Gut-friendly skin on kiwi smoothie

Date: 2026-08-12 11:00:08

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Kiwis might be one of the most underrated foods for constipation 🥝

I know it’s not the most glamorous topic to see on your feed but constipation is one of the most common and overlooked health issues in the UK. Around 1 in 7 adults and up to 1 in 3 children experience it, and it’s responsible for thousands of hospital admissions every year.

I recently did a whole podcast on foods for constipation with my good friend, Gastroenterologist Dr Angad Dhillon. And he shared a cool study looking at 2 kiwi a day for constipation. (PMID: 36537785)

….so I turned it into a smoothie! It only takes 5 minutes to make, it’s naturally sweet, creamy and good for your gut.

Here’s what goes in:

🥝 Kiwis, the star ingredient with skins on for extra fibre.

🍌 Frozen banana, adds natural sweetness and a creamy texture.

🥬 Frozen spinach, a freezer staple for me, full of folate, magnesium and vitamin K.

🌱 Hemp seeds, brilliant for plant protein, fibre and anti-inflammatory polyphenols.

🥜 Peanut butter, adds richness, texture and healthy fats.

💧 Water, I usually blend with water because there’s already so much flavour, but milk works too.

Ingredients (serves 1)

1 kiwi, skin on, washed, cut into 2cm pieces
1 banana (frozen)
2 tbsp shelled hemp seeds
1 tbsp peanut butter
25g spinach (frozen)
150–250ml water

Method:
1. Gather and prepare your ingredients.
2. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Add water as needed until you reach a consistency you like. Add maple syrup to sweeten, if desired.

For plenty more delicious recipes just like this ➡️ download the Doctor’s Kitchen app and search “smoothie”.