Green Smoothies

What is a green smoothie?

It is a blended drink that contains greens--fresh, uncooked spinach, lettuce (not iceberg), dandelion greens, kale, and herbs such as parsley and cilantro. Dark, leafy greens provide can meet many of our nutritional needs. It is great to add one or two dark, leafy green salads or cooked side dish to your daily meals. Blending the greens, allows for those who have poor digestion (myself and many fellow gluten intolerant individuals) to obtain more nutrients from their foods as the process of chewing is done by the blender. This also allows for anyone to get a higher amount of greens in one sitting then could be done by chewing a large salad.

How does a green smoothie differ from juicing?

I like juicing and it has its place in providing a lot of nutrition in concentrated form. I find that I do better with these smoothies as it keeps the fiber intact with fruits and veggies.


Why are these drinks beneficial?

Most of us think it is odd to drink something that is green unless it is Mountain Dew! Dark, leafy greens are loaded with calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron with vitamins A and C. Realize that vitamin A obtained from plant sources and not animal (form is beta-carotene) require the body to convert the beta-carotene to vitamin A, Those who are acutely or chronically sick may not be able to do. Fresh greens also contain chlorophyll which can help stimulate red blood cell production and provides magnesium.

Many raw foodists start their day with a green smoothie and may also have one for lunch. I find that as a person with chronic fatigue that adding these nutritious, fresh smoothies to my diet has provided a great energy boost! I have been drinking these for breakfast daily for a few months. I took a hiatus from them for a little over a week and became fatigued again resulting in needing to rest during the day for hours. Since resuming the drinks, I rarely need a nap and generally feel better.

Can I have spinach everyday?

Spinach is the best green to start with, as it is liked by all who try it and it breaks down easily. It is important to rotate greens as they contain small amounts of nitrogen, called alkaloids and they can pile up in your system. You always want to rotate foods, that is why we have seasonal foods, we aren't meant to eat the same thing over and over.

Are green smoothies for kids?

These are good drinks for kids and they will never know the greens are in them. Some of the drinks are green and you could put them in a cup with a lid that the kids can't see. This drink could be in addition to your child's breakfast but not the entire breakfast. My son does drink these most days of the week and since he is almost 14, he doesn't always want a big breakfast. He does have protein at lunch and a larger meal at that time. This drink can also be a snack and is a better alternative to sugar laden fruit juices that are available. Using a straw works well for kids and adults alike.

How do I choose greens and prepare them?

Choose fresh, bright, organic greens that aren't yellowing, browning or wilting. Wash your greens thoroughly rinsing them until all dirt and grit is gone. I use a mix of food grade 3% hydrogen peroxide, a few ounces in a bowl of water that covers my produce. After soaking them for about 5-10 minutes, I rinse them.

What is in green smoothies?

There are many ways to make green smoothies but typically they consist of fruit, water or juice (fresh squeezed or juiced, such as limes, lemons or apples) and greens. The fruit percentage is typically 60% fruit and 40% greens.


How do I make one?

The recipe for today, is a Blackberry Mango Smoothie. We will make it using a normal blender not a Vita-Mix, which is a great machine, but very expensive. If you really enjoy these smoothies and have health issues, it may be a good investment for you. No, I don't get any money from Vita-Mix, I wish!! I wish they would send me one!!!

I will show you how to make the smoothie using a normal speed blender. You can follow this procedure with any smoothie you want to make. Remember, a regular blender doesn't have the force to pull big pieces of food down to the blade if there is too much fluid diluting the mixture.

Blackberry Mango Smoothie

1 10 oz. bag organic frozen blackberries
1 10 oz. bag organic frozen mangoes
2 c. spinach
water







Place blackberries in the blender and place enough water to cover the berries.



Puree the berries. Place this mix in a strainer over a bowl.








This is what the blackberry juice will look like.


Place half of the blackberry juice in the blender. Add the spinach (if you used a different green such as romaine, rip it into smaller pieces) and blend well.


Add the mango and more blackberry juice if needed to keep the mixture moving. Add more water to the mixture, I usually add enough to fill it to the top.



My action picture!!!


Voila! I usually drink 28-32 ounces a day.

Enjoy!!!