Recipe- Strawberry Colada Smoothie, Perfect Drink For Summer

This Strawberry Colada Smoothie is perfect for summer, it offers that flavor that reminds of you being in the tropics, soaking up the sun on a warm sandy beach somewhere. We all love Pina Coladas but have you tried blending some strawberry into the mix? Well you should, starting with these nutritious smoothies!

Ingredients

8 oz fresh strawberries, chilled, hulled
1 ripe banana , peeled and frozen
1 1/2 cups frozen pineapple
1 (5.3 oz) container coconut Greek yogurt
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk beverage (the kind found in the dairy isle)

Instructions

* Pulse strawberries in a food processor until well pureed.

* To a blender add banana, pineapple, coconut Greek yogurt and 1 1/4 cups coconut milk. Pulse until well blended, adding an additional 1/4 cup coconut milk as needed.

* Spoon pineapple mixture into glasses filling about 1/3 full then add a spoonful or two of the strawberry mixture, swirl lightly with a butter knife then repeat twice more. Serve immediately.

* Alternately, all ingredients can be blended together in a blender versus processing strawberries separately.

* Light canned coconut milk can also be substitute just blend 1:1 with water.

Health Benefits of Strawberry

- Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a well-known immunity booster, as well as a powerful, fast-working antioxidant.

- Vitamin C is one of the antioxidants that can help with cancer prevention, since a healthy immune system is the body’s best defense.

- The power of vitamin C in strawberries continues, as it is vital to the production of collagen, which helps to improve skin’s elasticity and resilience.

- The abundance of antioxidants and polyphenols in strawberries makes them the ideal food to protect your heart from ailments.

- Strawberries also have a low glycemic index, which means they are unlikely to cause sharp sugar spikes when eaten by diabetics.

- Strawberries contain anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants that relax the lining of the blood vessels and open them up, thereby lowering blood pressure.

- Strawberries, with their high content of antioxidants, protect the brain cells from damage due to free radicals.

- Strawberries are also rich in vitamin C, which plays a major role in preventing inflammation. This vitamin also plays a role in easing the symptoms of arthritis and gout.

- Strawberries are known to contain pectin, which is a type of soluble fiber that lowers the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body

- Strawberries are a rich source of folate. You get about 40 micrograms of folate from one cup of raw strawberries. Folate is important during pregnancy as it can prevent neural tube defects. It is also important for the mother’s health