Sweet and Tart Morning Smoothie with Grapefruit and Ginger

This delicious, revitalizing smoothie combines the tart sweetness of grapefruit with aromatic ginger and a fresh fruity flavor.

Serving size: This recipe for 2 servings makes about 300–400 ml per person, depending on the size of the fruit used.

Celery: Both the leaves and stalks can be used in a variety of dishes. Celery’s typical aroma is a result of the essential oils it contains, which in combination with the bitter substances results in its fresh, clean flavor. The high potassium content causes celery to have dehydrating and diuretic effects, which patients on dialysis should take into account. Celery also contains vitamins and polyphenols with antioxidant effects that decrease when the celery is stored for a longer time.

Differences between juice and smoothie: While juicing produces a liquid juice, a smoothie is thicker and creamier. Unlike with juice, smoothies contain the entire fruit, sometimes even the skin. The smoothie base therefore consists of the fruit pulp or purée; additional liquid can be added to obtain the desired consistency.

In contrast to juices, smoothies have the nutritional advantage that no nutritional substances are lost. With smoothies, you get the fiber contained in the fruit. Fiber is of great importance for intestinal health. It also ensures that the sugar from the fruit is more slowly absorbed into the bloodstream than with freshly squeezed juice. Drinking smoothies also makes you stay full for longer. This sweet and tart smoothie is actually a combination of a juice and a smoothie.

Grapefruit: The grapefruit is the result of a cross between an orange and a pomelo. Grapefruit has a relatively high vitamin C content, very few calories, and a slightly bitter to bitter taste. Grapefruits that have a more reddish color are generally sweeter. The glycoside naringin, which is also responsible for the bitter flavor, has antioxidant and lipid-lowering effects. In addition, the bitter substances in grapefruit influence our digestion in that they increase the production of gastric juice and cause us to feel full. However, it is important not to take medications with grapefruit because of possible interactions. These interactions occur because waste products of nutritional substances in grapefruit functionally restrict certain liver enzymes that are important for breaking down specific active substances.

Purchasing and preparing celery: Fresh celery stalks are pale white to yellow or light green in color. Choose medium-size stalks since these have fewer strings and can be eaten without peeling. When bent, fresh celery stalks will break immediately.  It is best to store celery in the crisper of your refrigerator. New studies have shown that celery should be eaten within 5–7 days since the effects of the antioxidants it contains diminish after this time.

Preparing the smoothie without pulp: Blending the celery in the blender gives the smoothie a stronger celery flavor. Blending the mandarin or grapefruit causes more bitter substances to be released, which can cause the smoothie to be quite bitter and tart. Each person has to decide for themselves how bitter they want their smoothie to be.

Adjusting the consistency: Based on the information in the notes (Differences between juice and smoothies), you can weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the two. We find this tasty morning smoothie to be the best choice as it is a combination of the two, but you do have to clean two machines afterwards.