This Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie has pear, spinach and ginger, making it the perfect light and refreshing green smoothie. Packed with pain-fighting ingredients, readers swear it helps with migraine attacks, headaches, and nausea. Hemp seeds add protein and oat milk provides a little extra creaminess!
The best smoothie for inflammation is one that's well-balanced with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Taking inspiration from the Mediterranean diet, we mix high fiber pears with omega-3 fats like chia seeds, and greens. Ginger is a wonderful addition for gut health, as it can not only decrease pain but aid with nausea.
Because this anti-inflammatory green smoothie was so popular with readers as a migraine smoothie, I put it in my Mediterranean Migraine Diet cookbook! If you love this one, you have to try my Gut Health Smoothie and Berry Protein Smoothie.
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Best Smoothie for Inflammation
When I originally developed this anti-inflammatory smoothie recipe for the really bad migraine days, I knew it had to pack a lot of pain- fighting power. Often when I deal with a vestibular migraine, I want a meal that's easy, fast, and not too crazy with ingredients.
Because a lot of smoothies use fruit without balancing it with protein, fat, and fiber, they can cause a blood sugar spike. Pears are not only high in fiber, but also a low glycemic fruit. You'll love this green smoothie because:
- Easy on the stomach - Both pears and ginger can be soothing on a high nausea day.
- Migraine-friendly - This is the most popular migraine smoothie on my website. Here we want to avoid bananas, are higher in sugar and tyramine. They area migraine or headache trigger for some
- Packs greens - A little bit of spinach or arugula for low histamine works well with the flavors without overpowering.
- Omega-3's - Chia seeds and hemp seeds provide fiber and healthy fats.
Foods That Help Inflammation
This anti-migraine smoothie is full of magnesium, antioxidants, fiber, and nausea relief.
Pears
Pears - Rich in flavonoid antioxidants which means they're a perfect base for an anti-inflammatory smoothie. They promote heart health, weight loss, and gut health as they're packed with fiber. The cool thing about pears is they contain soluble and insoluble fiber. This can not only relieve constipation, but also promote good gut bacteria. Since a lot of probiotics can be triggering for people with migraine, this is a good option to incorporate.
Part of the nutritional benefit of pears is found in the skin, so I like to leave mine on for this recipe and if you have a high speed blender, like Vitamix, it shouldn't be an issue. This is where I also like to spend a little more and get the organic pears.
Ginger
Ginger - Ginger is included for nausea and pain relief. It is a natural anti-inflammatory, and can also help ease an upset stomach. If you're dealing with nausea or head pain, adding this to your smoothies could potentially help ease some of the symptoms. Studies have shown ginger can help combat motion-induced sickness as well as relieve nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Ginger could also help reduce pain during your period. It was shown to be as effective as ibuprofen when taken the first 3 days of a period. It's also been studied to aid with migraine nausea and vomiting.
Some people find they have to take a supplement at the first sign of a migraine. On the other hand, I struggle with acid reflux when I take ginger supplements. Adding ginger to smoothies or food is my workaround to get the health benefits without the reflux.
Greens
Included for a boost of magnesium. It's always best to add a few dark leafy greens to your smoothie if it doesn't affect the taste too much. Spinach and kale are considered anti-inflammatory superfoods. Packed with nutrients, a good recipe can mask their bitter flavor. I prefer to use spinach in smoothies as I find the flavor blends a little bit better.
Another benefit is dark leafy greens like spinach have magnesium, which can help prevent migraine attacks. Usually we have to supplement the amount we need for migraine management, but diversifying your magnesium sources is always a good thing.
Seeds
Hemp seeds or chia seeds are included for a protein boost and also balance the sugars in the pear. A lot of smoothies just put a bunch of fruit in the ingredients, and don't balance it with protein, fat, or fiber, which helps prevent a spike in blood sugar.
Ingredients
- Pear - I used Bartlett pears also known as Williams pears. Anjou would work here too.
- Ginger - Fresh or dried will work for this recipe.
- Greens - Use fresh spinach leaves, or if histamine-sensitive, use arugula.
- Milk - I often use flax or dairy milk, but any type of milk you like will work for this recipe. For extra protein, hemp milk would be perfect.
- Sweetener - Honey or maple syrup would work here, but I recommend just using a ripe pear.
How to Make an Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie
Step 1: Peel fresh ginger
Use the side of a spoon to gently scrape off the skin. This tip is super handy and keeps a lot of the ginger intact.
Step 2: Add ingredients to blender
Place all the ingredients in a blender except for ice. Blend till smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Step 3: Add ice
Add ice in ½ cup increments until the desired thickness is reached. This smoothie is on the thin side. Be careful to not add too much ice or the flavors will be watered down. Sometimes, however, that can be helpful for nausea.
Step 4: Taste and adjust sweetness
If using pear that's not fully ripe, you may need to add a touch of honey or other sweetener. Add this to your personal preference.
Pro Tips for Green Smoothies
- Use a really good blender to make this super creamy. Investing in a blender like vitamix or nutribullet will give you the best texture for smoothies. It blends ice extremely well and won't leave you with chunks in the mixture.
- Pack some extra anti-inflammatory power by adding ½ teaspoon turmeric to the mixture.
- Drink this recipe at the first sign of a migraine attack to see if the ginger can help as an abortive. Or pair with your acute treatment to give it a boost.
Recipe Substitutions
For low histamine - I would recommend substituting spinach with arugula in this recipe. It gives this anti-inflammatory smoothie a great, peppery flavor. Kale will also work, although it definitely makes the taste a little more "green".
For a thicker smoothie - add in ⅓ cup frozen cauliflower. You can't taste it in this amount, but it will add some extra creaminess to the texture.
How to Meal Prep
Freeze pear pieces with ginger, spinach, and seeds in individual plastic bags. Dump them into the blender when ready and add milk and ice. That's it! Ingredients will store well in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Anti-Inflammatory Recipes
For more wellness shots and smoothies like this anti-inflammatory smoothie check out these posts. And don't miss my collection of smoothies for inflammation.
If you make this, tag me #thedizzycook or @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram. And if you love the recipe, please leave a review below! Follow along on my Pinterest for more great recipes.
Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie
Equipment
- 1 Good quality blender
Ingredients
- ¾ cup chopped pear, skin on *
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- ¾ cup fresh spinach *
- ¾ cup oat milk *
- 2 teaspoons hemp or chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
- 1 cup ice
Instructions
- In a blender, add the pear, ginger, spinach, milk, and seeds and blend till smooth. Add ½ cup ice and blend till smooth and frothy. Taste and see if it needs a sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
Video
Notes
- This recipe makes about 1.5 servings - so either a pretty large smoothie or 2 smaller ones.
- Regular milk can be used instead of oat milk - or whatever milk you like best.
- If histamine is an issue, substitute arugula for the spinach.
- I used Bartlett pears but any sweet pear will do.
Nutrition
This post was originally published May 19, 2020 and was updated January 12, 2022 to include new photos, ingredient information, recipe tips and process. Below are the original photos.
Is this something I could prep and freeze until ready to blend with the milk?
I love this smoothie and have made it many times! I have tried both oat milk and water and it comes out delicious both ways. I have also subbed mango and peaches for the pears! Yum!
This was a perfect find at the right time ! Thank you so much! 1st thing I ate that hasnt left me in pain for 3 weeks. Wonderful Educational information as well. New to MIGRAINE . Thanks again ♡
This is amazing! I’m not going to lie I am one of those people who hides spinach in my own food knowing it’s good for me. So I was apprehensive about how this would taste-even though Alicia’s description clearly states it’s not overpowering. This is amazing. I love the taste of the pear, and ginger and honestly can’t taste much spinach at all. Currently in waves of vestibular migraine so something like this will help ease my nausea and get the nutrients I need, while combating inflammation. Thank you for this! It’s really amazing. And so appreciated!
Thank you so much, Wendy! Glad you enjoyed it!
Can you use frozen spinach in this too? It’s such a lovely smoothie
You can, but frozen spinach has a lot more in a very compact space, so you'd want to use less or it will be very green!
What if I’m sensitive to histamines but also don’t love arugula… kale maybe? Excited to try this.
Yeah kale would work! I'd just maybe cut back the amount a bit since it has a stronger flavor.
IS it possible to substitute dried ginger when you already chopped pears & realize you are out of fresh ginger?
Haha yes it is. I usually do 1/2 the amount for dried as I do for fresh. But start with 1/4 and taste and see what you think.
Yesterday I was very dizzy, came upon this recipe on Facebook and decided to try it, not expecting much. It was refreshing, calming and soon I was not as dizzy. I will now keep all the ingredients on hand, some frozen to make when I need it. Thank you Alicia for all your hard work to help us.
Thanks so much, Barbara.
This recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Do you think I could sub the milk for coconut water? I have a thing about creamy liquids in my smoothies.
Yes, that would be great! Would change the flavor but it sounds like you'd prefer how it would taste.