Today, more than ever, healthy eaters understand the benefits of a diet rich in vegetables. They prevent all the things you don’t want, like heart disease, weak bones, and inflammation. In fact, a 2017 study found that eating up to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day (compared to none) reduced the risk of premature death by 31%. Even two servings per day resulted in a 15% reduction!
But eating the same salads and roasted veggies every day can get, well, a little boring. Which is why it’s become popular in the health food world to incorporate vegetables into unexpected recipes, including smoothies. A sweet meal or snack that easily packs at least two serving of fruits and veggies? Yes, please! The best part: When done right, veggies make beverages extra silky—without altering the flavour.
Ready to whip one up? Here are some of our favourite sneaky veggie smoothie recipes:
Sunrise Sweet Potato Smoothie
You already know that sweet potatoes can make irresistibly velvety, delicious pie—so why not turn your smoothie into a healthy dessert or sweet breakfast? In this tantalising treat by Cassie of Wholefully, sweet potato is paired with ingredients like potassium-rich banana and bone-healthy milk and is sweetened with just a touch of vanilla, maple syrup and cinnamon.
Veggie benefits: Sweet potatoes are an incredible source of vitamin A (a nutrient that boosts immunity and helps keep your vision sharp) and the amount used in this smoothie provides more than six times the daily recommended dose.
Strawberry Banana Hidden Cauliflower Smoothie
There’s a good reason cauliflower has stolen the limelight in recent years: It’s perhaps one of the most versatile vegetables, easily blending in as “rice” for dinner or providing a nutritious, barely-noticeable base to a smoothie. This blend by Julie of Peanut Butter Fingers is specifically called a “Strawberry Banana Hidden Cauliflower Smoothie,” because its frozen cauliflower is camouflaged by ingredients such as creamy almond butter, juicy strawberries, banana, and avocado.
Veggie benefits: Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that's been associated with decreased cancer risk. This is likely due to sulfur-containing compounds, which may protect cells from DNA damage and help deactivate carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds). The veggie is also chock-full of vitamin C and provides a good dose of vitamin K and folate, a B-vitamin.
Power Peach, Mango & Carrot Smoothie
You were likely told to “eat your carrots,” as a child—so why not drink them as an adult? Since carrots are widely available both fresh and frozen, they’re an accessible ingredient for a variety of smoothies. For this recipe, Alyssa of My Sequined Life blends two large carrots with peaches, mangos, and lime juice for a drink bursting with flavour and nutrition.
Veggie benefits: Aside from immune-protective beta-carotene, carrots are a good source of vitamin K, which helps blood clot and supports bone health, keeping bone fractures and osteoporosis at bay.
Blueberry & Cabbage Power Smoothie
Lorie of Mississippi Kitchen created this smoothie that’s too pretty not to sip. And even better, it sneaks in an entire cup of shredded red cabbage, which only adds to this smoothie’s stunning shade. In this drink, it’s blended with almond milk, memory-boosting blueberries and chia seeds, which are packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Veggie benefits: Like cauliflower, cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable and serves up a healthy dose of cancer-preventing substances such as flavonoids and sulfur-based compounds. It also provides dietary fibre, vitamin K, vitamin A, and inflammation-fighting vitamin C. In fact, just one cup has 40 milligrams of vitamin C, more than half the daily recommended intake for women.
Spinach & Kiwi Smoothie
For some picky eaters, spinach can be a hard sale. But even if you don’t like the taste of the leafy green, sweet fruits easily mask its flavour. This smoothie, by Lucy of Turnip the Oven, showcases kiwi and banana flavours, while still managing to pack an entire cup of fresh spinach for added nutrients. Trust us: if we didn't tell you, you wouldn't have the slightest idea.
Veggie benefits: Spinach is a rich source of vitamins A and C. Your body needs vitamin C (which is also abundant in kiwis) to produce and maintain collagen, which can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and keep your hair and nails strong. Think of this smoothie as a spa treatment in a cup.
Rocket Detox Smoothie
Rocket leaves may be tiny, but they sure are mighty. Sonnet of In Sonnet's Kitchen blends it with a refreshing mix of coconut water, lemon juice, kale and cucumber for a nutrient-packed smoothie that doesn’t hold back on flavour.
Veggie benefits: By adding arugula to a smoothie, you’ll get a ton of health benefits with very few kJs. The ½ cup of rocket used in this smoothie, for example, contains a mere 13 kilojoules! Arugula is an incredibly rich source of plant-based nitrates, high intakes of which can lower blood pressure and enhance athletic performance by decreasing how much oxygen your body requires during exercise. In fact, it has more than 250 milligrams per 100 grams—more than other high-nitrate veggies like kale, beets and Swiss chard. Rocket also provides vitamin K and an antioxidant found in leafy greens called alpha-lipoic acid. This antioxidant has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar levels, and may even protect against nerve damage in people with diabetes.
Creamy Pineapple Cucumber Smoothie
Trying to add more greens to your diet but not a huge fan of ubiquitous kale? Be like the Minimalist Baker, and you won’t even taste the veggie in your drink. This recipe blends a handful of kale with sliced cucumber, cubed pineapple, frozen banana, light coconut milk and lime. It’s basically an island vacation, by way of your straw.
Veggie benefits: Kale has the same blood sugar-lowering antioxidant as arugula, plus potassium, vitamins B6 and C, and fibre, all of which support heart health. The green veggie also offers a dose of calcium, vitamin K, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), and minerals including manganese, phosphorus, iron, and copper. It's low in oxalates (molecules that reduce absorption of certain minerals), meaning its calcium and iron are highly available to your digestive system—and in turn, your entire body.
Berry Pomegranate Smoothie With Romaine
This smoothie by Keri of Fashionable Foods combines a cup of shredded Romaine lettuce with chopped celery, cucumber, pomegranate seeds, berries, pineapple, almonds, mint, lime and unsweetened almond milk for a satiating smoothie that’s deliciously nutritious.
Veggie benefits: For all the fanfare that trending superfoods receive, it’s sometimes easy to bypass the everyday superstars in your fridge. Humble romaine lettuce, for instance, has been loyal to you in salad mixes and sandwiches for years, but you rarely hear anyone sing its nutritional praise. Not only does it have high doses of vitamins A and K, but it also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that prevent age-related macular degeneration.
Very Berry Beet Smoothie
Cooking fresh beets may sound like too much work for a smoothie, but today many grocery stores offer pre-cooked, cubed beets that you can toss into a smoothie—no scrubbing or roasting necessary. Emilie of Emilie Eats blends beets, frozen bananas, berries and almond milk for a creamy, punch-of-pink drink that’s hard to resist.
Veggie benefits: Research shows beetroot juice can lower blood pressure, likely due to its high nitrate levels. It also provides high levels of fibre (important for staying “regular”), alpha-lipoic acid (the antioxidant that helps lower blood sugar levels), and choline (a nutrient that can reduce chronic inflammation and improves brain health).
Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie
Amber of Homemade Nutrition uses ½ chopped raw zucchini in her chocolate smoothies and says that it only slightly mellows the cocoa powder flavour. For extra flavour, this smoothie includes a touch of maple syrup and vanilla, but you can skip both if you’re watching your added sugar intake.
Veggie benefits: A low-kJ quasi-vegetable (it’s technically a fruit, but in the culinary world, it’s typically considered a vegetable), zucchini is high in magnesium, which is crucial for muscle contraction and strong bones. Zucchini also provides a nice dose of folate, or vitamin B-9, which supports metabolism and helps your cells maintain tissue. Bonus: It’s low-kJ with only about 42 kilojoules per half cup (the amount used in this recipe).
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