This anti-inflammatory smoothie has pear, spinach and ginger, making it the perfect light and refreshing smoothie. Hemp seeds add protein and oat milk provides a little extra creaminess!
Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie Recipe
When I originally developed this pear smoothie recipe for the really bad migraine days, I knew it had to pack a lot of anti-inflammatory and 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. I also don't want it to have so much sugar that it would cause a blood sugar spike. I think in this case, people typically reach for dark berries, but pears can be quite good if you want to mix things up as they have a low glycemic index.
Health Benefits of Pears
Pears are also 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.
Pain-Fighting Ginger
Ginger 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.
It could also help reduce pain during your period. In one study of 150 women, ginger was shown to be as effective as ibuprofen when taken the first 3 days of a period. And if you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know that it's effective for migraine associated pain. 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.
Magnesium-Rich Spinach
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.
I do know a few people, however, that struggle with histamine. If this is you, I would recommend substituting arugula in this recipe. It gives this anti-inflammatory smoothie a great, peppery flavor.
Other Breakfast Smoothies:
Cherry Vanilla Smoothie
Blueberry Smoothie
Sunbutter Smoothie
If you make this anti-inflammatory smoothie, don’t forget to comment and leave a review or tag me on instagram so I can see!!
Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie
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 ice and blend till smooth and frothy. Taste and see if it needs a sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
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.
Thank you for this recipe - it's one of my favorite smoothie recipes ever! Beyond being totally delicious, it really has helped me start my day and prevent symptoms during flare-ups...plus my husband who doesn't even have migraine has loved it too. I've been adding some dried white mulberries for extra sweetness...one of your other smoothie recipes (the cherry vanilla) got my hooked on them! Thank you for your hard work in testing this recipe and writing such an informative blog post.
So delicious and refreshing! So glad I found this recipe! I only had bosc pears but I bet Bartlet would be amazing too! Such a smooth...smoothie! Thanks for this, esp when suffering from a headache.