This sunny smoothie is excellent for starting your day or fueling up before a morning run. Mangoes have two seasons, spring/summer and fall/winter, which means you can always find at least one variety at the store. Mangoes needn’t be red to be ripe — just give them a gentle squeeze and if they “give” a bit, they’re ripe.
Lots of us love mangoes for their incredible tropical taste. They’re also high in fiber, like many fruits. What you may not know is that mangoes can help boost the health and appearance of your skin.
How to shop for, cut and prep mangoes, plus a mango salad recipe
Thanks to the cup of mango per serving, this vegan smoothie is loaded with 35% of your vitamin A requirement in the form of beta-carotene. This antioxidant may provide protection from sunlight, reducing your risk of getting sunburned. This smoothie also contains 100% of your daily vitamin C needs. Higher intakes of vitamin C are associated with a less wrinkled and dry appearance, which means younger looking skin. What’s more, a cup of mango contains 20 percent of your daily folate and studies show that this B vitamin may have an important impact on the function of healthy skin. I’d say that’s plenty of reason to drink up!
If you haven’t tried coconut manna, you’re in for a real treat. Coconut manna is the ground up meat of the coconut and it’s spreadable (and delicious) at room temperature. Just make sure to give it a stir before using because the oil rises to the top of the jar.
Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, is a nutrition expert, writer and best selling author. Her books include Feed the Belly, The CarbLovers Diet and Eating in Color.