When it’s cold outside, and you can’t seem to warm up, there are a few smart tips to follow to add warmth to your usual smoothie to make it more winter-friendly. You may not want to start every morning with a smoothie like you might enjoy doing in the hot summer months, but a healthy smoothie is an undeniably quick and delicious breakfast option on busy mornings.

You don’t have to kick them to the curb until summer with these tips and tricks to add some warmth to your smoothies.

Here are a few ways to consider when choosing warming ingredients for your winter smoothies:

Take a look at winter foods.

Those things we fill our plates with during winter take longer to grow. Think winter squash or collards. They have a warmer profile than things that grow quickly in the summertime, so try to work these into your smoothies during the winter months. They’ll add a grounding element to your smoothies that you’ll love.

Don’t use frozen berries.

Frozen berries are a fantastic ingredient in smoothies when it’s hot out, but winter is a different ballpark. When something is frozen, it will only slow down your digestion in the colder months. Let your frozen berries thaw out in the fridge while you sleep. Taking the frigid chill out of them will help significantly add warmth to your smoothie.

Color is everything

Warmer colors equal a warmer winter smoothie. Choose fruits, vegetables, and spices that are red, orange, and yellow over the cooler colors. Think beets, carrots, pumpkin, etc.

Save tropical fruits for summertime.

There’s nothing more summery than mango or pineapple, especially together. But to serve your winter wellness better, choose foods grown in temperate regions. Apples and pears are both great examples of the bounty of this season and how you can use the foods you find to warm things up.

Don’t forget you need protein and fat.

You will never feel full or satisfied if you only fill your smoothie with fruits and vegetables. Choose healthy fats like avocado and coconut oil. And don’t forget more protein through seeds, nuts, or hemp. Even pea protein powder is a superb choice and one that is easy to conceal in your smoothie.

Choose the warmest foods.

As they’ve believed since ancient times in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine, foods can have a warming, cooling, or neutral effect. So, which foods are warming that will be great in smoothies? You can’t go wrong with apples! Blackberries are another great choice, mostly if you always went for blueberries in the summer. Pumpkin, winter squash, walnuts, pear, kale, and sweet potatoes all have their place in the warming food sector.

Don’t forget about warming spices, too. These can add more flavor while boosting the health profile of your winter smoothies. Cinnamon, basil, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, and nutmeg are perfect ways to customize the taste and get more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to thrive during the colder weather.