Create Your Own Exotic Tropical Smoothies

It is always exciting to come up with something extraordinary to serve your dinner guests. Tropical smoothies are a good and easy way to end your meal because though these may sound exotic; they can be prepared ahead and just given a finishing run in your blender before serving.

Four Tropical Smoothies to Choose From

Papaya Mandarin Princess

The papaya is a fleshy tropical fruit that is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, potassium, magnesium and fiber. It also contains vitamin E and vitamin K. In addition, papaya has papain which is used to treat injuries caused by trauma. It is an effective digestive cleanser and helps prevent colon cancer. The nutrients in this fruit are also said to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol so when you serve a papaya smoothie, you are giving more than a flavorful treat. You are also giving your guests a health booster.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups ripe papaya, peeled and cut in cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
• 6 pieces Mandarin oranges
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Procedure:

Slice horizontally around the Mandarin oranges. Remove peel carefully; you will use this to make tiny crowns to decorate your smoothies. Remove seeds from Mandarin oranges but do not discard the sacs that separate the segments. Throw all ingredients into a blender and puree. Freeze till needed and blend before serving. Garnish with orange peel crowns and serve.

Pineapple Carrot Whirl

Pineapples are popular fruits because of their refreshing, tangy flavor. However, besides their great taste, these fruits contain bromelain which helps break down protein and acts both as an anti-inflammatory and as an anti-clotting agent. Pineapples were once carried around by sailors as a preventive measure against scurvy. They are a good source of antioxidants and enzymes such as dismutase which scavenge free radicals in the body. Moreover, pineapples are rich in flavonoids which help the body in preventing the growth of cancer in the lungs as well as the oral cavity.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup finely cubed fresh pineapple
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 teaspoon light honey
• 1/2 cup crushed ice

Procedure:

Throw everything in the blender and freeze until needed. To prepare before serving, puree and garnish with long carrot sticks.

Pineapple Guava Glee

Guavas not have a lot of fiber; they are also a virtual treasure trove of vitamins, particularly vitamin C. One guava has enough vitamin C to meet the daily vitamin requirement of an adult male. In addition to this, guavas are a good source of potassium, manganese, carotenoids; polyphenols which gives suggests the possibility of high antioxidant value.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup finely chopped guava pulp (remove seeds)
• 1 banana
• 1 cup pomegranate bits
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 teaspoon light honey
• 1 cup pineapple juice

Procedure:

Throw everything in the blender except the pomegranate. Puree and garnish with long carrot sticks. To serve, distribute pomegranate among three glasses and pour smoothies in.

Mango Tango

The delicious mango is truly a wonderful way to end a meal. The fruit not only tastes ambrosial, it also contains vitamins A, C and B6. It is a source of carotenoids, polyphenols and compounds which counteract free radicals. The mango pulp has more than twenty carotenoids plus lupeol which has been shown to inhibit prostate and skin cancer in the laboratory.
Ingredients:

• 6 cups ripe mango, peeled and cut in small cubes
• 1 banana
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon honey

Procedure:

Puree 4 cups of the mango plus everything else in a blender. Distribute the remaining 2 cups of mango among four glasses and pour smoothie mixture over the mango bits.

You can add or substitute other fruits for the ones mentioned in any of these recipes. Let your own taste be your guide and choose the fruits that are in season so that you can have your pick of the best ones for your tropical smoothies.