Naked Red Machine Smoothie

What’s not to love about the Naked Red Machine Smoothie? It's a luscious blend of of red things you love and some not so red things for an extra boost. Pomegranate, raspberries, strawberries with apples and oranges plus Omega-3s. Not a low calorie food, more B vitamins than many popular energy drinks.

Juices From:

• 1.75 Apples
• 11 Strawberries
• 2/3 Oranges
• 1/2 Banana
• 13 Raspberries
• 7 Red Grapes
• 1/4 Pomegranate
• 3 Cranberries
• And 8g of Flax Seed.

If you're looking at the ingredient list and wondering what a Chokeberry is and why it's in this smoothie, well you had the same thought we did. So we looked it up for you.

Chokeberries come from the Aronia plant and have the name because of their sharp, mouth-drying effect. Aronia is a genus of deciduous shrubs in the plant family Rosaceae which is native to eastern North America and most commonly found in wet woods and swamps. The genus Aronia is considered to have 3 species. The most common and widely used is Aronia melanocarpa (aka black chokeberry) in Eastern North America. Chokeberries are tart and bitter. The Red Chokeberry's fruits can be used in canning or making jams and jellies. Jellies are heavy, sweet, and solid due to the abundance of pectin. The Red Chokeberry can be eaten raw and is more palatable than the Black Chokeberry.

Aronia berries (chokeberries) are rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins C and K, and minerals like zinc, magnesium, and iron. Antioxidants can protect cells from damage and may help prevent cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants may also promote anti-aging. Early studies in rats suggest that aronia berries may help fight insulin resistance. Aronia juice may help reduce the severity of damaged stomach linings.