Anti-Cancer Green Smoothie Recipe
This Anti-Cancer Green Smoothie recipe is full of health-promoting ingredients, including leafy greens and broccoli florets. This vegan and dairy-free blended drink can be served as a meal replacement or as a snack. Easy to make and delicious, too.
Disclaimer: although this recipe is titled “anti-cancer,” it is not intended as a replacement for medical treatment as advised by your healthcare professional. This recipe is intended to help with cancer prevention.
Recipe Highlights
This anti-cancer smoothie recipe is similar to my Collard Green Smoothie recipe, but with the addition of frozen broccoli florets. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, the compound in broccoli that has been studied for its cancer-fighting properties.
In this recipe, you actually can’t taste the frozen broccoli once it’s blended with all of the other great ingredients in this recipe. The carrot juice, fruit, citrus, cocoa powder, mint leaves all work together to magically cover up the “green” flavor of the veggies.
Even if you don’t necessarily love the taste of green vegetables, I think that you will enjoy the flavor of this very healthy anti-cancer smoothie. Here’s a list from the MD Anderson Cancer Center of more cancer-fighting foods.
How Broccoli Fights Cancer
Studies show that there are compounds in cruciferous vegetables known as isothiocyanates that fight cancer. However, as far as we know, these compounds are only present in raw or very gently cooked cruciferous vegetables. So, that’s why this recipe uses gently blanched and frozen broccoli florets.
It’s also easier to hide the flavor of frozen broccoli as opposed to fresh broccoli. And, the frozen florets even help to thicken the smoothie.
If you’re a fan of broccoli, you might also like this easy step-by-step guide for how to sprout broccoli seeds on your countertop without dirt. Sprouting broccoli and eating a tablespoon or two a day is another way to help prevent and fight cancer.
Recipe Steps
Step One
The first step of this recipe is to gather up your ingredients. This recipe is forgiving, so don’t worry if you don’t have every single one of the ingredients. For instance, if you don’t have carrot juice, you can use water (see my recipe for homemade carrot juice). If you don’t have fresh mint, you can just leave it out.
Step Two
Combine all of the ingredients in the base of a high-speed blender like a Blendtec or a Vitamix. Blend on high for just about 45 seconds, or until the smoothie is thick and creamy.
Also, be sure to check out my tutorial on the best way to freeze bananas!
Step Three
Divide the smoothie between two glasses and serve immediately. You can store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
FAQs
Most frozen vegetables you buy at the store are meant to be cooked before being consumed. So, it’s better to buy fresh broccoli, blanch it, and then freeze it yourself.
Yes, but the smoothie will not be as creamy. I would recommend substituting frozen mango for the banana.
Other Superfood Smoothie Recipes You Might Like
- Broccoli Sprout Smoothie
- Immune-Boosting Orange Banana Smoothie
- Collard Green Smoothie
- Creamy Detox Smoothie
- Peanut Butter Cauliflower Smoothie
- Kale Berry Chocolate Smoothie
Also, if you are a cancer patient or you know someone who is, you might want to read my full article on ways to deal with a cancer diagnosis. In this article, I also share my own story of cancer diagnosis and recovery.
Don’t miss my round-up of the best Cancer Fighting Smoothies.
I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.
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Anti-Cancer Green Smoothie Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Anti-Cancer Green Smoothie recipe is full of health-promoting ingredients, including leafy greens and broccoli florets. This vegan and dairy-free blended drink can be served as a meal replacement or as a snack. Easy to make and delicious, too.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 2 cups carrot juice
- 1 cup water
- 1 ripe banana, frozen
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 cup frozen broccoli florets
- 2 cups fresh or lightly steamed baby kale or baby spinach
- 5 fresh mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 lime or lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Combine the hemp seeds, carrot juice, and water in the base of a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec.
- Next, add the frozen banana, frozen strawberries, frozen broccoli florets, greens, mint, cocoa powder, and lemon or lime juice.
- Place the lid on the blender and blend until smooth, about 45 seconds.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- If you don’t have carrot juice, you can just use water.
- Category: Smoothie
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Healthy
Keywords: cancer fighting smoothie using frozen broccoli, smoothie for cancer patient, anti-cancer recipe
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My husband of 51 years was just diagnosed with colon cancer. I’m scared to death…Do you have any other great recipes for smoothies for people already with cancer? Thank You, Dianne
Hi Dianne, I am so, so sorry to hear this news. I have written a lot over the years about cancer-fighting foods.
Broccoli is blanched before its frozen – like many other vegetables. Blanching = immersing briefly in boiling water. This is done to stop certain enzymes to work and keep it fresh green looking. But for broccoli to do its anti-cancer magic you need the same enzymes blanching just killed ! So you have got to use fresh broccoli here or even better, broccoli sprouts.
I hope this helps! Thanks for the recipe!
If you read up about broccoli sprouts, you actually need to blanch them to activate the sulphoraphane.
Can you please share a link or source?
One of my favorite smoothie recipes!
★★★★★
Hi! I am wondering why you steam some of the greens before you use them?
To reduce oxalates and make them easier for me to digest.
I didn’t read all of the comments so I apologize if someone asked this and you answered it. Did you have your thyroid removed? Did you have to do any treatments or did you turn down treatment? I was just diagnosed with thyroid cancer recently.
Hi Penny, yes I had a full thyroidectomy, but no radiation. As far as I know, surgery is still the best option. Is that what your doctor is recommending? I’m sorry to hear that you have to go through this. You can always feel free to email me, carrieATcleaneatingkitchenDOTcom
Please I’m in Ghana in a very deprived area and from a poor family but unfortunately, my mom has been diagnosed of cancer and she is undergoing a chemo. Please need your help on her diet. God bless you
I’m sorry, I am not qualified to help in that way. I would try to find someone locally at the chemo center to help assist with her diet.
More recipes please.
Hi, can you tell me why it says “serve immediately”? I have leftover smoothie in the fridge but does this mean that because I didnt make it fresh all the healing benefits are gone and I’ll just be drinking it as a normal drink without the benefit of being a cancer fighter?
★★★★★
Great question! I recommend consuming any leftovers within 24 hours to get the maximum amount of antioxidants, but even leftovers kept up to several days should be fine. I would try to cover your leftovers with as little air exposed to the smoothie so help reduce the dissipation of vitamin c. I usually use plastic wrap placed gently on the top of the leftovers and wrapped tightly around the glass.
Could you send me more of your cancer treatment recipes. I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you
Hi Michelle, this is not something I have put together. All of my recipes are made using real food ingredients, with little to no refined sugars.
I have a family member that just started chemo but when she starts radiation she will probably need to start drinking her meals (cancer is located so close to the esophaguse) do you have a variety of smoothies that will help with her immune and weight loss she will probably incur?
Check out this book that was written by a nutrition expert in oncology: https://amzn.to/2KX6jCc
WOULD LIKE MORE ANTI CANCER RECIPES, THANK YOU
You might want to do more research. Frozen broccoli does not have the ability to produce sulphoraphane without a separate added source of myrosinase..
You have to add dry mustard seed, daikon radish, etc. to frozen Broccoli as freezing destroys the myrosinase which triggers the production of sulphoraphane when the Broccoli is chewed or chopped.
Great, thanks Debby!