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This Polyphenol-Rich Smoothie Fights Inflammation & Oxidative Stress

Author:

Annie Fenn, MD

October 20, 2024

Doctor & Chef

By Annie Fenn, MD

Doctor & Chef

Annie Fenn is a physician, chef, culinary instructor, and the author of "The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food" (Artisan 2023).

Image by Alexandra Grablewski

October 20, 2024

We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

Coffee and berry flavors work surprisingly well together in this bracing, not-too-sweet smoothie. Some high-quality coffees have fruit-forward flavors. Ethiopian coffee, for example, smells like blueberries! That's because coffee beans are technically a fruit. The beans are actually the pit of a cherry-like fruit now being studied for memory-enhancing properties.

Besides giving you a double dose of berry flavors, there's an abundance of polyphenols from the coffee and the berries, making this a smoothie that quells inflammation and combats oxidative stress in the brain. Hemp seeds blend up creamy and add omega-3 fatty acids and protein.

Coffee Berry Smoothie

Ingredients

Serves 2

2 frozen bananas (about 10 ounces/285 g total), broken into pieces
1 cup (190 g) frozen blueberries, blackberries, black raspberries, or a mix
¼ cup (35 g) hemp seeds, plus more for serving
1 cup (240 ml) Basic Nut Milk (page 363) or store-bought nut milk
1 cup (240 ml) freshly brewed coffee, at room temperature or chilled

Directions

In the following order, layer the bananas, blueberries, hemp seeds, milk, and coffee in a blender, then blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide between two glasses and top with more hemp seeds, if you like.

Tips

To store bananas in the freezer for making smoothies, peel and cut into four pieces each. Store in a zip-top bag or other airtight container for up to 6 months. For a thicker smoothie, use ice-cold coffee; for a thinner one, use room-temperature coffee.