SEA BUCKTHORN SMOOTHIE BOWL

Inspired by Bär Bar smoothie bar’s berrylicious smoothies, I’m sharing a recipe for my immune boosting sea buckthorn smoothie bowl. This smoothie is pretty much the perfect vitamin & antioxidant boost with some of my favorite super foods: berries, lemon, ginger & turmeric root. If you need a lil’ boost – its’ here!

To read this post in Finnish, click here.

Health benefits of sea buckthorn

When I think of healthy ingredients for a smoothie, berries are first on my list, always. Sea buckthorn berry is amazing nutritionally as it contains healthy fatty acids: Omegas 3,6,9 & 7, vitamins (especially vitamin C) and over 60 antioxidants. Pretty impressive! I don’t really enjoy eating them plain – they’re very sour – but they pair amazingly with creamy cashews and banana for sweetness. Other great uses for sea buckthorn are jams, cakes and porridge. If sea buckthorn berry is not available where you live, you can also use sea buckthorn powder, which is equally nutritious!

Ginger

Ginger is a powerful medicinal plant with lovely warming flavor. I use it in many savory meals, especially in fall & winter, and it brings a lovely zing to sweet foods as well. Gingerol in ginger is a powerful antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties which help fight infections. It’s great for digestion, too.

Turmeric

I use turmeric either as ground turmeric or if I’m lucky to find fresh organic turmeric root, I always buy it. I love turmeric so much! It’s been used in India for thousands of years, and it has proven medical properties. Turmeric contains curcumin, which like gingerol in ginger is a strong antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory effects. Just remember to add a little black pepper when you use turmeric, to enhance the bioavailability of curcumin.

Lemon

Lemon is another favorite ingredient of mine. I always use it in green smoothies, and often in smoothies paired with cashews. There’s something about the creamy lemony combo..it’s like eating dessert 🙂 I always use organic lemon, a whole piece of lemon with peels and all, to get even more health benefits, because the peels contain about 5-10 times more vitamins than lemon juice.

To make an immune boosting smoothie I’d suggest using at least two of the above mentioned ingredients, preferably three. You don’t need to use sea buckthorn, you can use any berry you like, because all (organic) berries are nutritional powerhouses and super good for your health.

With love & lots of berries,

Tiina

ps To read about the amazing Bär Bar berry smoothie bar and smoothies I designed for them, click here to read my post.