While coffee is my “wake-me-up” beverage of choice first thing in the morning, I also know that a nourishing breakfast is what is really most important for keeping me energized. 

This pineapple ginger smoothie has the added benefit of ingredients that help with inflammation and support your health. Every single ingredient in this smoothie is filled with nutrients that support our health and may be able to help tamp down inflammation.

Hi, I’m Laura, a registered dietitian and culinary nutritionist and I love a quick zesty morning smoothie! Smoothies are an easy and filling breakfast and something you can make ahead too. Pack them full of fruit and calcium rich kefir or yogurt and you’ve got a nourishing breakfast (or snack that will snap your brain into gear and keep you going.

Plus, they just feel like a cool, frozen treat! 

This delicious and zesty anti-inflammatory smoothie recipe gives your morning a spark and lift. 

What You Will Need to Make It

Some of the ingredients in this smoothie can be adjusted and swapped if you don’t have something on hand. However, the fruits and spices I’ve chosen for this one have nutrients that help with inflammation, along with specific flavor profiles that work well together. 

Below, I describe why I chose each ingredient and some potential swaps if you don’t have it on hand.

Ingredients

Kefir 

Similar to yogurt, kefir is a fermented dairy product that has natural probiotics, or healthy bacteria, that help with digesting and absorbing food. These healthy bacteria have recently been shown to help support our immune system and may help reduce inflammation in our GI tract. 

I used plain, unsweetened kefir in this smoothie. Plain kefir doesn’t add any flavor, which allows the other ingredients to really shine. It also lets me add only as much sweetener as I want.

If you don’t have kefir on hand, plain or vanilla yogurt would also work well. 

Pineapple

Pineapple contains a combination of enzymes called Bromelain. These act as a tenderizer, breaking apart proteins. It’s a natural meat tenderizer, but also works in our GI tract helping to break apart and digest food. It has also been shown to help reduce inflammation and decrease pain.  

Pineapple has a fresh, citrusy bite and goes well with both lime and ginger in this anti-inflammatory smoothie recipe. Frozen pineapple chunks give this smoothie a nice, thick, frozen drink feeling.

Pineapple is the main ingredient here, so this is the one ingredient I wouldn’t swap out. I always have a few bags of fresh pineapple that I’ve frozen in my freezer for smoothies! You can freeze them in cup-size portions so they are ready to add to the blender.

Lime

Lime zest is where most of the lime flavor comes from, so try not to skip this quick step. The essential oils in the zest add a boatload of flavor and beautiful lime aroma. The lime juice adds a bit of acidity and helps mellow out the ginger a bit.

Citrus fruits are also rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps support our immune system and keep inflammation at bay.

If you don’t have limes, an orange and orange zest would work well too. 

Ginger

This root vegetable, or her, has been used to treat various ailments for centuries. It is most commonly known for helping reduce nausea. Yup, that’s why your mom always gave you ginger ale to sip on when you were sick! But it also contains antioxidants that have been found to help reduce inflammation. 

Fresh ginger root adds a spicy bite to this smoothie. I cut small slices and add them to the blender rather than one big piece. They seem to blend better when added in smaller pieces rather than one big piece.

Turmeric

Another root vegetable that has historically been used for centuries as an herbal remedy to treat everything from indigestion to arthritis. It’s deep orange color comes from the antioxidant curcumin. While there is some limited research to support its ability to reduce pain in osteoarthritis and its potential to reduce inflammation, more research is needed. 

Honey

Honey adds the sweetness you need and has anti-inflammatory properties. Different types of honey have different levels of antioxidants. I happened to have alfalfa honey on hand, but clover and manuka are particularly well known for their antioxidant levels.  

By using unsweetened kefir, you can adjust the sweetness by adding as much honey as you need. A liquid sweetener like honey blends better than using granulated sugar or another powdered sweetener. You could also use agave syrup, maple syrup, or a low-calorie liquid sweetener if you prefer. 

Equipment Needed:

Blender

An immersion blender is one of my favorite kitchen tools, and they are great for making smoothies. A stand blender or even a food processor will also work. 

How to Make It

This smoothie can be whipped up in about 5 minutes, making it an easy breakfast or quick snack.

Step 1 

Place all ingredients in a blender or the bowl of a food processor.

Step 2 

Puree on high until the ingredients are combined and the smoothie is thick. 

Step 3

Pour in a glass, add a straw, and enjoy!

Variations

You can swap yogurt or milk for the kefir. Dairy or a plant-based milk would all work. Almond milk may add a little nutty flavor. 

Instead of lime juice and zest, try orange. It will give you a little sweeter flavor, so you may be able to skip or cut back on the sweetener.

In place of pineapple, you could use frozen or papaya. Both will give you a different flavor, but would work well with the other ingredients. 

Storage Tips

This is best enjoyed as soon as you make it, but you can refrigerate it overnight or freeze it for use later.

If freezing, pour it into a resealable bag or a reusable freezer-safe container, like a souper cube. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying. 

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Other Recipes You Will Love

If you like smoothies, I have several other flavors you may enjoy as well. Give one of these a try!

Tropical Smoothie

Berry Smoothie

Strawberry, Blackberry, Banana Smoothie