Mellow Yellow Superfood Smoothie

Mellow Yellow Superfood Smoothie, a simple smoothie recipe featuring antioxidant-rich yellow foods like banana, mango, pineapple, turmeric, and bee pollen. Ready in 10 minutes!

UPDATE: This recipe was originally posted in July 2018 and was updated for clarity and with new information in January 2021.

Most of our smoothies are a mishmash of whatever is about to go bad in the refrigerator, which means we’re mixing greens with purples and blues with reds and maybe a touch of orange (which make for tasty smoothies …with ugly brown colors).

So when we set out to make the first in a roundup of antioxidant-rich color-specific superfood smoothies , we had to start with yellow superfoods. Mellow yellow smoothies for a mellow mood!

👉 Here are three reasons why you should be making yellow smoothies:

• A great choice for a simple superfood breakfast. Pair it with a bowl of yogurt with fruit and a healthy fat like a nut butter for a balanced meal.
• A delicious simple afternoon snack! Sip on this smoothie and a handful of nuts for an easy snack
• A fun way to boost your mood or break up the monotony of your day. Yellow superfoods are good mood foods; who can resist a bright and colorful smoothie?!

Ready to learn how to make a smoothie with yellow superfoods? Let’s do it!

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💛 How to make a yellow smoothie

1️⃣ Step One: Combine in blender and add plant-based milk.

First, combine the banana, mango, pineapple, turmeric, and ice cubes (if using, see tip below for using frozen fruit).

Add plant-based milk of choice (we like pea protein or oat milk) to about half of where the fruit fills the blender. You can always add more milk later if the smoothie is too thick, so we suggest starting small and adding more as you go.

👉 Do you have to use ice in smoothies? You do not have to use ice in smoothies. In fact, we prefer to freeze some of the smoothie ingredients before making so that the frozen fruit itself acts as ice to make the smoothie cold. For this recipe we suggest freezing the bananas and mango into slices before making. However, if your fruit is room temperature then using ice will work as well.

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2️⃣ Step Two: Blend, pour, and add toppings

When the smoothie ingredients and milk are added to the blender, blend on high until they are completely blended and smoothe (about 30 seconds, depending on your blender).

Next, pour the smoothie into a glass (we like to use frozen glasses to keep the smoothie cold) and top with bee pollen or other toppings. And finally, enjoy!

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🍌 What gives yellow foods their color?

You’ve likely heard the nutrition buzz phrase “eat the rainbow,” or eat a variety of fruits and vegetables in an array of colors.

The reason behind this healthy eating recommendation is that produce obtains its bright color pigments from high concentrations of certain antioxidants, which are small compounds that assist your body is clearing free radicals (or unpaired electrons) that alter cell functions within the body and may trigger disease.

Yellow and orange foods, such as bananas and mangos, are high in carotenoids such as alpha- and beta-carotenes and also vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, lutein, and zeaxanthin (among others).

These nutrients play many roles in the body, but particularly play a role in immunity, heart health, and vision.

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🍋 Yellow food benefits + examples

🍌 Yellow fruits and vegetables

Yellow fruit and vegetable superfoods are abundant in nature, some examples include:

• Lemons: vitamin C, fiber
• Bananas: vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium
• Pineapple: vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium
• Mangos: vitamin C, vitamin A, folate
• Nectarines: vitamin C, potassium
• Peaches: vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium
• Summer squash: vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C
• Chickpeas: fiber, protein, vitamin K, folate

🐝 Other yellow “superfoods”

Kind of orange (but still kind of yellow):

• Cantaloupe: potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A
• Grapefruit: vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber

In addition to fruits and vegetables, other yellow superfoods include:

• Bee pollen: Made from the pollen collected by honeybees, be pollen contains varying amounts of amino acids and other beneficial compounds (depending on the hive and the area of pollen collection), and some early research suggests it may have anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties).
• Turmeric: Turmeric is a popular herb that originates from India that has garnered much wellness buzz and research in the last ten years. Some studies suggest turmeric may help to improve symptoms of depression, certain types of inflammation (arthritis), and improved digestion.

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♻️ Sustainable kitchen tips + tricks

We’re all about eco-friendly eating here at Fork in the Road, which sometimes makes making tropical fruit smoothies like this a bit hard. Below are tips for making this recipe eco-friendly:

👨‍🌾 Choose Fair Trade fruit for smoothies

Bananas, mangos, and other tropical fruits are often grown on plantations in countries where fair living wages are not commonly paid to farm workers. To ensure your fruit is ethically harvested, choose those that have a Fair Trade certification (see a list of all our recommended trustworthy food certifications).

👩‍🍳 Make once, drink twice

Make enough of your smoothie to freeze and enjoy for a breakfast or nutritious snack the next day. Saves time, saved energy, and reduces food waste!

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🥤 More colorful superfood smoothies

Looking for more smoothie recipes? Try our:

• Frozen Berry Citrus Smoothie
• Purple Power Smoothie
• Banana Berry Smoothie
• Raspberry Avocado Smoothie