Bananas are a popular fruit that give  numerous health benefits and are rich in fiber, antioxidants and several nutrients.  A medium-sized banana has about 105 calories. They contain potassium and magnesium that are essential for heart health.  Bananas can help moderate blood sugar levels after meals and may reduce appetite by slowing stomach emptying due to its rich  fiber and resistant starch content, which also may feed friendly gut bacteria and safeguard against colon cancer.   Unripe bananas are a great source of resistant starch so that they may help improve insulin sensitivity. Beside all these benefits bananas make an excellent snack food, dessert or breakfast. Their versatility makes them easy to add to your diet.

Here are some nutritious and delicious banana smoothie recipes.  

01. Banana oats smoothie (2 serving)

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups sliced banana (if frozen is ideal)
• 1 cup of yogurt 
• 1 of cup milk (dairy, almond, oats etc)
• 1 tbsp of instant oats 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Instructions : Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth, serve immediately.  If your banana is not frozen you can add a few ice cubes to chill the smoothie.

02. Strawberry banana smoothie (2 servings)

Ingredients: 

• two medium size banana or one large banana (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cups frozen strawberries 
• One cup almond milk (or any type of milk)
• One cup of yogurt

Instructions : Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve. To increase  protein content of the  smoothie, 1/2 cup of greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter can be added. You can add water or milk to adjust thickness as your preference.

03. Peanut butter Banana Smoothie (2 servings)

This smoothie is ideal  as breakfast or a post workout  meal. 

Ingredients: 

• Two medium size banana sliced 
• 1 cup of milk (almond, oats or dairy)
• ½ cup of peanut butter 
• ½ cup of  yogurt 
• 1 tbsp of honey 
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 cup of ice cubes 

Instructions: Place bananas, milk, peanut butter, honey, and ice cubes in a blender; blend until smooth. (Add milk to adjust thickness as your preference.) 

04. Chocolate Banana smoothie (2 servings)

Ingredients: 

• Two medium size well ripe banana, sliced
• 1 cup of milk (almond milk or dairy)
• 2 tbsp of cocoa powder or a scoop of chocolate protein powder
• 1 cup of yogurt or ¼ cup creamy peanut butter  
• ½ tsp of vanilla extract 
• 8 ice cubes

Instructions: Add all ingredients to a blender and blend  until well pureed. Serve immediately.

05. Banana Dates smoothie  (2 servings)

Ingredients : 

• Two medium size  banana or one large banana, sliced
• 1 cup of milk (almond milk or dairy)
• 1 cup of yogurt 
• 4 dried dates cut into pieces   
• ½ tsp of vanilla extract 
• 8 ice cubes

Instructions : Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.  Due to the sweet taste of dates there is no need to add sweeteners. Add dates to get sweetness as your preference. 

06.Banana Orange Smoothie (2 servings)

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup milk 
• 2 oranges, peeled and segmented 
• 1 banana 
• ¼ cup sugar 
• 1 pinch salt 
• ½ cup of yogurt (low fat is better) 
• 4 ice cubes 

Instructions : In a blender, combine milk, oranges, banana, sugar, salt and yogurt. Blend for about 1 minute. Insert ice cubes, and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

07. Banana Mango smoothie (2 servings- Tall glasses)

Ingredients : 

• 1 mango, peeled and sliced 
• 1 large banana 
• 1 cup of yogurt 
• 1 cup of milk 

Instructions : Blend mangoes, banana, vanilla yogurt, and milk in a blender until smooth. This recipe yields two tall glasses or 4 small size glasses. 

08. Apple banana carrot smoothie (2 servings)

Ingredients :

• 1 apple, cored
• 2 bananas, fresh or frozen, peeled
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 cups almond milk
• 1 scoop organic whey protein powder (optional)

Instructions : add all the ingredients, except whey powder, into the blender and blend on medium for about 30 seconds and then add the whey powder, if using, and process for an additional 60 seconds.