How To Make Vitamin C Drink

Two glasses that are filled with the vitamin C Bomb smoothie sit next to each other. Purple straws are in both and fruit is in the background. Vitamin C Bomb Smoothies are probably the tastiest way to increase your daily intake of vitamins. I mean, without that nasty, vitamin-y after taste, that is. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is friend to very few chefs, and I'm no exception. Personally, I think they involve themselves in too much of our day-to-day lives. However, I will, on occasion, check in to see what guidance they're putting out as far as food is concerned. According to them, most of our meals should consist of fruits and vegetables. I don't disagree, but I am realistic about how much time I have to prep and prepare the needed amount. As a result, I've taken to drinking my nutrients.

I developed the recipe for this vitamin C-packed wonder drink to get the most out of my fruits.

What's in this Vitamin C Bomb Smoothie?

The ingredients for a vitamin C bomb smoothie: a pineapple, bananas, mango, oranges, and ginger

For starters, everything in this recipe comes from the earth. There's nothing artificial or unpronounceable in this smoothie. What does all of that mean? It means it's naturally healthy. I've chosen fruits that are packed with vitamin C, anti-inflammatory properties, and/or potassium.

Fresh pineapple, mango, naval (seedless) oranges, banana, and ginger are all you'll need to drink your way to more vitamin C. You'll blend everything in a blender along with some ice to chill things out a bit. That's all.

Prep your Pineapple- an Excellent Source of Vitamin C

Pineapple is an excellent source of vitamin C, so I'm using a good amount of it in this smoothie. Not only will its sweet-tart, honey flavor contribute to the smoothie's taste, its texture will provide a good amount of fiber, as well. If you're in need of more protein, pineapple provide the same amount as yogurt.

Begin by prepping your pineapple. I wrote an in depth post called Pineapple 101 in case you need to know how to cut this fruit. Since I try to avoid watering down my vitamin C smoothie, I'll cut, then freeze pineapple chunks overnight. I add these frozen chunks of pineapple to the blender in lieu of ice to chill the smoothie and create texture.

Chunks of pineapple work best for this smoothie. Fresh pineapple is the only kind you want to use here, too. Canned fruit doesn't provide the same nutritional value as fresh. This applies for all of the fruits listed in this vitamin C smoothie recipe.

Ginger- an Anti-Inflammatory Wonder

A knife is being used to cut the peeled ginger into small chunks

Ginger adds a spicy undertone to this smoothie in the best way possible. The first time my family tried this drink, I was amused at how long it took them to figure out all of the ingredients. Ginger was the one that they just couldn't place, no matter how hard they guessed. This root has a tangy-pepperiness that is a delicious compliment to the smoother, sweeter flavors of mango and pineapple. Ginger is a great anti-inflammatory. If you're battling chest congestion or aches and pains, ginger needs to be in your pantry.

Grab a vegetable peeler, or use the edge of a spoon, to scrape away the papery skin of the ginger. On your cutting board, cut the ginger into chunks using your chef's knife. It's always best to break the ginger down as it's very fibrous. Large chunks left in the smoothie can get slurped up and result in a pretty intense mouthful.

Oranges- the quintessential source of vitamin C

A knife is being used to cut away the peel from an orange

Most people know that oranges are the number leading fruit for vitamin C. In this smoothie, I'm using them for their: nutritional content, fiber, and flavor. The juice is going to help cut through the pulpiness we'll get from the mango, pineapple, and ginger. The acidity of this citrus also balances the sweetness of the pineapple and mango.

Naval oranges, which are seedless, are the best oranges to use in this smoothie. While you can use your favorite orange, seedless or not, don't muck up the simplicity of this recipe with seed-plucking. Skip the hassle of having to pick out seeds by sticking with naval oranges.

Cut off a thin sliver off of the tops and bottoms of the oranges. If there's still white remaining on the orange, slice off a little more to remove it. That white pith will make your smoothie bitter. Once you have a flat surface to rest the orange on, hold your knife parallel to the orange and slice away the peel in strips.

A hand cuts the naval orange into chunks

After you've removed the peel, slice the oranges in half, then cut those halves into chunks.

Mango- Full of Great Vitamins

A hand holds a knife that's slicing away the peel of a mango on a wooden cutting board

Mangos are probably one of my favorite fruits. I used to eat the mango whole, peel and all. Then I was made fun of. So, I stopped…and became bitter. But, I got over it and stopped eating the peel.

Different sources say different things amount the amount of vitamin C one mango provides. ALL of them, however, say it provides the recommended daily serving of vitamin C that adults need. That, plus calcium, vitamin A, potassium, and folate (which makes this great for pregnant women). Again, the pulp provides ample fiber which we all need for regularity.

Slice of the very bottom of the mango so you have a stable base on which to peel and cut the fruit. Once the base has been cut, start at the dome-like top of the mango and slice the peel away in strips.

a hand holding a knife slice the flesh from the pit of the mango on a wooden cutting board

Once peeled, cut off the bulging front and back of the mango (I call these the belly and butt). Lay the pit flat on the cutting board and carefully cut away any remaining flesh from the sides of the pit.

Now, cut the hunks of mango into smaller 1-2″ chunks.

Add the fruit to the blender

Frozen or chilled pineapple chunks are placed in the blender

Add ALL the fruit you've just cut to the carafe of your blender. I add the fruit first because it's softer and acts as a medium for blending the ice and bananas.

Ice and a frozen banana are added to the fruit in the blender

Add the ice to the carafe. If you were to add the ice first, you're going to have to shift and scrape down the smoothie more often than if you add the ice after the softer fruits. Top with a sliced banana- hello , potassium bomb- it can either be raw or frozen, like mine is.

Blend until smooth

Blend together the fruits and the ice until smooth

Blend your vitamin C smoothie on high speed for 1-2 minutes, or until the ice is crushed and the smoothie is, well,smooth.

Pour and Drink to Your Health

An overhead image of two glasses of Vitamin C Bomb Smoothies with purple straws

Go ahead and pour your smoothies into glass jars. This recipe will make enough to serve a family of 4 two cups of smoothie or 2 really generous servings. I make this vitamin C Bomb Smoothie once a day- usually in the afternoon- and serve it to my family.

A side view of two glasses of vitamin C Bomb smoothie both have purple straws inside them a piece of ginger sits in front of the glasses

It's not only healthy and preventive, but it gives us an energy boost so we can finish our school and work day. It's best to drink it just after blending, but I have been known to make it the evening before a busy day and store it in the fridge. I don't recommend storing it for more than 12 hours, though. The vitamins won't be as potent as when freshly blended.

Two glasses filled with the vitamin C bomb smoothie. A pineapple, mango and orange in the background

Some really smart dude said, "Let food be thy medicine," and- even though it's a drink- this smoothie surely fits the bill. In this time of caution, give your family a boost of Vitamin C. Share this with your friends and be sure to pin the recipe for your smoothie.

Vitamin C Bomb Smoothie

Use the freshest, ripest fruit available to make this vitamin-packed smoothie.

Course Libations

Cuisine Puerto Rican/Hispanic

Keyword smoothie, vitamins

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 115 kcal

blender

1 1/2 cups ice
2 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
2 medium naval oranges, peel removed and flesh cut into 1/4s
1 large mango, peeled and cut into chunks
2 inch piece ginger, peeled and diced
1 ripe banana, peeled
1/2 cup water to thin the smoothie, if desired

Add the pineapple chunks, oranges, mango, ginger, banana, and ice to your blender.
Blend on low speed (or on the crush ice setting) until the ice begins to break apart. If you find the blender isn't breaking the ice down, pour a 1/4 cup of cold water into the blender to facilitate movement.

Blend on low for 1-2 minutes.
Stop the blender and scrape down the carafe before blending on medium speed for another minute, or until the mixture is smooth.

Thin the smoothie with the remaining water if it's too thick for your liking.
Pour the smoothies into large glasses and drink right away*.

*When exposed to light, vitamins lose their potency, so leftovers should be consumed promptly. If you plan to make this ahead, don't allow the smoothie to sit longer than 12 hours after blending.

How To Make Vitamin C Drink

Source: https://senseandedibility.com/vitamin-c-smoothie/

How To Make Vitamin C Drink