Green smoothies—fuel for the body!
Simple, nutritious and delicious
By Elizabeth Fraser
Owner of Girl Gone Raw and Co-Owner of Kids Gone Raw
Is there one thing that you can do to improve your life right now? You bet there is! Hint: it’s simple, delicious and green. Can you say, “Green Smoothie?” Yep, that’s the ticket to improved health, increased energy and an overall sense of well-being.
Green smoothies are a combination of leafy greens, fruit and water blended together in a blender to make a simple, delicious and nutritious drink. Trust me when I say they are soooooo good! I can’t go a single day without drinking a quart or two.
Why green smoothies? Well, leafy greens are the most nutrient-dense food on our planet, and as a society we simply don’t eat enough of them. Greens are loaded with fiber, all kinds of vitamins and minerals, and they also happen to be a great source of protein. (How do you think an ox gets to be as strong as an ox? Greens.) Greens are just so good for us! They flush out toxins, keep our blood clean, our immune systems boosted, and the pH levels in our body balanced.
Chewing a lot of greens can feel like hard work, but blending and drinking lots of greens with some fruit is easy. And by blending the greens, the cells of the leaves are broken apart and we are able to absorb more of the nutrients. That’s a win-win.
Making green smoothies is quick and satisfying. I recommend keeping 3-4 different kinds of greens in your fridge at all times, as well as 4-5 varieties of fruit on your counter so that you can whip up some green power anytime. A great ratio for green smoothie making is 2-4 cups of greens, 2-3 cups of fruit and 1.5-2 cups of water, and maybe a little ice if you like a cold smoothie. And fresh herbs and ginger add amazing flavor to smoothies too!
It is important to use a variety of greens in your diet and to not get stuck using only spinach or kale. Each green offers a different set of nutrients and amino acids (which make up protein), so experiment with lots of them and blend them often!
Green is the color of nature, balance, peace, growth, renewal. Who couldn’t use more of that? Get blending and make green smoothies your life force!
Try these green smoothie recipes
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Makes approximately 1 quart.
Green Power
3 cups green leaf lettuce or spinach
1 small handful cilantro or basil
1.5 cups mango
1.5 cups pineapple
1/4 cup avocado
1-2 dates, pitted
1.5 cups water
Blueberry Orange Kale
4 cups kale
2 bananas
1 orange, peeled
2 cups blueberries
2 cups water or almond milk
From Smoothies Gone Raw by Elizabeth Fraser and Maggie Knowles.
Peaches & Green
4 cups spinach
1 banana
2-3 peaches (or 2 cups softened frozen peaches)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
2 cups water or almond milk
From Smoothies Gone Raw by Elizabeth Fraser and Maggie Knowles.
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Green & Healthy Maine is published by TheSunriseGuide, LLC. This article originally ran in the 2015 SunriseGuide.