Happy St. Patty’s Day everyone! What better way to kick off your celebration than with the greenest smoothie ever? You’re going to need some energy for all of those festivities today and this particular smoothie is a great way to make sure you get in some nutrition.
Smoothies are one of my favorite go-to breakfasts or snacks, especially when I’m in a rush. They’re not only ridiculously simple to make but they also include some crazy health benefits. An added bonus? Blending can help me reach my goal of 9 cups of veggies per day. Here are just a few of the benefits of a healthy smoothie.
- Source of vitamins and minerals
- Increase energy
- Full of antioxidants
- Boost mental clarity
- Simple to make (and clean up!)
- Reduce cravings
- Portable (not enough time for breakfast? Bring in on the go!)
- Easy way to get your servings of vegetables
- Weight loss
- Improve skin and lessen wrinkles
- Lower risk of disease
- Boost immune system
Juicing vs Smoothies
I get a lot of questions about the benefits of juicing versus smoothies. I prefer smoothies for 2 reasons. Juice is simply all the sugar squeezed out of the veggie which unfortunately spikes our blood sugar when we drink it. We need the fiber from the whole food to help slow down the absorption of the sugar into our blood. Fiber is also important for digestion and elimination — so get your fiber!! When we juice, all of that yummy, filling fiber gets lost.
It’s important to know that not all smoothies are created equal. It’s best to make your own at home so that you know exactly what’s going in it. If you want to lose weight then you want to avoid smoothies with too much fruit, and aim for more veggies. As for the base of your smoothie, fruit juices are often loaded additives and sugar, and dairy is extremely difficult to digest. Instead, try using water, almond milk or coconut milk as a base!
A healthy smoothie is not going to taste like it was made down at the corner Dairy Freeze, sorry. But just remember, you’re having it to nurture and care for your body and mind. The less sugar you have in your everyday life, the better healthy food will start tasting. Give it a chance!
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, here’s one of my favorite green smoothie recipes.
The Greenest Smoothie!
Ingredients:
- 1 c of water (or coconut milk or almond milk)
- 1/2 green apple
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 c spinach
- Kale to taste
- Protein powder
Instructions:
Blend…Yep, that’s it!
You are what you eat, so go green! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Pretty awesome!! I’m going to make that right now..i have most of the ingredients!
I also put chard leaves in my smoothies. I love the idea of putting avocados in it.
My every morning smoothie after working out is
Coconut water
Almond milk
Handful of power greens
1 piece of celery organic
1 chunk of cucumber organic
1 raw carrot organic
1 tbsp. of flax seed organic
1 tbsp. of white chia seeds organic
1 tbsp. of cacao nibs organic
1 tsp of turmeric organic
1 tsp of Ceylon cinnamon organic
2 capsules of ester c
1 tsp hemp protein powder
After drinking this every morning I feel I could conquer the world
Thanks for the great video
don’t usually like greens in my drinks but this was so good! YUM!
So fun Melodee!! I love the recipe although when I did it I put too much Kale in, yuck! I’ll know now to just add a little….or I’ve tried brussel sprouts too, just a couple. Love it, feeling healthier already!! 😉
Yes, kale is an acquired taste!
Yeah!