The list of turmeric benefits is extensive and powerful: from liver detox to eye health, with almost everything in between, this Ayurvedic root is a must-have all year long. It’s a millennial root closely related to ginger (another infection-fighting root) and it has been used for thousands of years to treat multiple digestive and respiratory issues.
However, you may be surprised to learn:
Turmeric powder is more than a last-ditch effort to avoid a cold.
It’s a powerful preventative medicine option that you can consume any way you like. And since summer is here and the weather is warmer, what better way to incorporate the benefits of turmeric in your life than a light, fresh, and cooling Turmeric Smoothie.
You can cleanse your skin, fight bloating, and boost your immune system with turmeric.
This is why turmeric powder will be your favorite summer ally:
- Supports liver detox
- Helps clear your skin for a radiant look
- Lowers inflammatory markers
- Powers natural weight loss
- Is a potent antioxidant
- Reduces pain associated with gastritis
- May help with psoriasis
- Could support better sleep
- Reverses marks of chronic stress
- Contributes to cardiovascular health
- Is antispasmodic, antibacterial, and antiseptic
- More!
Essentially the perfect ingredients to help you achieve that golden summer body -and skin- that we all dream of in the back of our mind.
No matter where you’re at, whether it’s dropping a few pounds or just looking to feel better in your jeans, turmeric benefits your organism.
With its active compound curcumin, credited with numerous therapeutic benefits, turmeric’s ability to fight and neutralize oxidative stress could shock you with how quickly it works for you.
Want to give it a shot?
This smoothie is a must-try! All you need are eight wholesome ingredients that you likely already have as pantry staples, a blender, and about 5 minutes to make. Yes! Easy, healthy and nutritious. Let’s do this!
Turmeric Benefits in an Iced Vanilla Smoothie
Since I love golden milk tea so much, I decided to try a yummy twist on that recipe with a protein-packed, vanilla and turmeric smoothie that I could use as a meal replacement during the hotter months.
This creamy, anti-inflammatory and naturally sweet turmeric smoothie is a keeper:
If your body is craving a cooling and energizing mix this healthy smoothie with a superfood twist is exactly what you need. The best part? Even though I’m boasting about the turmeric benefits it has, it’s chock-full of other powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Here’s why I chose each of the ingredients:
Turmeric Benefits:
With anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal remedying benefits, the turmeric powder in this smoothie is great for your digestion, immune system, heart, and brain.
(I’m low key obsessed with turmeric; it is just overall amazing for your body, mind, and soul!)
How Curcumin Fights Belly Bloat:
The adipose tissue (aka fat) surrounding visceral organs, is absolutely one of the hardest to diet and crunch away, but it’s also not the only potential culprit. That stubborn “muffin top” you so thoroughly hate, is more often than not a result of internal and chronic inflammation.
Curcumin has been shown to block and suppress NF-κB activation, a cytokine, increased by several different inflammatory stimuli.
When active these agents surround “injured” internal areas with swollen tissue to aid healing, just like when you stub your toe, except there’s no real injury and your body never goes back to normal. Curcumin or turmeric benefits your belly, healing it from the inside out and eliminating the swelling that looks like bloating.
Vanilla Protein Powder:
One of the easiest ways to get complete protein in your diet, if you’re eating plant-based or have a hard time hitting your protein macros during the day. I added this vanilla protein powder because it is free from dairy, soy, and B.A.D. chemicals (banned, avoidable, or debatable) and that can be a great asset when you’re running around doing errands, between camps, family events, and Fourth of July brunches.
It really complements the turmeric benefits, by removing inflammatory proteins associated with other common protein powders.
Flax and Pumpkin Seed Benefits:
In addition to the turmeric benefits listed above, the flax and pumpkin seeds in this smoothie bring anti-inflammatory properties, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein to the mix. Basically, more belly-bloat slayers.
Cinnamon and Honey Benefits:
The cinnamon and honey both add anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal superpowers. It’s also a way to add natural sweetness to the mix with a bit of texture, but you can skip the honey or cut in half if you don’t want to have it. The turmeric benefits are good on their own anyway. Substitute honey for agave nectar if vegan!
Mango and Banana Benefits
Mangoes are good for your digestion, skin, eyes and immune system and can also help fight heat stroke! Bananas are good for muscle recovery, smooth digestion, and brain health. This is why you can cut out the honey, the bananas add enough sweetness on their own.
Almond Milk Benefits
Not everyone can digest casein, the protein in cow milk, properly. Many people are lactose intolerant, almond milk is good for your bones, skin, digestion and healthy blood sugar levels without all the adverse side effects that dairy tends to have.
Prepare Your Turmeric Smoothie
The base of this smoothie is -contrary to what you might think- not turmeric! We actually start with a frozen banana and mango chunks for the natural sweetness and creamy texture they bring, plus the added value of not having to use ice to water the whole thing down. However, if you don’t have them at hand, you can still use fresh fruit - don’t worry!
I tested other fruit combinations with the turmeric and nothing tasted quite as good as the mango-banana. I have a theory that similar-color foods play well together, but if you’re cutting back on bananas or mangoes for that matter, papaya was a solid third place!
In the end, this is about getting the health benefits of turmeric in a summer-friendly drink. Don’t sweat it!
Important! Black pepper makes turmeric benefits 2000X more bioavailable to humans, meaning the absorption of turmeric is improved by two thousand times when you add just a dash of black pepper to your turmeric drink, but I skipped them for this recipe since I personally didn’t like the flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of mango (frozen or fresh), chunks
- ½ banana (frozen or fresh), sliced (or add another ½ mango or ½ cup or papaya instead)
- 1.5 cup of almond milk (or your favorite nut/seed milk)
- 1 scoop of Organifi Vanilla Protein Powder (plant-based)
- 1 tsp flax seeds
- 1 tsp pumpkin seed protein (or similar)
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp honey, optional
Instructions:
- Add everything in your blender.
- Blend well.
- Enjoy!
That’s it, now isn’t that a delicious way to get those amazing turmeric benefits in your diet? I know you’re going to love it and can’t wait to see and hear about your own versions.
Get the Health Benefits of Turmeric with Gold
If you’re interested in turmeric benefits for your health, we have fantastic news for you:
Organifi Gold is a mix of herbs, adaptogens, and probiotics, made with maximum strength turmeric powder, extracted directly from the root with our unique method that makes curcumin extraction -turmeric’s active component- up to four times more powerful than other methods.
It also has black pepper piperine to make those turmeric benefits 2000% more potent in your body. That combination alone makes Gold a fantastic drink to jump-start the immune response and fight off inflammation, but we also added Reishi Mushrooms (often called the mushroom of immortality) and Turkey tail mushroom, two remarkable adaptogens that both relax and help manage energy levels in the body.
Traditionally recommended as an end-of-day natural sleep aid, Gold mixed with ice-cold almond milk and mango or banana chunks, is an even easier turmeric smoothie.
Is it Just for Summer?
It’s such a quick and easy to make a smoothie; you’ll surely want to add to your roaster - year round! The mango adds a summery feel and freshness to it, but knowing the health benefits of turmeric, I’ve recreated this recipe multiple times in all weathers.
This vanilla turmeric smoothie is absolutely perfect for a quick breakfast or snack, it’s usually well-accepted by children (which is fantastic near that back-to-school time) and can be a great post-workout recovery treat.
If you want to get some variety, switch the almond milk for coconut milk and watch the turmeric benefits explode with flavor.
Tell Us How it Went
When you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment below, tell a friend, and don’t forget to tag Organifi in your photos on Instagram. And don’t worry, you don’t have to add turmeric to all your smoothies from now on, but knowing all those turmeric benefits who wouldn’t, am I right? We love to see what you get up to, and how you make it your own - we’re in this together.
Consider taking a daily turmeric supplement to boost your immune system, improve digestion, and balance your energy, if you want to get it more consistently in your diet.
She is a multi-passionate writer, world traveler, nomad, runner, and cat-person. She is a lifelong learner who lives outside of her comfort zones stretching her boundaries and discovering beauty around the world. She is a Certified Holistic Health and Life Coach who encourages others to embrace their unique authentic selves, follow their heart and find their own version of freedom in life.
