This Flax Seed Smoothie is a delicious way to use up any ground flaxseed that you happen to have on hand. It’s loaded with nutrients, to help keep you feeling full & satisfied!
Why You’ll Love It
It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Flax seeds are a good source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is an essential fatty acid that the body doesn’t make on its own. Consuming ALA has been linked to a moderately lower risk of heart disease.
It tastes amazing. This flaxseed smoothie has a lightly sweet, tropical flavor thanks to the addition of mango and banana, but it also has a surprisingly spicy kick from the ginger. The flax seeds aren’t noticeable in this case, so even kids will love it!
It’s loaded with fiber. One tablespoon of flaxseed meal has 3 grams of fiber, including both soluble and insoluble fiber.
It may have potential health benefits. According to this study, consuming 3 tablespoons of flax seed per day may help lower your overall cholesterol levels. A different study suggests eating 30mg of flax (about 4 tablespoons) for 12 weeks could significantly lower blood pressure and body mass index, too. The lignans found in flax seeds may have some potential anti-cancer properties, too.
It may help with blood sugar regulation. Adding flax seed to recipes may help to lower their glycemic impact, so this study decided to study its impact on subjects with type 2 diabetes. The results suggest that supplementing with 10g of ground flax seed daily could significantly reduce fasting blood glucose levels.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The combination of orange juice, frozen banana and mango, and ginger give this smoothie a tropical flavor with a slightly spicy kick. You can also add spinach to it, for an extra dose of leafy greens that you can’t taste!
Keep in mind that this smoothie recipe is quite flexible, too. You can add protein powder, rolled oats, or Greek yogurt to make it more filling, or add a spoonful of almond butter for extra creaminess.
Note: Using frozen fruit gives this smoothie a slushy texture, like you’re enjoying a frozen tropical drink on the beach. If you prefer a more runny consistency, you don’t have to use frozen fruit. (You could even cut back on the liquid in that case.)
How to Make the Best Flax Seed Smoothie
1. Gather the ingredients.
Add the orange juice, water (or you can use almond milk), frozen banana, mango, spinach, flax meal, and ginger to a high speed blender.
There’s no need to peel the ginger first, especially if you have a powerful blender, but you can roughly chop it up if you are using a standard blender.
2. Blend.
Secure the lid on the blender and blend on high speed for about 60 seconds, or until the mixture looks silky smooth, with no visible chunks.
Taste and make any adjustments, as needed. For extra sweetness, you can add a squeeze of honey, or a little extra frozen banana, if needed.
3. Enjoy!
Pour the smoothie into a glass, and enjoy it right away for the best flavor and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have leftover smoothie that you’d like to save, I recommend pouring it into a popsicle mold and keeping it stored in the freezer for an easy frozen treat. If you prefer to store the smoothie in the fridge, fill up an airtight container as close to the top as possible (to keep out excess oxygen) and store chilled for up to 48 hours. The smoothie will not have the same texture or flavor the next day, so just keep that in mind.
Since prepared smoothie doesn’t store as well, I recommend making freezer bags with the smoothie ingredients inside. This way you can quickly make the smoothie in just minutes, and it will still have a fresh flavor and texture. To make the smoothie bag, add the sliced frozen banana, mango, ground flax seed, ginger, and spinach to a freezer-safe bag. You can make as many bags as you’d like to have on hand, then store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To make the smoothie, dump the contents of the bag into a blender and add the water and orange juice for blending.
Yes, of course! You can swap the fruit in this recipe for frozen blueberries, strawberries, or any other fruit you keep on hand.
While the ground form is most likely easier to digest, you’ll still benefit from the fiber they contain if you only have whole flax seeds on hand. I tend to grind them in my coffee grinder to help break them down quickly before measuring them for recipes.
Looking for more smoothie recipes? Try my popular Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie, Creamy Spinach Smoothie, or Chocolate Avocado Smoothie. You can add flax seed to any recipe you like for an extra boost of fiber!
- ½ cup water
- ½ large frozen banana
- 1 cup frozen mango
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 1 heaping cup fresh baby spinach (1 huge handful)
- ¼ cup orange juice (optional; but so good!)
- ½ inch fresh ginger , peeled (optional)
-
Combine all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. There should be no visible specks of leafy greens when you’re done!
-
If the smoothie is too thick, add another 2 tablespoons of water, and blend again until it reaches your desired consistency. Serve right away for the best flavor and texture.
-
If you have any leftovers, the leftover smoothie can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but it will not taste quite as delicious the next day. I prefer freezing any leftovers into mini popsicle molds for a frozen treat later.
Nutrition information is for the whole batch. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
For a lower-sugar smoothie, you can replace the orange juice with water or milk, but it won’t taste quite as delicious that way. You can also omit the ginger, if you’re not a fan.
Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 2047IU | Vitamin C: 98mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg
If you try this flax seed smoothie recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
