Hey there!  I don’t know about where you are but here in NYC it has been hot, hot, hot!  I’m telling you, this summer is no joke heat wise.  I didn’t think it was going to be quite so hot because we had such a cold winter, but I’m not complaining that much because I love summer weather!

I have to say that hot weather makes me crave an ice cold drink and I especially love smoothies during the summer months.  I was excited to learn recently that one of my favorite frozen yogurt joints, Red Mango, has just launched 22 new fresh fruit smoothies.*

One recent hot and humid afternoon, the Hubs and I ventured out to a Red Mango near us to try some of their new superbiotic smoothies!

The smoothies are divided into four lifestyle categories:

• Body Balance: Flavorful and functional yogurt smoothies formulated with beneficial boosts
• All Fruit Harmony: Refreshing dairy-free and soy-free smoothies made only with fruit, juice and ice.
• Twisted Fruits: Smooth and creamy signature yogurt smoothies offered in new and innovative fruit-forward flavors.
• Just Kidd’n: Naturally delicious, snack-sized fruit and yogurt smoothies, blended just for kids.

After perusing the menu for a bit, I decided on The Super Berry Flower Power, part of the Body Balance category.

The Super Berry Flower Power contained yogurt, strawberry, mango, pineapple, banana and hibiscus.  The hibiscus is part of Red Mango’s new line of smoothie boosts meant to meet the the dietary and nutritional needs of health-conscious consumers.

In addition to the protein, energy, immunity and multivitamin boosts currently available, Red Mango has added four new boosts which have been formulated with natural, wholesome and innovative ingredients:

• Metabolic Fit 360™: A proprietary blend of protein, calcium and African Mango which supports metabolic balance and promotes healthy weight management.
• Dark Chocolate Mate: Finely ground, Brazilian roasted maté and dark chocolate; a delicious, rich, low-calorie flavor which also supplies a nice dose of antioxidants.
• Tropical Hibiscus: Finely ground, premium Nigerian hibiscus blossoms infused with natural pineapple and lychee; a bright and tropical low-calorie flavor and antioxidant boost.
• Green Tea Acai: Finely ground, premium green tea with açai berries, the Amazonian superfruit; a low-calorie antioxidant boost made with the best ingredients.

I loved how I could really taste the hibiscus in my smoothie.  It gave it such a tropical flavor totally separate from the berries and the pineapple and banana.  The extra antioxidant boost didn’t hurt either.

The Hubs decided to get Banana Peanut Butter Protein made with yogurt, banana, peanut butter, granola and a protein boost, also part of the Body Balance category.  The Banana Peanut Butter Protein was delicious but was a lot heavier than my Super Berry Flower Power.  It had a smooth, creamy texture compared to my smoothie, which had a lighter, summery flavor.  For me, the Banana Peanut Butter Protein would be perfect as a meal replacement.

One of the things I love about Red Mango is the yogurt it uses in it’s smoothies and frozen yogurt.  The yogurt contains probiotics, or good bacteria, that can help support digestion and a healthy immune system.  Probiotics have also been linked to helping scientists understand weight gain and obesity, urinary health and reducing allergies.  Red Mango’s superbiotics are specially formulated to survive and thrive in the stomach, providing you with all the good benefits of probiotics.

 We can all smile with a healthy immune and digestive system! 🙂

Of course now that I know about the smoothies, I am going to keep going back for more!  I have the hardest time figuring out what I want to eat for lunch when I forget to bring my lunch to work.  Now I know I can get a smoothie from Red Mango.  Today I went to Red Mango and got a Mango Medley with mango, banana, pineapple, apple-orange juice blend and stevia.  For those few moments, it was like I had left my office and transported to a tropical island.  Ahhhh!

My colleague got a Pomegranate Protector with pomegranate non-fat yogurt, blueberry, banana, green tea acai boost and stevia.  She said she wished it was a little bit more tart but I actually liked it because I prefer my smoothies to be on the sweeter side rather than tart.  I think we were both happy to have a cool, refreshing and healthy treat during the late afternoon summer heat wave!

Special Offer- The good people from Red Mango have provided me with a special offer just for you, my loyal readers if you would like to try out Red Mango smoothies. Between July 15- July 19 you can receive Club Mango Double Points! Every registered and opted-in CLUB MANGO member will receive double points for every eligible purchase they make in a participating Red Mango location from July 15-19, 2013. Club Mango points add up and can be redeemed for products at participating Red Mango stores. You’ll receive a $2 reward just for signing up, and for every 500 Mango Points you earn you’ll get a $5 coupon!

If you want to learn more about Red Mango smoothies, check them out on Facebook or Twitter!  You can find a location near you by visiting www.redmangousa.com.

* Disclosure- This post is sponsored by Red Mango and I have been compensated to write this post.  As always, all opinions and expressions contained herein are my own.