Bored of your regular smoothie routine? Kick it up a notch with this raspberry dragon fruit smoothie. It contains ingredients that strop tumour cell growth as well as a host of different antioxidants that strengthen the immune system.
If you’re not familiar with dragon fruit, the next time you’re in the grocery store, go pick up that odd bright pink fruit with green tips. Dragon fruit are actually the fruit of a cactus, and taste similar to a marshmallow-transformed-kiwi (yes, you read that right!). Don’t eat them when they are hard, though, because they will taste incredibly bland and tangy. Wait until they start to feel softer, and the green leaves on the outer edges have turned slightly brown.
The seeds of dragon fruit contain the antioxidant phytoalbumin, which aids in the prevention of cancer-causing free radicals and thus reduces cancer-causing cell mutations. Raspberries are also rich in ellagic acid, which prevents the binding of carcinogens to DNA and strengthens connective tissue, which may keep cancer cells from spreading.
You can find dragon fruit in Asian food stores, or grocery stores that carry ethnic foods (in Canada, Superstore often carries dragon fruit, as well as safeway, but the former is cheaper!).
Raspberry Dragon Fruit Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
– 2 cups freshly cut dragon fruit
– 1 cup raspberries (frozen or fresh)
– 1 cup coconut water or regular filtered water
– 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
– 2 stalks celery
– 1/2 cup cucumber with peel
– 1 inch fresh ginger root
Method:
Stick all of the above ingredients in a blender and blend for 30-60 seconds until smooth. Enjoy!
