Blueberry Yakult Smoothie

Why people make this drink

Nourilo had bought three punnets of blueberries only to find them all disappointingly sour. Rather than force them down, he reached for a small bottle of Yakult, dropped everything into the blender, and was surprised at how delicious the result was. The sourness of the berries melted into the sweetness of the Yakult to produce a smooth, refreshing drink. The three punnets were gone in no time. Beyond the good taste, this combination brings together blueberry’s well-documented antioxidant anthocyanins with the live probiotics in Yakult — a pairing that supports both the brain and the gut.

Method

1. Place the blueberries in 300 ml of lightly salted water and soak for about 10 minutes to clean them. Rinse with plain cool water and drain.
2. Place blueberries and Yakult in a blender.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour and serve immediately — drink within 5 minutes to prevent oxidation and nutrient loss.

Nourilo’s Tips

Freshly blended fruit drinks should always be consumed within 5 minutes; leaving them to sit causes rapid oxidation and the nutrients degrade quickly. The sweet-tart balance in this smoothie is just right — the Yakult tames the sourness of the berries beautifully. Because Yakult is high in sugar, older adults should keep to one small bottle per serve. Yakult also pairs well with banana, papaya, apple, cranberry, or fresh mulberries if you want to vary the flavour.