About a year ago I was introduced to a book called Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko that helped put me on the path to getting more fruits and veggies in my diet. It is such a simple lifestyle change that has so many positive effects that I thought it was important to share. Also, since I recently posted about my favourite protein powder, which I use in my green smoothies, I thought the timing was perfect.
What is a Green Smoothie?
A smoothie that incorporates organic greens (40%), such as spinach, kale, collards, parsley... with organic fruit (60%). The sweetness of the fruit overpowers the taste of the veggies (recipes at the bottom of the post).
Blending greens enables you to get more nutrients from greens because every cell of the green leaf is ruptured. To get all of the nutrients from greens by chewing, you would have to spend several hours a day chewing, and have extremely healthy teeth that are all in place, including wisdom teeth, so let your blender do the job!
Benefits of Green Smoothies
1. better quality sleep (I find kale helps me the most with this)
2. more energy
3. nutrition: the ratio is optimal for human consumption (60% organic fruit mixed with 40% organic greens)4. easy to digest: green smoothies literally start to get absorbed in your mouth.
5. they are a complete food because they still have fiber
6. A molecule of chlorophyll closely resembles a molecule of human blood. According to teachings of Dr. Ann Wigmore, consuming chlorophyll is like receiving a healthy blood transfusion. Many people do not consume enough greens, even those who stay on a raw food diet. By drinking two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough greens for the day to nourish your body, and all of the beneficial nutrients will be well assimilated.
7. helps you form a good habit of eating greens. After a few weeks of drinking green smoothies, most people start to crave and enjoy eating more greens.
8. Easy to prepare and keep-while fresh is always best, green smoothies will keep in cool temperatures for up to three days (unless protein powder is added which should be consumed within 24 hours).
For a ton of info check out:
Below are five green smoothie recipes. They are basic ideas so feel free to substitute these ingredients with your own choice of greens and fruits. Enjoy!
Green Smoothie RecipesCheck out your local farmers market for seasonal fruits and veggies!
This is what I made this am. The measurements are approximate.
Summer Days
8 Strawberries
1/2 c Frozen blueberries
2 handfuls Mixed salad greens and spinach
1.5 scoops Sunwarrior protein powder
2 TBSP ground flax
2 cups water and a few ice cubes
These are recipes from the Boutenko Family:
Apple-kale-lemon
4 apples
½ lemon juice
5 leaves of kale
2 cups water
Peach-spinach
6 peaches
2 handfuls of spinach leaves
2 cups water
Mango-weeds
2 mangos
1 handful of edible weeds,
such as lambsquarters, stinging nettles, purslane, etc
2 cups water
Strawberry-banana-romaine
1-cup strawberries
2 bananas
½ bunch romaine
2 cups water
Pear-kale-mint
4 ripe pears
5 leaves of kale
½ bunch of mint
2 cups water
Morning Zing Smoothie
½ bunch dandelion greens
2 stalks celery
½ inch fresh ginger root
2 peaches
½ pineapple
Yields 2 quarts
Parsley Passion Smoothie
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 cucumber, peeled
1 Fuji apple
1 ripe banana
1–2 cups water
Yields 2 quarts
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