Cleansing Iron Rich Smoothie
This smoothie is particularly good for women since it is packed with iron from the beets (beetroots) and folic acid which is important for pregnant women. It also contains orange juice which means that the iron is more easily absorbed and the smoothie doesn't contain any dairy products which again means good news for iron absorption. The beets are very good for cleansing the liver and our digestive system. Just like the beets, the blueberries are absolutely packed with antioxidants (more so than any other fruit). They also play a part in fighting against certain types of cancers as well as being very good for our heart. The good news doesn't stop here because the pears are also packed with fibre as well as vitamin C and copper and can help protect against macular degeneration. The fibre in pears can help lower high cholesterol levels. Bananas contain potassium which is an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function and they also contain vitamin B6.
So you see...drinking this smoothie makes a lot of sense! You can juice your own fruit (pineapple, beets and oranges) although I usually keep a few bottles of each juice in my fridge and them mix together (I am always in a hurry)...when the fruits are in season however I definitely recommend that you make your own juice.

Whenever I am felling lethargic or run down, I make this delicious smoothie
This recipe is:
- Egg free
- Gluten free
- Lactose (dairy) free
- Nut free
- Vegan
Cleansing Iron Rich Smoothie
Ingredients
- 100 millilitres (3½ fluid oz) pineapple juice
- 25 millilitres (1 fluid oz) beetroot juice
- 25 millilitres (1 fluid oz) orange juice
- 1 large pear, very ripe
- 1 banana, very ripe
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- Handful fresh blueberries
- A couple of ice cubes
Preparation
- Place the ice cubes in a blender or food processor.
- Pour 50 millilitres (1½ fluid oz) of the pineapple juice on top of the ice cubes.
- Blend for 5 seconds.
- Peel and core the pear (you can also leave the skin off if you prefer).
- Peel the banana and add to the blender along with the pear, the handful of fresh blueberries, 1 tablespoon agave nectar, 25 millilitres beetroot juice, 25 millilitres orange juice and the remaining 50 millilitres pineapple juice.
- Add more agave nectar if you prefer a sweeter smoothie.
- Blend for 30 seconds or until smooth.
- Serve immediately.
Tips
- You can use apple juice instead of the orange juice
- You can use maple syrup or acacia honey instead of the agave nectar.
- You can use blackberries instead of the blueberries.
- If you prefer you can juice your own fruits for this recipe.