I’m sure you’ve heard the term “green smoothie” popping all over in the recent years, but maybe you’re like a lot of people and you wonder what the heck is a green smoothie anyway, and why would you want one?
A green smoothie is… just that. Green.
A smoothie that is green. But why is it green? A traditional smoothie will usually have a combination of fruits, and more specifically, the most classic of combination is banana-strawberry. So, to make a green smoothie, you start with your classic combination (or you could use other fruits too, although bananas tend to be a staple in smoothies), and then you add a green leafy vegetable! That’s it!
My favourite is spinach because it’s packed with nutrients like chlorophyll, but the taste is not overpowering and it blends really well, so you don’t end-up getting chunks of leafy greens stuck in your teeth on your way to work… 😉 But any leafy greens will do just fine too, kale, Swiss chard, lettuce, you name it! Green smoothies are an easy way to add more raw leafy vegetables in your diet, and also an easy way to get your kids to eat more greens as well! So, instead of having just a basic banana-strawberry smoothie, why not throw in a handful of organic leafy greens (make sure you remove any thick stems), and make it a healthier one!
Why are some vegetables green?
The colour green in vegetables is created by the chlorophyll they contain. Chlorophyll is kind of the blood of plants, it is critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to absorb energy from light, but it is also a wonderful nutrient that we all need. However, chlorophyll is delicate and sensitive to heat, and starts deteriorating immediately and is pretty much all gone 30 minutes later, therefore if you make a green smoothie (or if you juice your greens), make sure to drink it right away in order to get full health benefits. (source: ajofai.info)
Leafy greens are part of the Dirty Dozen, so always make sure that you choose organic ones! If you’d like to learn more, read my article Why is organic food so special – part 1 – The Basics.
Basic Green Smoothie | Vegan
A basic recipe and learn how to make a green smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 organic banana
- 1/4 cup organic strawberries washed, stems removed (or frozen)
- 1/2 cup organic baby spinach washed
- 1 Tbsp almond butter
- 1 cup rice milk or nut milk of your choice
Instructions
- Simply blend everything in a blender, or use a hand immersion blender, until creamy and smooth, about 15-20 seconds.
- Enjoy right away!
Note: I do not believe anyone should worry about counting calories, but here is the nutritional information for one serving
Calories: 326kcal | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 754mg | Carbohydrates: 51g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 30g | Protein: 7g | Vitamin A: 1975% | Vitamin C: 35.6% | Calcium: 366% | Iron: 1.6%
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