Nara Smith s Erewhon Smoothie May Be Made From Scratch - but Is It Healthy?

Get the Full StoryCandidly, it's a good thing I don't live too close to an Erewhon, because I'd spend an untenable amount of money on their smoothies alone. I have a weakness for their iconic blends, which are overflowing with buzzy health ingredients and have a price tag to match . That said, I do enjoy stopping by one of Erewhon's 10 Los Angeles locations monthly to try their latest smoothie collab I'm honestly still dreaming about the Kacey Musgraves' Deeper Wellness smoothie .

The current smoothie du jour well, du mois is the "Wellness from Scratch" by Nara Smith, which will be available through the month of March. Similar to other smoothie collabs in the past, a portion of the proceeds are going to a good cause - in this case, Save the Children, a nonprofit that empowers children around the world through health, education, and safety programs.

With a quick scan of the ingredient list online, I spotted a number of standalone products I personally love namely MALK Almond Milk, Lifeway Organic Grassfed Kefir, and Copina Sea Moss Refresher drink . Plus, the smoothie description highlights "Vanilla Collagen for skin, bone, & joint health, and Camu Camu for your dose of Vitamin C." With seemingly everyone around me getting nasty colds, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this antioxidant-packed smoothie.

How Did Nara Smith's Erewhon Smoothie Taste?

On a rainy day in March, I drove to the Beverly Hills Erewhon location to give the Wellness from Scratch Smoothie a try. After braving the lengthy juice line at 3PM apparently this is a hot spot for teens to flock after school , I placed my order at the tonic bar. After perusing the enticing aisles for a few minutes, and picking up a new bottle of Vitamin D supplements while I was there, I got the text that my smoothie was ready.

Sure enough, my bright yellow blend - garnished with coconut yogurt and a mint leaf - rested on the counter in all its glory. I took a sip, and I felt immediately transported to a tropical locale rather than the uncharacteristically gloomy LA setting . The pineapple and mango flavors really shine through - like sipping a frothy drink on the beach in summer. I also loved the fresh mint, which was not just a garnish, but also blended into the smoothie itself. It gave the drink a nice refreshing, earthy taste that I personally found elevated the smoothie in a fun, unique way.

The only thing I would change is opting for coconut milk rather than almond milk, to really compliment the flavors. That said, as far as taste goes - this one was a winner for me. As for the health benefits? I consulted the experts to see if those really stood up to their hype.

Experts Featured in This Article:

Maggie Moon, RD, is a Los Angeles-based registered dietitian and author of a new book, "The Mind Diet: 2nd Edition."

Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, is a nutrition expert and author of "Everyday Snack Tray."

What's in the Wellness from Scratch Smoothie by Nara Smith?

While Erewhon doesn't release exact measurements for their smoothies, here are the ingredients you can expect to find in Wellness from Scratch smoothie:

Organic pineapple

Organic mango

Organic orange juice

Lifeway Grassfed Organic Plain Kefir

MALK Organic Almond Milk

Organic banana

Copina Co. Citrus Blossom Sea Moss Refresher

Nature Nate's Organic Honey

Grass-fed vanilla collagen

Organic coconut cream

Organic lemon juice

Organic turmeric juice

Camu camu

Organic mint

What Are the Legit Benefits of Nara Smith's Wellness from Scratch Smoothie?

One of the biggest standouts of thee smoothie is the impressive amount of vitamin C. In addition to antioxidant-rich fruits mango, pineapple, orange juice, lemon juice , it contains camu camu, a Brazilian berry that is rich in vitamin C. "The smoothie likely contains about a quarter to a half-teaspoon of camu camu powder, which all on its own will provide about two to four times your daily vitamin C," says Maggie Moon, RD, Los Angeles based registered dietitian and author of a new book, "The Mind Diet: 2nd Edition."

"Most people can tolerate a lot of vitamin C since it's easily excreted expensive pee, sorry not sorry ," she says, noting that the amount of this antioxidant isn't so high that it'll cause stomach or other digestive issues which is known to happen with too much vitamin C . That is, "unless you're mainlining multiple smoothies in a day," Moon says.

Another highlight is the organic grass-fed kefir, "a fermented dairy product that is brimming with active probiotics that help promote a balanced gut and healthy microbiome," says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, a nutrition expert and author of "Everyday Snack Tray."

Then there's the collagen - a frequent star in Erewhon smoothies including the famous Hailey Bieber Strawberry Glaze . "I'm a fan of collagen powder and take it daily for skin and joint health. While more studies need to be done, collagen does look promising for helping to keep skin hydrated and maintain healthy joints," says Largeman-Roth.

As usual, the nutrition information isn't available for this smoothie - which means it's likely not as perfectly healthy as we might be led to believe womp, womp . "On the upside, this antioxidant-bomb of a smoothie will surely top off your vitamin C levels, and you'll be supporting a meaningful nonprofit."

Kristine Thomason is a lifestyle writer and editor based in Southern California. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at mindbodygreen, and the fitness and wellness editor at Women's Health. Kristine's work has also appeared in PS, Travel Leisure, Men's Health, Health, and Refinery29, among others.

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