5 Smoothie Recipes to Help Ease Breast Cancer Side Effects

Eating the recommended amount of fruit and veggies (8–10 servings per day) can be difficult when you aren't feeling well and your taste buds change due to chemo.

Smoothies are great because the nutrients are blended and ready to be absorbed without a ton of effort from your digestive system. All you have to do is put all the ingredients in your blender and you've got a delicious meal!

Here are five easy smoothie recipes from naturopathic doctor, Melissa Piercell.

1. Green Energy Booster

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Raw salad might not be appealing during chemo treatments, so this smoothie is great for someone looking for a tastier way to get more greens in their diet.

It's a surefire energy booster because of the concentrated chlorophyll and iron in each leaf. Low appetite? This also makes for a great meal replacement option, thanks to the protein and fat in the nuts and hemp hearts.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of your favorite greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard, etc.)
• 1 tbsp. cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. hemp hearts
• 2 tbsp. almond butter
• chocolate almond milk (enough to cover ingredients)

Combine the greens, cocoa, cinnamon, hemp hearts, almond butter, and chocolate almond milk in a blender. Blend until smooth.

2. Easy Berry Blast

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Berries are high in tissue-healing antioxidants and detoxifying fiber. Enjoy this quick and easy smoothie for a busy morning.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of your favorite berries
• 1 scoop protein powder (such as Vega sweetened with stevia, vanilla, or berry flavor)
• almond milk (enough to cover ingredients)

Combine the berries, protein powder, and almond milk in a blender. Blend until smooth.

3. Peaches and Cream

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Calcium is important when it comes to bone strength (especially for those who've had chemo). Here is a delicious bone-building smoothie that's perfect for the summer when peaches are in season.

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen peaches
• 1/4 tsp. organic vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup organic plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• organic cow's milk or goat's milk (enough to cover ingredients)

Combine the peaches, vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and milk in a blender. Blend until smooth.

4. Chemo Brain Smoothie

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If chemo is making you lose your appetite, this is a great meal replacement.

High fat is good for decreasing cognitive decline and mental fogginess which is typically reported in those going through chemo. It also contains a good amount of omega 3s to help fight inflammation.

This smoothie will surely fill you up!

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 2 tbsp. of your favorite nut butter
• 2 tbsp. flaxseed
• coconut milk (enough to cover ingredients)

Combine the banana, avocado, walnuts, nut butter, flaxseeds, and coconut milk in a blender. Blend until smooth.

5. Headache Be Gone

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Cancer treatments can leave us feeling like we've been hit by a truck. This smoothie is a great choice for someone experiencing inflammation, headaches, or any type of surgery pain.

Pineapple, turmeric, ginger, and papaya all have anti-inflammatory properties. This recipe should be considered a snack because it doesn't have any protein. (As an option, add some Greek yogurt for added protein.)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pineapple
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 cup frozen papaya
• coconut water (enough to cover ingredients)
• honey, as needed

Combine the pineapple, turmeric, ginger, papaya, coconut water, and honey in a blender. Blend until smooth.

This article first appeared on Rethink Breast Cancer.

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Rethink Breast Cancer's mission is to empower young people worldwide who are concerned about and affected by breast cancer. Rethink is the first-ever Canadian charity to bring bold, relevant awareness to the 40s and under crowd. By taking a breakthrough approach to all aspects of breast cancer, Rethink is thinking differently about breast cancer. To find out more, visit their website or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.