Advertisement
This Polyphenol-Rich Smoothie Fights Inflammation & Oxidative Stress
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
Excerpted from The Brain Health Kitchen by Annie Fenn (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2023. Photographs by Alexandra Grablewski.
