Kiwi Smoothie

Michael Eisenwasser

Print Recipe

A single-serve kiwi smoothie using Monash serve sizes — one gold or two green kiwis, firm-yellow banana, and lactose-free or almond milk — that may help keep things moving.

Prep 5 min

Cook 1 min

Serves 1

Gluten-freeVegan-option

Ingredients

• 1 gold kiwi OR 2 green kiwis, peeled
• 1 firm-yellow banana (about 100 g, still slightly green at the stem)
• 1 cup (250 ml) lactose-free cow's milk or unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (optional)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice (optional)
• 1 handful (about 75 g) baby spinach (optional)

Instructions

Blend

1. Add the milk to the blender first, then the kiwi, banana, ice, and any optional add-ins.
2. Blend on high for 45 to 60 seconds, until smooth. Scrape down the sides once if the banana sticks.
3. Pour into a glass and drink right away. Kiwi seeds stay whole and give a light speckle. That's normal.

Tips & Substitutions

• Pick the right kiwi serve. Monash lists 1 gold kiwi (about 75 g) or 2 green kiwis (about 150 g) per serve. Both work; gold is sweeter and lower in acid, green is tangier and slightly higher in fiber. Keep it to the amounts Monash tested — roughly 150 g green or 75 g gold. Don't add extra fruit.
• Keep the banana firm-yellow. Weigh the banana and choose one that's still slightly green at the stem. Monash lists firm, unripe banana as low at 1 medium (about 100 g). Riper bananas often become higher-FODMAP at smaller serves, so if yours is very ripe, reduce to a smaller portion and check the Monash app for the current limit.
• Skip plant-protein blends with fructans. Whey isolate, plain rice protein, and egg-white protein are the safer defaults. Read the label and avoid any powder with inulin, chicory root fiber, added FODMAP fibers, sugar alcohols, or "prebiotic fiber" — those ingredients are the issue, not any one brand.
• Pick a safe milk. Lactose-free cow and unsweetened almond are the easy options; macadamia, hemp, and rice milk also work at tested serves. Almond milk tolerance varies by brand, so if you're keeping things strict, start with 1/2 cup (125 ml) and increase if it sits well, or pick a Monash-certified carton. Oat milk is brand- and serve-dependent; use a certified carton or skip it. Avoid any milk with inulin, chicory root fiber, or "prebiotic fiber" on the label.
• Sweeten with maple syrup only. A ripe-enough kiwi and banana are usually sweet enough on their own. If you want more, pure maple syrup is low at 2 tablespoons; a teaspoon is plenty. Skip honey and agave (high-fructose) and polyol sweeteners like sorbitol, xylitol, and maltitol.
• Frozen kiwi works. Peel, slice, and freeze on a tray before bagging. Frozen kiwi thickens the smoothie — skip the ice and add a splash more milk if it's too thick to pour.

Why This Works

Kiwi and bowel regularity. Kiwifruit contains actinidin, an enzyme that breaks down protein, plus soluble fiber that holds water in the gut. Multiple trials — including a 2022 American Journal of Gastroenterology study — show two green kiwis a day improves stool frequency and ease in people with chronic constipation, including constipation-predominant irritable bowel. The effect is gentle and dose-responsive, which is why Monash keeps kiwi on the green list at the serves in this recipe. If diarrhea is your usual pattern, or if you're generally sensitive, start with 1 green kiwi or half a gold and see how you feel.

Kiwi serve size. Both gold and green kiwi are Monash-certified low-FODMAP at the serves listed. Past those limits, fructose and fructan content climb, so keep total kiwi within the tested range — about 150 g green or 75 g gold — per glass.

Banana ripeness matters. Banana's FODMAP profile shifts as it ripens: firm-yellow is low at a medium fruit, but the serve shrinks sharply once the peel speckles. Pick carefully and weigh if you're in the elimination phase.

Protein-powder trap. Plenty of plant-protein blends contain inulin, chicory root fiber, or sugar alcohols — all high-FODMAP and often hidden behind "prebiotic" or "gut-health" marketing. Read the ingredient list every time (formulations change), and default to whey isolate, plain rice protein, or egg-white powder if you want a boost.

Spinach is a freebie. Baby spinach is low-FODMAP at 1.5 cups (about 75 g), so a handful adds color, magnesium, and folate without nudging the math.

Storage

Blend and drink right away. If you need to hold one, cap it in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours at 40°F (4°C) or below. Shake or re-blend before drinking; separation and a slight color shift are normal. To prep ahead, freeze the peeled kiwi and sliced banana in a zip bag and add milk and ice at blend time.

Not sure about an ingredient? FODMAP Tracker includes a database of 1,000+ foods with FODMAP ratings to help you cook with confidence.