When I used to follow a paleo diet, I was pretty skilled when it came to putting together some truly elaborate paleo dishes. With enough practice I could easily come up with a paleo-friendly substitute for just about all of my old favorite meals. That was definitely one of the best things about the paleo diet — being able to enjoy truly delicious meals that were 100% nutritious as well. This all-natural paleo watermelon smoothie recipe follows that same philosophy as well. You’ll only need four simple ingredients to make a paleo-friendly smoothie that checks off all of the right boxes — refreshing, nourishing, and super tasty!

A Naturally Delicious Smoothie

Each of the four ingredients used in this recipe are easily some of my favorite things to use when making my smoothies. They all add a ton of great tasting flavor to recipes on top of providing some outstanding health benefits as well. Let’s take a closer look at each of the four ingredients starting with the watermelon. For starters, the vast majority of watermelon is made up of water, which is why you don’t need to use anything as a liquid base when making this recipe. Besides that, it also provides several important nutrients to this smoothie, such as vitamins A, B6, and C, along with antioxidants and essential amino acids. One of the most important compounds found in watermelons is lycopene, which helps to keep your heart and bones healthy. (1) Just make sure to remove the black seeds from your watermelon before adding it to the blender.

The next thing to add in is ½ cup of frozen strawberries. These are another one of my favorite smoothie ingredients, especially when it comes to making paleo style smoothies. Strawberries are an excellent source of essential vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and they’re extremely rich in antioxidants (as are most other types of berries). Strawberry consumption has actually been linked with increased antioxidant activity in several studies. (2) If you’re a fan of strawberries, then you’re going to be in for a treat with this smoothie, as their delightfully sweet flavor fits in perfectly with the rest of the ingredients used.

You’ll also need to use one cup of frozen pineapple chunks. They’re another great source of dietary fiber that also provides a rather solid amount of vitamin C. Pineapple also contains an enzyme extract known as bromelain, which helps with the digestion of protein. Aside from that though, bromelain is also known to provide quite a few other important health benefits. According to research, bromelain contains some rather potent anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, giving it some promising therapeutic potential. (3)

Last but not least, you’ll need to finish the smoothie off with two or three fresh mint leaves. I’ve been using mint leaves more often lately when making my smoothies because they add an incredibly noticeable (but super delightful) minty flavor to them. After adding all four ingredients in, simply blend them together and you’ll be all set to enjoy this delicious paleo snack.