Green Smoothies

I love leafy greens! When I was a little girl I was the only kid in the neighborhood asking my mom to cook more spinach and collard greens.

In 2008 I discovered a whole new way to enjoy my favorite leafy greens in green smoothies. Inspired by Victoria Boutenko raw foodist and author of “Green for Life” and “Green Smoothie Revolution” I embraced drinking green smoothies daily for breakfast and snacks. I was curious to see if these smoothies would make a big difference in my health.

 

After two weeks of drinking daily green smoothies I noticed I had more energy throughout the day and no longer needed caffeine or sugar to jumpstart my morning. After one month I had lost ten pounds and I felt energized and more focused. After 6 months of drinking green smoothies I felt like a whole new person. My skin was clearer, my energy level was great, and my daily indigestion was a thing of the past. What a revelation! I started getting my family and friends to drink my smoothie blends and they experienced similar results.

 

If you have never thought about drinking your leafy greens then you are in for a big surprise because green smoothies taste amazing! Green smoothies are vivid green liquid nutrition that tastes yummy and provides you with a boost of energy and hydration in a glass. Combining green leafy vegetables and fruits in a smoothie is the perfect way for you to enjoy nutrient dense whole food nutrition in an ideal and easy way. Blending leafy greens and fruits into a liquid form ruptures the plant cell walls which allow the nutrients that are stored within the plants cells to be available to our bodies on a cellular level. Green smoothies are also easy for our bodies to digest because the action of blending breaks down the fiber into a liquid form that is much easier to absorb and utilize.

 

Benefits

Plant food or leafy greens and fruits are filled with protein, amino acids, antioxidants, phytonutrients, enzymes, polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. In addition, leafy greens contain high levels of chlorophyll which is the plasma and green pigment of the plant which is a potent blood builder. Chlorophyll is biochemically almost identical to hemoglobin in human blood with the only exception being that chlorophyll is bound by an atom of magnesium and hemoglobin is bound by an atom of iron. When making your green smoothies make sure you eat with the seasons rotating your fruits and leafy greens frequently so that you can receive a wide variety of diverse flavors and nutrients.

 

Drinking green smoothies on a regular basis will:

 

• Increase alkalinity in your body while reducing acid buildup.

• Help strengthen your immune system.

• Allow you to safely clean and detoxify your body.

• Help you lose weight in an easy and effective way.

• Substantially increase your energy level and stamina.

• Promote better digestion and assimilation of key nutrients.

• Help reduce cravings for refined sugar and caffeine.

• Help kill harmful or bad bacteria in your body.

 

Recipes

Here are several green recipes you can use to raise your energy and improve health:

Wild Blueberry Avocado Energy Smoothie

Anti-Aging Strawberry Energy Smoothie

Green Tea Mango Energy Smoothie

Blueberry Hemp Green Energy Smoothie

Cranberry Pineapple Green Smoothie

Pomegranate Blueberry Green Energy Smoothie

 

Plus, discover 5 Easy Tips For Making The Best Green Smoothies

 

If you like this article and would like to contribute to the conversation, please take a moment to leave a comment.

 

Guest Author Shelley Alexander

This guest post was by Shelley Alexander, holistic chef, certified healing foods specialist, blogger, and owner of A Harmony Healing a holistic food, nutrition, and wellness company in Los Angeles, California. Shelley  creates delicious easy recipes using nutrient-rich, healing whole foods which nourish and help restore the body’s own natural healing abilities. Shelley’s first healing foods cookbook Deliciously Holistic will be available for purchase in winter 2012.
To find out about Shelley and try more of her delicious healing foods recipes go to A Harmony Healing Website  or visit her social media: Facebook,  Twitter Pinterest