Delicious Supportive Fibre-Rich Smoothie

This smoothie became my go-to after the third cycle of chemotherapy (EC). I didn’t realise just how quickly even a small drop in fibre intake for a day could affect my body during treatment. So this creation guaranteed my daily intake, so that I could have a slice of toast at lunch or at breakfast and not have to worry about it!

Keeping your fibre up is just as important as staying hydrated with at least 2 litres of water per day.

I had this smoothie almost every day for either breakfast or lunch, on it’s own or with a slice of toast with peanut butter (protein!) or some toasted walnuts on the side…

In the interests of variety, I would change the greens on occasion or drop some frozen chopped mango in there in place of some berries.

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Fibre-Rich Smoothie Recipe

This smoothie (with walnuts on the side) hits the 25g recommended daily intake for women.

Pair it with a handful of pan toasted walnuts on the side to get closer to your daily goal.

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Ingredients

• 1 organic apple – 4g fibre
• 1 handful blueberries – 2g fibre
• 1 handful blackberries – 2g fibre
• 3 frozen strawberries – 0.6g fibre
• 1 medium banana – 3g fibre
• 2 organic dried prunes – 1.4g fibre
• 1 handful cooked organic kale or cooked spinach – 3g fibre
• 175ml organic oat or soy milk – 4g fibre
• Topping: 1 tbsp chia seeds – 3g fibre

Total fibre: Approximately 23g

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➕ Optional Side

• 1/4 cup roasted walnuts – 2g fibre

I didn’t have the walnuts with the smoothie for their fibre, but because I was craving walnuts during my treatment, and became curious so I did some research…

Interestingly, some animal studies have shown that eating walnuts might help slow the growth of certain cancers—like breast, prostate, and colorectal—by reducing tumour size and limiting blood vessel growth to the tumour (a process called angiogenesis). These effects are thought to come from powerful compounds in walnuts, such as ellagitannins and ellagic acid, which can influence how cells grow and multiply.

Of course, it’s important to note that these findings are mostly from lab and animal studies. We still need more human research to know whether walnuts have the same tumour-shrinking effects in people—but it’s a promising area to keep an eye on. So don’t go only eating walnuts- everything in moderation is what your body needs to fight back. Like the Karate Kid, it needs balance…

💡 Note: During chemotherapy, raw nuts are generally not recommended due to the potential risk of foodborne illness. This was a surprise to me—but luckily, my favourites (like crunchy peanut butter) are usually roasted unless labeled “raw.”

I now roast my walnuts in a pan, on a medium heat for 8min turning regularly, just to be safe during treatment. I roast a few hundred grams, let them cool, and keep them in a sealed tub (Best Before 2 weeks in dry store, or 1 month in the fridge) to dive into whenever I fancy a snack.

Method

1. Prep:
   Roughly chop the apple (core removed) and banana into blender-friendly pieces.
2. Cook the kale:
   In a dry pan (no oil or water), add a handful of organic kale over medium heat.
   Gently turn the leaves for about 2 minutes—the kale will lightly cook in its own steam.
   Remove from heat and let it cool for 2 minutes before blending.
3. Assemble the smoothie:
   Add the following to a high-speed blender:
   • Chopped apple and banana
   • Blueberries, blackberries, and frozen strawberries
   • Dried prunes
   • The cooled, cooked kale
   • 175ml organic oat milk (or your milk of choice)
4. Blend until smooth:
   Blend everything on high for about 20–30 seconds, or until the texture is creamy and smooth.
5. Serve and enjoy: I add the chia seeds to the top at this stage so they stay nice and crunchy.
   Pour into a glass and enjoy immediately.

Final Tip

This smoothie, along with the roasted walnuts, gets you to your 25g fibre target—and it’s easy to tweak based on what’s in your kitchen. Just make sure to stay consistent, especially during treatment, as fibre plays a big role in keeping everything moving and supporting your overall digestion and wellbeing.