Berry–Green Tea Smoothie

This Berry–Green Tea Smoothie recipe is our new favorite way to wake up. This delicious drink is bursting with antioxidant-packed berries, green tea and omega-3-rich chia seeds, and it gets a boost of natural sweetness from Medjool dates, so you can skip the added sugar. You can use your favorite frozen berry or use a mix for a berry-licious blend! Check out our tips for making this tasty smoothie your new favorite below.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• For the best smoothie, start with cold ingredients. Make sure the berries are frozen and the tea is chilled before you start blending.
• To make strong-brewed tea, use 2 tea bags for 1 cup of water and let them steep for 5 minutes in the hot water before removing the bags and chilling the tea.
• Any berry works well here, as do other naturally sweet frozen fruits like cherries, pineapple and even grapes!

Nutrition Notes

• Mixed berries like blueberries and strawberries are packed with inflammation-busting antioxidants that protect brain health and may reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
• Green tea boasts a cocktail of anti-inflammatory polyphenols. These powerful plant substances have been shown to lower markers of inflammation in people with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that raise the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
• Chia seeds are one of a small handful of plant foods that contain the heart-healthy omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). In addition to thwarting heart disease–related inflammation, ALA may lower unfavorable LDL cholesterol and increase beneficial HDL cholesterol.