Strawberry Smoothie Benefits

It always feels like a celebration when we get to add strawberries to our drinks. This drink is one of our favorites. I love that this strawberry smoothie offers the benefits of nutrient-rich herbs in a treat that tastes like dessert!

Let’s take a closer look at some of our ingredients and strawberry smoothie benefits…

Herbal Tea

This strawberry crush smoothie recipe comes from my book, The Herbal Kitchen. The first step is to make an herbal tea with oatstraw and calendula. The tea contributes nutrients and flavor that gives the strawberry smoothie more benefits than just blending fruit. If you get in the habit of making an herbal tea the night before, in the morning it’s ready to use in your soothing, therapeutic drink.

Oatstraw

Oatstraw (Avena sativa) is a wonderful nerve tonic for when you are stressed out, anxious, over-scheduled and just too busy doing life. This is not a sedative, so you don’t feel relaxation right away. It works over time. It is full of minerals that nourish and regenerate your nervous system.

Calendula

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) flowers are an amazing vulnerary. These flowers heal the skin; not just your external skin, but your internal skin. They’re good for your digestive tract all the way down. They help to soothe and reduce inflammation in the digestive tract.

You can purchase dried oatstraw and calendula at Mountain Rose Herbs.

Strawberry Benefits

Besides their delicious, sweet taste, strawberries are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Strawberries are a rich dietary source of polyphenols and antioxidants. Health benefits of strawberry include the prevention of inflammation and oxidative stress, reduction of heart disease risk, and protection against types of cancer.

Print Recipe

Strawberry Crush Smoothie

Servings: 1 smoothie

Author: Kami McBride

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp of dried oatstraw
• 1/2 tbsp of dried calendula
• 1 cup of boiling water
• 1 tbsp of maple syrup
• 1 cup of fresh strawberries
• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup of yogurt
• 1/2 cup of crushed ice
• Pinch of cardamom

Instructions

• First make an oatstraw-calendula tea. Place the oatstraw and calendula in a teapot. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the top of the herbs and let steep for two hours.
• Using a metal strainer, remove the herbs from the tea.
• Put the tea in a blender along with the maple syrup, strawberries, banana, yogurt, ice, and cardamom. Blend well.

If you enjoyed this strawberry crush smoothie, there’s more where that came from. The Herbal Kitchen is filled with easy ways to bring herbs into your drinks and meals.  

And if you’re a visual learner, check out my online course My Herbal Kitchen. It’s all about adding herbs to your meals to make each one healthier; perfect for kids or anyone with a busy schedule. I walk you through a variety of my recipes, show you how to make them, and provide tips for using what you already have on hand.  

I would love to hear from you! Do you love strawberries as much as we do? What are your favorite ingredients for herbal smoothies? Please share in the comments below.