Daniella Chace - Breast Cancer Smoothies: 100 Delicious, Research-Based Recipes for Prevention and Recovery

For Jennifer Lomax , my client and friend. Thank you for sharing your healing milestones and experiences as you navigated breast cancer and ultimately your triumphant return to your athletic self.

My deepest gratitude to Linda Konner, Allison Janse, Olivia Brent, McKenzie Johnson, Patrick Jennings, Kim Weiss, Taylor Grossman, Dr. Neal Barnard, Lise Alschuler, Linda Landkammer, Andrea Knutsen, Helen Gray, Jack Pokorny, Sophie Elan, Anne Rierson, Cassidy Stockton, and Karie Duff.

Many fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and nutrient-rich powders can be used in smoothies. This is a comprehensive list of the foods suitable for smoothies that have proven anti-breast cancer nutrients. Use this reference section to remind yourself of the array of ingredients that can be added to your smoothies and how to prep them.

Apples: Whole apples can be blended in high-power blenders. Cored apples will blend easily, and unfiltered apple juice can be added to any smoothie to add a sweet liquid base. Fresh, whole apples last for many weeks in a cool place, such as the refrigerator. Fresh apples can be used in smoothies; just remove the core and stem. Apples that have been chopped can be stored in a covered glass container for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Organic, unfiltered apple juice contains the antioxidant nutrients, such as quercetin, that are found in whole apples. Look for unsweetened apple juice and apple sauce in glass jars rather than plastic containers, some which may contain toxic phthalates.

Quercetin and triterpenoids help reduce inflammation and the growth of breast cancer cells. Unfiltered apple juice contains more of the nutrients from the skin, such as the triterpenoids, than clear, filtered juice.

ApricotsSee Stone Fruit

Bananas: Bananas provide creamy texture and when frozen first, they give a smoothie a frosty, milkshake-like consistency. Bananas can be peeled and then the fruit can be frozen in waxed paper bags or BPA-free food storage bags.

Basil: Fresh basil leaves are available in the produce department of most grocery stores, and dried basil leaves are sold in bulk and in spice jars. Either can be used in smoothies. Fresh is preferable as it has fragrant, healthful oils that provide more concentrated nutrients, flavor, and fragrance than dried basil leaves.

Beets: Beets are rich in carotenoids, are widely available, and can be added to smoothies raw or cooked. Raw beets blend easily in high-power blenders and are preferable to canned beets, as cans are often lined with toxic plastics.

Berries: When picking fresh berries, be sure to rinse them well. Let them dry before freezing to avoid clumping and then store them in the freezer in a waxed-paper or BPA-free food storage bag. Buy organic juices and concentrates when possible.

Blackberries: Fresh or frozen blackberries can be added to smoothies for their flavor and nutrients.

Blueberries: Blueberries are sold in bags in the freezer section of most grocery stores specifically for smoothies. Whole, fresh, or frozen blueberries, blueberry juice, and blueberry nectar can be added directly to smoothies to add rich flavor and dense nutrients. Cultivated blueberries and wild blueberries contain phenolic antioxidants that have been found to act on breast cancer cells in several ways. Laboratory studies have proven their efficacy in reducing the growth, breakdown, and clearance of existing breast cancer cells.

Cranberries: Fresh cranberries, cranberry juice, and cranberry juice concentrate add intense flavor and color to smoothies. The juice contains ellagic acid, a nutrient that has the ability to trigger apoptosis of breast cancer cells.

Grapes: Most of the grapes nutrients are in the fruits skin, so whole seedless grapes are an ideal smoothie ingredient. Dark-colored grape juice, especially unfiltered juice, contains the nutrient-rich skin pulp. Buy organic when possible. Seedless grapes can be used fresh or stored in an airtight container in the freezer. Frozen grapes create a frosty and rich texture in smoothies.

Raspberries: Red raspberries specifically for use in smoothies are available in bags in the freezer section of the store.

Strawberries: Fresh or frozen strawberries add sweet and fresh flavor to smoothies. Strawberries are one of the most highly sprayed crops, so its essential to buy organic strawberries or grow your own. They should be rinsed and can be added whole to smoothies.

Wild Blueberries: Wild blueberries have a stronger flavor and color than cultivated blueberries. Wild blueberries are one of my favorite smoothie ingredients, as they contain concentrated amounts of the cancer-fighting antioxidants found in cultivated berries. They also have a richer flavor and brighter color. I buy them frozen and try to eat at least one-half cup per day of these nutrient powerhouses.

BlackberriesSee Berries

Black PepperSee Spices

BlueberriesSee Berries

CantaloupeSee Melon

CardamomSee Spices

Carrots: Whole fresh carrots can be blended in high-power blenders and fresh carrot juice can be added to smoothies. Carrot juice can be made at home with a juicer or purchased in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. Carrot flavor blends well with citrus, as well as with greens and apples. Raw or cooked carrots, fresh homemade carrot juice, or store-bought carrot juice can be added to smoothies for sweet flavor and nutrients. Whole carrots and carrot juices are loaded with breast cancer-fighting carotenoids. Whole raw carrots can be blended in high powder blenders, or opt for carrot juice if you like a smoother texture without so much fiber in your smoothies.

Chia SeedsSee Nuts and Seeds

Cherries: Cherry juice and cherry concentrate are rich in nutrients and provide concentrated flavor in small quantities. Just a quarter cup of cherry juice provides sweet cherry flavor and fragrance to an entire smoothie. Frozen cherries come pre-pitted and are generally frozen at the peak of ripeness, so theyre very sweet and easier to digest than unripe cherries. Choose your favorite variety, whether dark, sour, sweet, or tart, as they all provide an array of nutrients that support breast cancer recovery. Buy organic when possible. If youre using fresh cherries, be sure to remove the pit. Once the pit has been removed, you can freeze them for future use.

CilantroSee Greens

Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds flavor and a little heat to smoothies. Ground or powdered cinnamon is available in the bulk department of the grocery store. Replace your cinnamon at least once a year, as the oils oxidize from light and oxygen, and it loses its health properties as well as its flavor over time.

Citrus: Citrus fruits contain an array of nutrients that are protective against breast cancer. They provide alpha carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, as well as the bioflavonoid nobiletin. Fresh citrus fruits, including oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemons, and limes, add sweet and tart flavor to smoothies.