If you can't eat them drink them! Sweet potato mango smoothie

Many of us struggle to eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables. In part this is because we are constantly on the go and need quick easy meals that are often nutrient poor and calorie rich. In part the high rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and other diseases are due to poor diet lacking in fruits and vegetables (1, 2). The World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture of the United Nation reports recommend adults to consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day (2). What if you don't like vegetables or fruits? No problem! simply make a delicious smoothie that tastes just like one of our favorite juices and you can derive all the benefits of fruits and vegetables. Be careful of many store bought juices as they can contain high sugars, additives, and almost no fiber.

Ingredients

1. Frozen mango or 2 small bags/650g – Vitamin A, B2, B5, B6, C, E, K, copper, folate, magnesium, manganese, riboflavin, fiber

2. 1 medium sweet potato - Vitamin A, B5, B6, C, E, potassium, fiber and antioxidants

3. Baby carrot (1/2 bag/170g) – Vitamin A, biotin, B6, K1, potassium fiber and antioxidants

4. Reduced sugar orange juice 250 ml - Vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, potassium, anti-inflammatory and antioxidants

5. Purified Water 750 ml

Directions

1. Wash the sweet potato well. Pierce the sweet potato with a fork several times. Place in the microwave for 5-7 minutes until soft and let stand for a few minutes.

2. Cut the sweet potato in half with a knife and scoop out the interior orange part with a spoon and place in your blender.

3. Fill the blender with 1/3 frozen mango

4. Add the carrots

5. Add orange juice to fill up 1/4 of the blender

6. Add water to fill up the remainder of the blender

7. Blend on high until smooth for 2 minutes. There should be no lumps, and it should taste like juice. Enjoy!

   
   

Heatlh benefits

Research shows that increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risks of a variety of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers (3). Large scale clinical investigations show that eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day can decrease your chances of dying (4). The mechanisms into the health benefits lies in the fact that fruits and vegetables supply dietary fiber, and fiber intake is linked to lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and obesity (5). Fruits and vegetables also supply vitamins and minerals to the diet and are sources of phytochemicals that function as antioxidants, phytoestrogens, and anti-inflammatory agents and through other protective mechanisms (5). For example in this recipe:

Mangoes are rich in Vitamin A, B2, B5, B6, C, E, K, copper, folate, magnesium, manganese, riboflavin, and fiber.

Sweet potatoes are a good source of Vitamin A, B5, B6, C, E, potassium, fiber and antioxidants.

Carrots contain Vitamin A, biotin, B6, K1, potassium fiber and antioxidants.

Oranges/orange juice has Vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, potassium, anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants.

Last, increasing your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables is associated with improved gut microbial diversity and gut health (6) Try to swap out less healthy choices such as store-bought fruit juices and switch to homemade smoothies that are packed with beneficial nutrients and fiber to boost your overall health.

References

1) Centers for disease control. Poor nutrition. Poor Nutrition | CDC. Accessed 09/27/23.

2) Pem D, Jeewon R. Fruit and Vegetable Intake: Benefits and Progress of Nutrition Education Interventions- Narrative Review Article. Iran J Public Health. 2015 Oct;44(10):1309-21.

3) Almansory, M. A. (2024). The Health and Nutritional Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables to Reduce the Risk of Obesity and High Blood Lipids.

4) Wang DD, Li Y, Bhupathiraju SN, Rosner BA, Sun Q, Giovannucci EL, Rimm EB, Manson JE, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB. Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality: Results From 2 Prospective Cohort Studies of US Men and Women and a Meta-Analysis of 26 Cohort Studies. Circulation. 2021 Apr 27;143(17):1642-1654.

5) Slavin JL, Lloyd B. Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Adv Nutr. 2012 Jul 1;3(4):506-16.

6) Frankenfeld CL, Hullar MAJ, Maskarinec G, Monroe KR, Shepherd JA, Franke AA, Randolph TW, Wilkens LR, Boushey CJ, Le Marchand L, Lim U, Lampe JW. The Gut Microbiome Is Associated with Circulating Dietary Biomarkers of Fruit and Vegetable Intake in a Multiethnic Cohort. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2022 Jan;122(1):78-98.