Mango Turmeric Smoothie

Enjoy this sweet and tangy 5-ingredient Mango Turmeric Smoothie for breakfast, post workout or as a snack any time of the day! Vegan and gluten-free.

Hello! Sorry I have been MIA since December. It was an unintentional intentional break. I did mean to take some time off for the holidays, but the break ended up being about 1 month longer than I meant for it to be. I have been busy with my three kids and husband, side gigs, working at WIC, and simply enjoying life.  But I have some exciting posts and delicious recipes planned to share with you in the coming weeks.

I’m kicking off February with this sweet and tangy mango turmeric smoothie. In the midst of a dreary winter that is January, we all need a bright pick me up. And this smoothie does just that. As an added benefit, the turmeric and ginger combo in this smoothie can help add a bit a pick me up for your health, too.

Health Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric is a plant grown throughout India, other parts of Asia, and Central America. Throughout history turmeric was used in Ayurvedic medicine for many conditions, such as breathing problems, rheumatism, pain, and fatigue.

Fast forward to today, turmeric is widely used as a dietary supplement for many ailments including inflammation, arthritis, stomach, skin, liver, and gallbladder issues, and some cancers. Though it may be used for these conditions, more studies are needed to support whether or not it truly is effective.

Besides being used for health conditions, turmeric is a common spice and a main ingredient in curry powder. Turmeric gets its golden yellow color from curcumin, and because of this it’s used to naturally color many foods and cosmetics. Common forms of turmeric include the dried root powder, as well as capsules, tablets, teas, or extracts.

Turmeric and Ginger: The Dynamic Duo

Did you know that turmeric and ginger are related? It’s true! Both are from the Zingiberaceae family and are rhizomes, which are a stem that is later modified into a root. The root is what is used for cooking.

In Asian medicine, dried ginger has been used for thousands of years to treat GI problems, such as stomach aches, diarrhea, and nausea.

Today, ginger is used as a dietary supplement most commonly for nausea, but has also been used for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Common forms of ginger include the fresh or dried root, candies, teas, tablets, capsules, and liquid extracts.

Mango Turmeric Smoothie

The amounts of turmeric and ginger in this smoothie probably aren’t meaningful enough to have a clinical effect, though they are definitely delicious and can’t hurt. The mango brings the sweet flavor, the ginger brings the tang and the turmeric adds an extra punch of color. With only 5 ingredients, it’s super easy to make. Plus, it’s vegan and gluten free and has 2 full servings of fruit in it.

Originally I had planned to add a half of a banana to it, but I forgot during my first taste test and I loved how it turned out without it. So I omitted it from the recipe. However, if you want a little more sweetness to offset the tang and slight spice of ginger, add the half of banana – that or a little bit of honey.

Don’t have coconut milk? No problem! Use whatever type of milk you have on hand – cow, almond, soy, flax, oat…you get the picture. Or if you change your mind and want a completely different flavor of smoothie try out this peanut butter banana oatmeal smoothie.

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