My family and I fell in love with Jamba Juice's smoothies. The problem now is that we spent at least $50 for some yogurt blended with fruit every time we visit. However, after picking up a Ninja personal blender on sale and doing these at home, I've saved more than enough to pay for the blender 10x over!

"Healthy" drinks, vitamins, and supplement businesses thrive on people buying things they don't need, but they certainly spend a lot to convince consumers they do.

Below is the recipe that I use every morning to start the day. I was thinking about adding green tea for a nice caffeine boost. Feel free to change the quantities of each for your specific taste. Alternatives and their vitamin content are below. Let me know what you end up making!

Quick Smoothie Recipe

  • Spinach
  • Unflavored Whey Protein Powder
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Nonfat Milk
  • Pinch of salt
  • Blueberries
  • Banana
  • Orange, Strawberries, Mango, and / or Pineapple
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Almonds
  • Pumpkin seeds

Vitamin & Mineral Breakdown

  • Vitamin A 🫐🍓🥬
    • Why: Important for normal vision, the immune system, and reproduction. It also helps the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs work properly.
    • Smoothie Food: Spinach, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries
  • Vitamin B Complex 🍌🥛🌻
    • Why: This includes a group of 8 vitamins: B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folate or folic acid), and B12 (cobalamin). They're essential for brain function, red blood cell production, and cell metabolism.
    • Smoothie Food: Banana (B6), Spinach (B9), Strawberries (B9), Oranges (B9), Kiwis (B9), Nonfat Milk (B12), Sunflower Seeds, Greek Yogurt, Oranges
  • Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 🍊🍓🥝
    • Why: Essential for the growth, development, and repair of all body tissues. It's involved in many body functions, including the formation of collagen, absorption of iron, the immune system, wound healing, and maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth.
    • Smoothie Food: Blueberries, Spinach, Strawberries, Banana, Raspberries, Kiwis, Oranges, Almond Milk
  • Vitamin D 🥛🍊
    • Why: Important for bone health, immune system function, and it helps the body absorb and use calcium.
    • Smoothie Food: Nonfat Milk, Fortified Orange Juice, (some) Yogurt, Tofu, Almond Milk
  • Vitamin E 🥛🌻
    • Why: An antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage. It's also important for the health of your immune system and your DNA.
    • Smoothie Food: Sunflower Seeds, Almonds, Almond Milk
  • Vitamin K 🫐🥬
    • Why: Essential for blood clotting and healthy bones and also has other functions.
    • Smoothie Food: Blueberries, Spinach
  • Protein 🥛🎃
    • Why: Muscle repair and growth, immune system, energy, hormone balancing.
    • Smoothie Food: Protein Powder, Nonfat Milk, Almonds, Greek Yogurt, Pumpkin Seeds
  • Calcium 🥛🥬
    • Why: Important for healthy bones and teeth, muscle function, nerve function, and blood clotting.
    • Smoothie Food: Nonfat Milk, Greek Yogurt, Spinach, Almonds
  • Iron 🥬🎃
    • Why: Essential for the production of red blood cells and transporting oxygen in the blood.
    • Smoothie Food: Spinach, Pumpkin Seeds
  • Magnesium 🎃🍌🌻
    • Why: Important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure, and making protein, bone, and DNA.
    • Smoothie Food: Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds, Banana, Sunflower Seeds
  • Zinc 🎃
    • Why: Important for your immune system, metabolism function, and tissue health.
    • Smoothie Food: Pumpkin Seeds
  • Manganese 🥬🍓🍌
    • Why: Metabolism, bone health, wound healing.
    • Smoothie Food: Spinach, Strawberries, Banana, Raspberries, Blueberries
  • Selenium 🌻
    • Why: Important for reproduction, thyroid gland function, DNA production, and protecting the body from damage caused by free radicals and from infection.
    • Smoothie Food: Sunflower Seeds, Brazil Nut
  • Potassium 🍌
    • Why: Vital for cell function, maintaining normal blood pressure, and muscle contraction.
    • Smoothie Food: Banana, Greek Yogurt
  • Iodine 🥛
    • Why: Important for normal thyroid function and the production of thyroid hormones.
    • Smoothie Food: Nonfat Milk, Greek Yogurt, Cranberries, Seaweed (not too much though, can be harmful)
  • Fiber 🍓🍌🫐🥬
    • Why: Digestive health, weight management, blood sugar control, heart health.
    • Smoothie Food: Blueberries, Banana, Almonds, Raspberries, Spinach, Strawberries
  • Sodium 🧂
    • Why: Fluid balance, nerve and muscle function, electrolyte balance (I learned this the hard way with a recent ER visit). Most people don't need to go out of their way to get more sodium due to its prevalence in the typical diet.
    • Smoothie Food: Salt, Greek Yogurt
  • Other Options 🍫
    • Dark Chocolate: Rich in antioxidants, heart health, mood enhancer, improves brain function, has a lot of nutrients (iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium)
    • Green Tea 🫖: Antioxidants, brain health, fat burning, weight loss, heart health, reduce blood sugar levels, improve dental health, and caffeine.
    • Avocados 🥑: Contain antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, and have healthy fats.
    • Kale 🥬: High in antioxidants, including lutein and beta-carotene.
    • Sunlight ☀️: Vitamin D