Green Smoothies

Green Smoothies are an important addition to my nutritional plan. They are the easiest way to consume raw greens and vegetables in larger amounts. They are convenient in the respect that I can make them ahead of time and store in the fridge for easy access.

I noticed a difference immediately after drinking my very first green smoothie and I was hooked- so much so that I went and bought a Vitamix blender the moment I had enough money for one! At first I only drank green smoothies once a day and sometimes, only every other day. I liked how I felt after consuming them, and I noticed little things like more energy and alertness- a plus for this mom of six! What really got me was that I started noticing that I was sleeping better at night, which is huge for me because I was a light sleeper and usually didn’t get much sleep, especially with a nursing baby.

I decided to do a full green smoothie detox after the birth of my 5th. child and I drank a serving about four times a day. The results were wonderful: I saw sugar cravings disappear completely and I didn’t crave caffeine as much as I normally do- I actually had mornings when I would skip the coffee because I was happy with my green smoothie. (That is saying a lot because I am a die-hard coffee fan) My skin cleared and became brighter, my energy level was through the roof, my thinking became more clear. The detox lasted about 3 weeks and I felt great. After a family crisis, I skipped my green smoothies for the day… then I skipped another day, and another and another. I have no idea why I stopped, but as the holidays approached that year, I had started feeling run down, was getting sick all the time, and my eating was atrocious. A light bulb when on one day as I was bemoaning about my health to my husband, “I don’t understand why I am getting sick, I feel tired and weak all the time, what is wrong with- GASP- oh my goodness, I’m not drinking green smoothies anymore!”

It only took four months of stress, bad eating and lack of good nutrition to make me feel horrible all over again. So, the next day, I got up and made my green smoothie like a good little soldier and I have been doing it ever since. I’ve also added orange smoothies- carrots, oranges and apple- to my regimen every week. I am feeling better every day, and happy to be taking the health of my temple seriously again.

The benefits of green smoothies are:

1. They are chock full of nutrients from the fruits and greens added & because they are consumed in liquid form, the nutrients are already broken down and easily digested and absorbed by your body. They are the fastest way to get the nutrients your body needs, absorbing even in your mouth as you drink them!
2. Because it is a smoothie, vs. juicing, you get the whole fruit and green, not just the juice, which means you also get the added benefit of fiber and the valuable nutrients from the skin of the fruits and greens.
3. Consuming Chlorophyll, found in the greens, is like having a natural blood transfusion because a molecule of chlorophyll closely resembles the molecules of our own blood.
4. Other benefits include: easy to make and to store- green smoothies will store up to three days in the fridge in a sealed pitcher, this makes them convenient as well; green smoothies help to train your cravings for more greens, you will begin to crave more greens after drinking them for a few weeks.
5. Because you are using a ratio of 60% fruit to 40% greens, it becomes easy to get your required amounts of greens without sacrificing taste.

Bottom line: Green Smoothies work!

To make a green smoothie, you will need fruit and greens.

Most people start out with spinach as their green and experiment with different greens as they become more comfortable with making the smoothies.

A good base recipe is:

1 banana

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup spinach

2 cups water

Blend until smooth.

Just keep in mind that you want your recipe to be 60% fruit, 40% greens to start. I now decrease my fruit and increase my greens to about 50/50, because I don’t care for the fruit taste as much anymore- I actually crave certain greens like parsley! I make my smoothies the night before and store in the fridge for the next day, it has become very easy for me to drink an entire 2-quart pitcher of green smoothie daily this way. If I know I will be on the go the next day, I will divide up the mix into pint-sized mason jars with lids. This way, I can grab them and drink them while I am out and about.

Now go drink your greens!

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