While pizza purists hate pineapples in their pizza, smoothie lovers love pineapples in their smoothies.

Pineapples are ridiculously healthy. It’s filled with enough Vitamin C to fulfill your daily requirement. Sailing ships carried loads of pineapple to protect them from scurvy, which is a disease caused by lack of Vitamin C. Pineapples contain more vitamins than that. It also contains fiber and a lot of healthy minerals and enzymes. Among the enzymes, one of the most noteworthy is bromelain. It accelerates the healing of wounds and it reduces the swelling caused by arthritis, gout, sore throat and sinusitis. Pineapples also protect people from cancer and heart ailments.

Fresh pineapple is the best ingredient for your smoothie. Choose one that is plump, feels heavy and has a sweet pineapple smell. Don’t choose one with a strong smell; it could be overripe. Choose pineapples with green or yellow gold colors. The eyes should be bright, shiny and flat. The leaves should be green and easy to pull off. Avoid pineapples that look old and wrinkly. Dark eyes and yellowed leaves should also be avoided. Make sure that there are no mushy parts in or mold on the bottom of the pineapple. Fresh pineapple perishes quickly. Freezing will extend its life. If you place the sliced pineapple in an airtight plastic bag and put it in the freezer, it can last up to six months. If the only pineapples available are dried, frozen or canned, it’s perfectly possible to use them in smoothies.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup frozen pineapple pieces
• ½ banana (frozen)
• ¼ cup low-fat milk
• ¼ cup vanilla or strawberry yogurt
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp coconut

Procedure:

1. Combine all the ingredients together and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

It's really that short and easy.

This recipe is very good for a hot day. It’s cool and refreshing. It has all of the most popular flavors of the tropics: bananas, pineapples and coconuts. Let it twirl around your tongue.

Each of the ingredients adds flavor and nutrition. Bananas contain tryptophan (to reduce depression), iron (to prevent anemia) and potassium (to reduce high blood pressure). Coconuts boost energy, relieve stress and improve digestion. Yogurt and milk contain lots of calcium to strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis.

Together with pineapple, these ingredients create a wonderful smoothie that refreshes and nourishes.