4 Reasons to Love Green Smoothies

Loaded with fruits, vegetables and all the goodness therein (antioxidants, essential minerals, fiber and phytochemicals), smoothies are one of the best gifts of health we can give ourselves.

Four reasons to make smoothies part of our lifestyle:

Build our immune system. Vitamins, antioxidants, and phytochemicals oh my! Start the day by flooding our cells with immune-boosting nutrients. Antioxidants can prevent and even delay cell damage that lead to heart disease and cancer. Phytochemicals (natural plant chemicals) boost our immune system. And if we do catch a cold the stronger our immune systems are, the faster we recover.
Optimize brain function. Boosting micronutrients for our brains by adding flaxseeds, chia seeds, turmeric, cinnamon etc, improves our mental clarity, focus, and memory. Bye bye brain fog.
Sweep toxins out of our bodies. Fiber-rich smoothes prevent constipation, lower cholesterol and makes us feel full longer.
Stronger bones. Green smoothies provide an excellent source of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous – all which build stronger bones. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds for an extra calcium boost.

Everyone loves fruit smoothies. A frozen banana, strawberries – yum! But green smoothies are even more powerful because leafy greens are among the healthiest foods on the planet. If it sounds distasteful, or if your kids resist, ease into green smoothies by throwing in half a handful of baby spinach. Gradually increase to 1 or even 2 cups. It’s all about the combination. If you haven’t had green smoothies before, try Beginner’s Luck

Smoothies are also an excellent way to get more plant foods into our kids.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”full” source_author=”Michael Greger MD” source_title=”How to Not Die” full_quote=”Green smoothies are a great way to introduce greens into children’s diets. The basic triad is a liquid, fruit and greens. Start with a two-to-one ration of fruits to greens and tip heavier towards greens. For example, one cup of water, a frozen banana, a cup of frozen berries and a cup of packed baby spinach would be a classic green smoothie 101.” short_quote=”The basic triad is a liquid, fruit and greens. “]

As always, I believe if kids get involved in making food, they’re better eaters. This applies to smoothies too. Kids have fun turning on the blender and watching fruits and veggies spin and convert into colorful potions.

Set up supervised experiments to add sweetness (for example, bananas, dates, pears, honey) and creaminess (for example, plain Greek yogurt, coconut milk, almond butter).

Make it a game:

Play with colors: red, orange, purple, blue or green
Turn vegetables “invisible”
Have them vote, rank them by most to least favorite

This Smoothie Project from Weelicious is a fantastic way to let kids experiment (and prevents food waste from undrinkable concoctions). Using this chart, kids can select and add smoothie ingredients.

“I used it as an inspiration menu for the kids to take turns picking what they wanted in their smoothies. I still feel that if they have a hand in creating it, they will be more excited to drink it. Two years later, we’re still making smoothies each morning. It’s the easiest way to get the kids brains working before they head out for a long day of school.” Catherine McCord

My # 1 source for green smoothies is Simple Green Smoothies Their proven combinations create flavors that taste like dessert. I always add 1 tablespoon flaxseed or chia – sometimes both – and often rotate in sesame seeds.

I was fortunate enough to benefit from their 30-Day challenges, which taught me to make green smoothies part of my lifestyle. I simply feel better the days when I get my smoothie. Their 30 days are now a 7-Day Challenge. I HIGHLY recommend taking the challenge!

I love their pre- and post-workout smoothies. Having just started back up on a workout routine after not doing any exercise over the past six weeks and am especially thankful for the anti-inflammation cherry smoothies. Not to mention they are delicious.

When cold/flu seasons rolls in, I rely on their smoothies to prevent – and on the rare occasion – recover from colds.

Do you have a favorite smoothie or smoothie website?

For More Empowerment

How to Make a Great Green Smoothie

Simple Green Smoothies: Rotate Your Greens

Weelicious: Printable Smoothie Project

Weelicious: Well-Stocked Smoothie Pantry

Why Smoothies Can Change Your Life