Prune Smoothie

This prune smoothie includes banana, chia seeds, baby spinach and sweet prunes for a super healthy, but tasty snack.

This prune smoothie recipe was first published almost 12 years ago, a few months into this adventure called blogging. I titled it “The World’s Healthiest Smoothie.”

I was a bit dramatic back then. 

Like most recipes from the first year or two of blogging, the pictures were horrific but the recipe was worth sharing which is why it’s making its comeback now, flush with fresh pictures and a little bit more relevant info than talking about what do with a 3.1 pound bag of prunes my husband decided to buy at a wholesale food store at the time.

I’ve never really understood the reputation prunes have somehow gotten themselves. For some reason, we can dry any other fruit and everything is cool but when it comes to prunes, a dried plum, people freak out calling them gross or seem to have a one-track mind thinking of them solely as a remedy for constipation.

Hopefully, this green prune smoothie convinces you otherwise if you’re one of those people because it’s truly a shame to not enjoy these delicious gems. Heck, they can even be made into raw brownie bites!

Why are prunes good for your health?

Like almost any fruit, prunes are incredibly healthy and packed full of nutrients. They’re relatively low in calories — one prune (9.5g) is about 20 to 25 calories, and contain about 2g of fiber per one ounce serving.

Two components of plums and prunes make them good for digestion:

• Fiber content
• Sorbitol — a naturally occurring sugar alcohol with laxative effects. 

Prunes are also rich in antioxidants. Some studies have shown that plums and prunes contain over twice as many polyphenol antioxidants as other fruits. 

Other purported health benefits of prunes include:

• helping to lower blood sugar levels
• promoting bone health
• potentially reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol levels

Prune smoothie ingredients

• Prunes
• Frozen banana
• Baby spinach
• Chia seeds
• Almond milk and/or water
• Honey or maple syrup
• ice

Whenever I make a green smoothie — which is just any smoothie that includes baby greens of any sort — I add a bit of frozen banana to it. Banana is the secret weapon in masking the taste of greens in a smoothie. While it won’t change the green color, it will stop you from thinking you’re drinking a salad. Make some V8 juice for that.

Bananas and prunes are also a classic combination that tastes great and will align with most palates. 

How to make a healthy spinach prune smoothie

Combine all the ingredients for the smoothie in a blender starting with the liquid then blend until smooth. Using more ice will create a fluffier textured smoothie.

Pour the smoothie into a glass and if desired, garnish with a few extra chia seeds on top. 

Variations 

Check out our guide for a comprehensive run down on how to make the best smoothie with all the add-ins you can imagine but here are some variations that will work for this prune smoothie recipe.

Omit the greens — If you leave out the greens, the prune smoothie will look similar to this pear banana smoothie. This is a great option if you have picky kids who won’t eat anything that looks green. The taste is almost identical and the color won’t be off putting.

On the other hand, if you have kids who think green food is gross looking in a good way, make this green oatmeal for them. It’s great for a Halloween or St. Patrick’s Day breakfast.  

Add nut butter — A tablespoon of your favorite nut butter will add some healthy fats and make the smoothie more satiating. Our favorites are almond butter, pumpkin seed butter and vanilla macadamia nut butter.

Protein powder — A scoop of protein powder balances out the macronutrients in the smoothie nicely and makes it a great option for a quick breakfast or a post-workout snack. Nuzest (this link gets you 15% off) is our favorite plant-based choice and Paleo Valley’s bone broth protein is our go-to animal-based recommendation. Both are organic, high-quality and third-party tested.

Berries — A handful of berries (wild blueberries are a great option) make a great antioxidant-boosting addition to this detoxifying prune smoothie.

Can I use prune juice?

If you don’t have prunes on hand and want to swap them out for prune juice in this smoothie, just understand that not all of the benefits will transfer over.

Prunes are just the dried version of the whole plum. When the fruit is dried, it maintains all the fiber. Prune juice, however, like any juice, filters out the fiber in the juicing process. So while the taste will be similar, a prune juice smoothie won’t contain as much beneficial fiber and nutrients as a smoothie that uses whole prunes.

Our best suggestion is to stick to a plum juice recipe if you want juice and use the actual prune in this smoothie.

More healthy smoothie recipes to try

When it comes to green smoothies, nothing can top this spirulina smoothie and its health benefits.

If you’re struggling with digestive issues, our gut-healing smoothie made with pumpkin and papaya is a must-try.

This roasted apricot green smoothie combines the sweet deliciousness of roasted apricots with baby greens for another healthy, fiber-packed drink option.