A healthy and delicious smoothie is what you get when you blend fresh pineapple with carrots, banana, ginger and curcuma roots.

Pineapple, with all of its disease-fighting nutrients and antioxidants, also contains a special group of digestive enzymes called “bromoline”. These enzymes can break down protein and help facilitate digestion. Bromoline enzymes also give your immune system a boost and promote healing by reducing inflammation, pain and swelling. When consumed in moderation, pineapple is a magical fruit.

But the benefits of this smoothie don’t stop there. It also contains vitamins A, C, beta carotene, a range of B vitamins, potassium, magnesium and fibre from the carrots and bananas. Adding the curcuma (turmeric) and ginger roots raises the beverage to a whole new level, making it more of a health concoction than a smoothie!

Ginger and curcuma will give you those extra anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. These compounds can help prevent certain types of cancer and alleviate a wide range of conditions, such as cardio-vascular problems, heart disease and osteoarthritis.

Curcuma may also promote brain health by improving the mood and memory in older adults. To help increase the absorption of the curcuma, make sure to add a pinch or two of black ground pepper.

How to preserve your bananas, curcuma and ginger roots for a long time

Peel your ripe bananas, place them in a container with a seal and store them in the freezer. That way, you will have bananas available for your next smoothie or banana bread or other desserts. I always have frozen bananas in my freezer.

You can also freeze the curcuma and ginger roots. I like to separate and chop the ginger root into thumb-size chunks, put them into a sealed container and in the freezer they go. You can do the same with the curcuma, although curcuma roots are smaller and may not need to be chopped as much.

Health promoting smoothie

4 big glasses

INGREDIENTS

• 2 big carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups fresh pineapple, peel sliced off and chopped
• A generous 1-inch chunk (3 cm) ginger root with peel, rinsed and chopped in a few pieces
• A generous 1-inch chunk (3 cm) curcuma root with peel, rinsed and chopped in a few pieces
• One full + one half frozen bananas, chopped
• 1 cup of water (add more if need be)
• A pinch or two of ground black pepper
• 6-8 ice cubes

Put all ingredients into your high-speed blender and blend on low gradually increasing to high speed until smooth.  Add more water for a more fluid drink. Add more banana or pineapple for a sweeter taste.

Serve in glasses. Can store remaining smoothie in a sealed glass bottle or jug in the fridge for one day. Shake well before pouring.

Enjoy!