In theory, whipping together a quick heart-healthy smoothie before you head to work shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. That is… so long as your blender is easily accessible and not stowed away in the far depths of your crowded kitchen cabinet. Not to mention the fact that the thought of having to wash your blender after you’re done can be enough to lead you to ditch the task entirely. Add in a few early morning meetings and a lingering headache from last night’s holiday party, and the mere idea of blending up a nutritious breakfast is (pun intended) off the table. Not cool.
Experts in This Article
registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor, yoga teacher, and founder of Laura Iu Nutrition
But what if we told you we found a way to make a smoothie without a blender? According to Laura Iu, RDN, CDN, CNSC, RYT, a registered dietitian and founder of Laura Iu Nutrition, OUTSHINE smoothie cubes might be the answer to your easy smoothie-making prayers with absolutely zero clean-up required. The newly-launched product from the brand best known for its wholesome frozen fruit bars comes in three flavors, and have a bevy of health benefits worth taking note of, Iu says.
OUTSHINE Smoothie Cubes — $7.00
Why a registered dietitian recommends Outshine’s smoothie cubes
As the holiday season quickly approaches, stress levels are higher than ever—and same goes for the jam packed-ness of our calendars. But with a little help from these hassle-free smoothie cubes, nourishing oneself with the nutrients we need to survive and thrive seems slightly feasible. “A common pattern I notice with the holidays around the corner is that people find it really hard to keep up with self-care habits,” says Iu. “We want to feel energized, but many of us either don’t have the time or energy to make nutritious breakfasts, or we don’t want to deal with a mess in the kitchen among all the other cooking tasks we’re drowning on. So products like these can make it easier to add nutrients into our diets that can help us feel better.”
TBH, this new product takes convenience to a whole new level. “The OUTSHINE Smoothie Cubes are a fast, convenient snack option since all you need to do is add liquid, let it sit for 15 minutes, then shake—no blender necessary,” Iu says. Mic drop.
Each of the three flavors (The Go-Getter, The Glow To, and The Gut Supporter) has nutritional benefits to match their persona, too. “Each flavor contains nutrients like B vitamins, fiber, and collagen peptides,” Iu adds.
How Outshine smoothie cubes benefit your health—especially your gut
One of the main selling points that make these smoothie cubes worth sipping (or spooning) is that they’re loaded with tons of fiber, which supports a healthy gut, digestion, and immunity. “Many people don’t know this, but 70 to 80 percent of the immune system is housed in the gut. This means that consuming enough fiber is key to maintaining positive gut health as well as your mental health,” Iu says.
What’s more, research has shown that eating high-fiber foods can increase the good bacteria in your gut, restoring your gut microbiota levels to keep everything running smoothly. “I usually encourage people to aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, and that’s why I like OUTSHINE Smoothie Cubes—they contain a whopping 11 grams of fiber per container, making it easy to meet your gut’s needs,” she says.
Iu says fiber isn’t the only rockstar in these blender-free smoothies. “They’re also made with collagen peptides, which are necessary for healthy joints and tissues, and well as the added benefit of promoting strong nails, hair, and skin,” she says. The Glow To, for instance, is a green smoothie made with banana, pineapple, mango, date paste, spinach, kale, kiwi, cucumber, and chia seeds, plus collagen peptides from Vital Proteins.
Meanwhile, The Go-Getter is a tropical-inspired smoothie made with mango, banana, pineapple, papaya, date paste, beet juice, chia seeds, and B vitamins, which Iu says help boost energy and are necessary for producing serotonin. Maintaining adequate levels of serotonin—a neurotransmitter that acts like a hormone in the body—because it helps to regulate mood, aids in sleep, digestion, wound healing, bone health, blood clotting, and sex drive, to name a few.
Lastly, The Gut Supporter contains nutrient-rich ingredients like strawberries, bananas, coconut cream, carrot juice, date paste, beet juice, and chia seeds. It also has 11 grams of fiber (39 percent of your daily value) and 500 milligrams of potassium per container. Plus, ingredients like bananas are loaded with tons of soluble fiber and has been shown to lower one type of cholesterol (LDL) by binding to cholesterol in your small intestine and taking it through your digestive tract and out of your body, which prevents cholesterol from entering your bloodstream.
TL;DR? Choosing between these three blender-free smoothie flavors packed with loads of health benefits will definitely be the hardest part.
This smoothie recipe is basically royalty:
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