Invigorating Pomegranate-Lingonberry Smoothie

This smoothie recipe pairs grape juice and banana with the more exotic pomegranate arils and dried lingonberries to create an invigorating drink that's supercharged with healing properties. In laboratory studies, lingonberry extracts, for example, have been shown to exert inhibitory activity against several types of cancer cells, including leukemia, colon, and cervical cancer cells. In other laboratory studies, pomegranate extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of breast, prostate, colon and lung cancer cells, and the results of the few human studies investigating the potential anti-cancer effects of pomegranate have been promising as well.

But pomegranate and lingonberries, the stars of this smoothie, also have a number of other interesting qualities. Lingonberries, for example, have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and may therefore provide protection against urinary tract infections (UTIs), periodontal disease and other diseases caused by bacteria. Pomegranate, on the other hand, may help fight high cholesterol level, high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, according to preliminary studies.

Ingredients

• 1 pomegranate
• 1 small banana
• 1 orange (or another ingredient from the Tweak It! box below)
• 1 Tbsp dried lingonberries
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup crushed ice
• 1 cup red grape juice

Tweak It!

To keep your diet varied and your taste buds entertained, try tweaking the basic recipe above by replacing the orange with one of the other ingredients included in the Tweak It! box below. The Tweak It! box contains seven ingredients, one for each day of the week!