Digestion-Soothing Papaya Banana Smoothie

For those times when gut motility is a little slower than you would like, there are foods that can help! This recipe, straight from our very own clinical nutrition team member Hilary Keiser, contains aloe vera, pineapple, papaya, chia, ginger, and turmeric. All are healthy foods with nutrients your body can use to assist with better digestion, including fiber, enzymes, soothing properties, and gastric emptying acceleration.* 

You can replace the pineapple or papaya with another fruit if you like, or if any of these foods are on your Viome Avoid list, but those two pack a punch with digestive enzymes.* Toss a few blueberries in your blender for the added polyphenol benefits!*

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or milk of your choice)

½ cup aloe vera juice

1 ripe banana (sliced and frozen)

¼ cup fresh pineapple chunks

¼ cup fresh papaya chunks

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Optional: sweetener of your choice (stevia, honey, or maple syrup) if desired

Instructions

Pour your milk and aloe vera juice into a blender. Add the frozen banana, pineapple chunks, papaya chunks, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, grated ginger, and turmeric powder to the blender. Blend on high speed until all the ingredients are well combined, and the smoothie has a creamy consistency. Taste the smoothie and add a sweetener of your choice if desired. Blend again briefly to incorporate the sweetener.

Pour the smoothie into a glass and drink immediately.

Note: If you find the smoothie too thick, you can add a little more almond milk or water to thin it out to your desired consistency. You can also adjust the ingredient quantities according to your taste preferences.