Three-Ingredient Low Calorie Pineapple Mint Slushy

Let’s face it, sometimes after a long, hard day at work when it’s extra hot out than usual, all you really want is a tall glass of something sweet and fizzy. But those mass produced cans of sodas are not the healthiest thing reach out for when attempting to quench your thirst. They’re full of calories, sugar and sodium, not to mention a bunch of artificial colouring and preservatives. Sure, you could opt for the diet version, or go for one of those pricier ‘healthy sodas’, but why do that when all you need is three cheap ingredients and a blender to make this refreshingly yummy pineapple mint slushy?

And not only is it delicious, our pineapple mint slushy recipe is also low in calories and pretty healthy drink overall. We wouldn’t label it a ‘health drink’ per se, but the two core ingredients – pineapple and mint – have a pretty solid list of nutritional benefits that is bound to do you some  good. Let’s break it down for you.

The three ingredients

Pineapples are just downright great for you. Beneath its prickly and not-so-easy-to-peel exterior is a sweet yellow flesh that is packed with vitamin C, making this fruit an excellent boost to your immune system. It has great anti-inflammatory benefits and eating pineapples while having a cold can help reduce mucus in the throat and nose, while reducing that sore throaty feeling. Pineapples also contains tons of mineral manganese, which helps develop strong bones and can help prevent osteoporosis. It’s also great for your eyesight, helps improve digestion and can reduce the risk of blood clots. However, it is important to stay away from consuming unripe pineapples. Overeating pineapples can also cause tenderness in the mouth, tongue and cheeks, but it should go away after a few hours or so.

When it comes to antioxidants, the capacity contained in mint is one of the absolute highest in comparison to other foods. And just like the humble pineapple, mint also has anti-inflammatory benefits, making it an excellent natural remedy for seasonal allergy symptoms and common colds, while the menthol contained in mint has great cooling properties that can help ease a sore throat. Tummy feeling upset or gassy? Try eating some mint. Peppermint can also apparently increase one’s pain threshold, although we wouldn’t encourage you to experiment with that! And let’s not forget one other very important benefit of mint – it’s an excellent breath freshener. Why else are so many toothpastes mint-flavoured?

The fizzy factor

The third ingredient is soda water. Here’s where you need to be a little careful. Some soda water contains sugar to sweeten it up a little. Avoid these or those with any other additives besides water and carbon dioxide (for that fizziness). Soda water doesn’t really have any nutritional value, or calories. But the add-on fizziness is believed to help you feel fuller longer and can apparently relieve the symptoms of constipation. Who knew, right?

However, if you prefer to skip the soda water altogether, the pineapple and mint combination blends into a thick, creamy base that is perfect as a tropical themed smoothie bowl. You may need to add a little bit of liquid to get that blender going though.

Ready for a refreshing pick me up? Let’s make some pineapple mint slushy.

Ingredients

• 280g frozen pineapple, cut into small chunks
• 7g mint leaves
• 320ml (1 can) soda water

Making pineapple mint slushy

1. Blend frozen pineapple chunks and mint with a little bit of soda water to get the blender moving.

2. Blend until smooth and even.

3. Fill your glass halfway or 2/3rds full with the blended pineapple and mint and top it up with soda water.
4. Stir to mix before drinking.

Extra tips

1. Peel and cut your pineapples into chunks before freezing them. It’s best to freeze them overnight in an airtight container. Feel free to freeze extra chunks of pineapple for later use.
2. Do not use canned pineapples! Even if they’re only canned in water, as the sweetness of the fruit will seep out into the water.
3. Get all your ingredients ready before bringing out your frozen pineapple or it will warm up and your pineapple mint slushy won’t be as delicious.
4. You can also refrigerate your soda water.
5. Temperature is key to making delicious slushies – you want it cold! If you can’t get your ingredients cold enough, add a little bit of ice during the blending process. Don’t add too much or it will water down your slushy. Alternatively, serve your slushy in a cup or glass filled with ice to keep it cool.
6. Tonic water tends to be a little bit bitter. If you don’t have soda water, you can also opt to use sparkling mineral water if you prefer.
7. If your pineapple is not that sweet, feel free to add a little bit of honey, a 1/2 tablespoon at a time.
8. It’s best to add the hardest ingredients at the bottom of the blender so they are closest to the blades.
9. A high-powered blender will make the process of blending your slushies faster, ensuring it remains cold once the blending process is complete. However, not everyone can afford to fork out a pretty penny for one those blenders. We used the Philips ProBlend 5, which crushes ice faster than your usual blender. This makes them perfect for ice-based frozen drinks, and a pretty good option for non-ice-based slushies as well. You will need some liquid to get the blender moving smoothly though.
10. Blender cleaning tip: add a drop of dishwashing liquid into the blender and fill it with about 1/5^th to ¼ of water. Give it a few pulses to clean your blades and the bottom of the blender much more easily. Don’t ‘blend’ the water for too fast or for too long though or you may end up with overflowing foam instead!