Asthma and Allergy Relief Smoothie Recipe

An allergy relief smoothie? Really? Yes, really!

In Episode 046 of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we talk about the fact that following a plant-based lifestyle may help alleviate the suffering caused by seasonal allergies. So what better way to fight those allergies than with a delicious allergy and asthma relief smoothie!

 

It’s true! Some fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds contain compounds that may help alleviate those sniffles you get from allergens.  It is for this reason that we selected the ingredients for this delicious smoothie.

 

Let’s find out how each smoothie ingredient may help to provide allergy and asthma relief.

 

Banana

Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium, which is a known bronchodilator with antihistamine properties.

 

Spinach

Besides being another good source of magnesium, spinach is also rich in carotenoid antioxidants.  Studies have shown that blood levels of carotenoids in people with asthma and/or seasonal allergies tend to be much lower than in allergy- and asthma-free people.

 

 

Blueberries

Dark berries, such as blueberries and blackberries, are rich in an antioxidant called quercetin, which also has antihistamine properties.

Quercetin is a flavonoid (plant pigment) found in many fruits, grains, and veggies. It’s a GREAT antioxidant that can not only help you manage allergy symptoms but also help your body fight blood pressure and inflammation.

 

 

Orange

We all know that oranges and other citrus fruits are high in Vitamin C and quercetin. Take THAT allergies!

 

Flax Seeds & Chia Seeds

Chia seeds…not just for growing funky-looking “pets” anymore!  Both chia and flax seeds are sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, and contain a particle that helps to prevent and/or reduce chronic inflammation.

Because they are so easy to add seamlessly to just about any recipe, I always through some into a smoothie. It’s a great way to add an extra nutritional boost!

 

A Note About Blenders

While you don’t absolutely NEED some fancy shmancy blender to make your allergy relief smoothie, it is important to understand how having a quality high-powered blender can impact the quality of your drink.

 

In this video from Dr. Michael Greger of Nutritionfacts.org, he explains:

To maximize nutrient release, food particle size would ideally be reduced to smaller than the width of the individual plant cells, but you can’t do that with chewing. Most vegetable particles end up greater than two millimeters when you chew them, which corresponds to way up here, whereas if we broke open all the cells we could release much more nutrition. We can never chew as well as a blender. The particle size distribution from chewing is about what you’d get blending in a food processor for about five seconds, or one of those high speed blenders for maybe half a second. 40 seconds in a blender and you can break spinach down to a subcellular level.

One of the first investments we made when we became plant-based was in our Vitamix blender.  Again, no need to go “all-in” if you’re not ready but be sure to read the reviews before purchasing a blender. You can read the review of our Vitamix blender here. Just remember, the quality of the blender impacts how much nutritional bang you get for your buck!

Well, there you have it! Our allergy and asthma relief smoothie. We hope this helps you manage those pesky symptoms this allergy season!

Cheers!