Pineapple Cucumber Smoothie: Detoxifying and Delicious

This pineapple cucumber smoothie recipe is the perfect refreshing and healthy smoothie recipe to start your day! Packed with nutrients and antioxidants, this smoothie is a great way to kickstart your day and energize your body. In this blog post, we’ll go over the recipe, ingredient substitutions, recipe variations, equipment you’ll need, and how to store this delicious smoothie. 

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Why You’ll Love this Pineapple and Cucumber Smoothie

• Vegan
• Gluten Free
• Dairy Free
• Vegetarian
• Soy Free
• Nut Free
• Paleo Friendly

Ingredients for Pineapple Cucumber Smoothies

• Frozen Pineapple Chunks: I like to use frozen pineapple chunks instead of fresh pineapple because then the smoothie doesn’t need ice. Ice will water down the already delicate flavor of this smoothie.
• English Cucumber: I prefer english cucumbers over regular cucumbers for smoothies and juices because the seeds aren’t as large and the skin doesn’t have wax on it.
• Coconut Yogurt: Coconut yogurt adds creaminess to the pineapple cucumber smoothie.
• Coconut Water: Coconut water provides enough moisture to blend the ingredients into a smoothie.
• Mint: Mint leaves add a nice garnish.

How to Make A Cucumber Pineapple Smoothie

In a high speed blender add the frozen pineapple, cucumber, coconut yogurt and coconut water. Blend until all of the ingredients are emulsified. Pour into a glass and garnish with mint.

Pro Tips

1. If the ingredients wont blend you can use a tamper to push the ingredients into the blade if you have a blender with a tamper. If your blender doesn’t have a tamper you can simply add more liquid to the blender.
2. For a creamier smoothie use coconut milk instead of coconut water.

Cucumber and Pineapple Smoothie Ingredient Substitutions

• Frozen Pineapple: If you don’t have frozen pineapple you can use fresh pineapple instead. Just remember that the fresh pineapple will make the smoothie more runny than frozen pineapple. So add a few ice cubes to the smoothie to make it creamy.
• Coconut Water: Instead of coconut water you can use any kind of plant based milk. My favorite choice is full fat coconut milk because it’s the most creamy and flavorful.
• Coconut Yogurt: You can use greek yogurt or almond based yogurt instead of coconut yogurt. My favorite brand of coconut yogurt to use is Cocojune. It’s made with fresh ingredients.

Recipe Variations

• Add more greens by adding a handful of spinach.
• Make it zesty by adding the juice of one lime.
• Make it more filling by adding a scoop of vegan protein powder.

How to Store Pineapple Cucumber Smoothie

The best way to store a pineapple cucumber smoothie is not to. While these smoothies will last for up to 1 day in the fridge. It’s best to consume the smoothie right away. You can place it in the fridge for an hour or two before it begins to separate.

Can you Freeze This Pineapple Cucumber Smoothie

If you must freeze a smoothie for meal prep it’s best to freeze the ingredients and not the smoothie itself. Smoothies don’t freeze well. The texture will change and the smoothie will become dull and flat.

You could re-blend the smoothie after it thaws out, which would improve the texture a bit. But I wouldn’t recommend it. Smoothies are best consumed within 1-2 hours.

If you do choose to freeze a smoothie once a frozen smoothie is thawed out it cannot be refrozen.

What are the Benefits of Drinking A Pineapple and Cucumber Smoothie?

Pineapple is a great source of vitamin C and the digestive enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain is a natural pain killer and helps your body fight off infection while the vitamin C helps fight inflammation.

Cucumber is rich in moisture which helps aid the body’s natural detoxification process and keep you hydrated. Lot’s of vitamin K and A can also be found in cucumber.

The benefit of eating a smoothie with cucumbers and pineapples in it is that you’re getting more nutrition than you would be able to if you simply chewed the ingredients.

By blending the ingredients into a smoothie you are essentially “pre-digesting” them by breaking them up. This means you’re body will get all of the benefits of eating the fruits and veggies without the workload of digesting.

Smoothies help keep your colon regular and your digestion smooth.

Can I use Pineapple or Orange Juice Instead of Frozen Pineapple?

Yes you can use pineapple or orange juice instead of frozen or fresh pineapple. However the smoothie won’t be as healthy. When you use regular juice instead of fresh fruit you’re eliminating the fiber and doubling the sugar. If you use store bought juice then chances are that it will be pasteurized. So all of the vital nutrients in the juice will have been destroyed in the pasteurization process leaving behind nothing but the sugar.

Can I use Frozen Pineapple?

Yes, you can use frozen pineapple. In fact, frozen pineapple is the best option for this smoothie. Frozen fruit is the most affordable and healthiest option. Using frozen pineapple will also give you the creamiest smoothie.

Do I Need To Peel The Cucumber?

You only need to peel the cucumber if the skin is waxed. I prefer english cucumbers because the skin is never waxed. While regular cucumbers are often sold with waxy skin. You should always peel fruit with wax on the surface because it’s bad for your health.

Farmers add wax to the surface of cucumbers to help it retain moisture and stay fresh for longer. But it’s at the expense of health. Wax is known to trap bacteria and pathogens under the surface that can’t be washed off. Not to mention that fungicides are used in the wax.

The consumption of fungicides has been linked to neurological disorders like autism and Alzheimer’s disease.

Do Mint Leaves Taste Good In Smoothies?

I tried to make this smoothie with mint leaves in it. I found that the mint flavor was too strong. It over powered the delicate flavor of the pineapple and cucumber. All you could taste was mint. I don’t recommend using mint leaves in the smoothie. Save them for a garnish.

If you love mint you can add one mint leave to the smoothie. Which should give it an essence of mint without overpowering the whole smoothie.

What Does Blending Cucumber and Pineapple Do?

Blending cucumber and pineapple together with other ingredients like coconut milk, yogurt and coconut water turns it into a smoothie. Drinking blended cucumber and pineapple makes it easier to digest and provides lots of nutritional benefits.

Does Cucumber and Pineapple Smoothie Work For Weight Loss?

If you’re on a keto diet a pineapple and cucumber smoothie will not work for weight loss because it’s high in carbohydrates and sugars. However, if you are eating a low calorie diet a pineapple cucumber smoothie could be a great filling drink to help you loose weight. So long as you use fresh pineapple instead of juice.

Is Pineapple Good For Colon Health?

Yes pineapple is great for colon health. Not only does pineapple provide moisture to the colon to help loosen stool. The fruit sugars in the pineapple have a natural laxative effect that helps keep you regular.

On the other hand pineapple can be bad for the colon If you have a chronic bacterial or fungal infection like candida. Yeast thrive off of sugars and eating pineapple will only feed the pathogens. Helping them to multiply and cause more symptoms like gas, bloating and skin rashes.

Is Cucumber Good For the Colon?

Yes cucumber is good for the colon because the fiber and high moisture content helps hydrate and move the bowel.

What Fruit Cleanses the Colon?

All fruit cleanses the colon because fruit sugars have a natural laxative effect.