You’ve already heard a thousand times over that green smoothies are great, and if you’re thinking “yea, whatever, it looks like grass in a blender” then here’s why you’re missing out.
Think about those times when you woke up but you didn’t feel like eating breakfast. You rushed out the door in the morning to get to work, which resulted in going down a slippery slope of buying a bagel at 10 AM (probably not the best choice of breakfast), which by the way, does affect your wallet and waistline. Or skip ahead to 3 PM, when you were feeling tired and mentally fatigued at the office. You might’ve been dozing off in front of your computer screen. Your blood sugar levels were decreasing several hours past lunch, so then you headed to the cafeteria to get a coffee to push your adrenal glands to perk you up. You craved something sugary and ended up buying two cookies or a chocolate bar, which again by the way, does affect your wallet and waistline. Or you grabbed that granola bar stored away in the back of your drawer, which is filled with simple carbohydrates and processed sugar that will quickly spike the blood sugar levels to then drop back down again, leaving you hungry again an hour later.
Here’s why green smoothies are the solution to your low-energy hanger problem:
Have more energy! Get the benefit of more nutrient absorption because green vegetables are full of powerhouse nutrients, which blending enables them to be easily absorbed into the blood stream. This simply increases your vegetable consumption throughout the day because chances are, you wouldn’t feel joyful about eating a plate full of plain kale but by consuming a chockfull of nutrients in your green smoothie, it will leave you feeling energized.
Feel fuller longer! Green smoothies can improve digestion. Smoothies use the entire fruit and vegetable, therefore you receive all of the fibre, vitamins, and minerals from the whole food. The fibre content will balance your blood sugar levels and leave you feeling full longer.
Boost your immune system and be sick less! Green plants are full of chlorophyll (to produce red blood cells and more fresh blood), phytonutrients, and antioxidants (to prevent free radical damage to our cells). Since you’re boosting your body with lots of nutrients, it’ll improve your immune system and decrease your risk of getting sick. Because no one likes seeing their colleague sit there with tissues stuffed up their nose (true story, we see it all the time).
Extra hydration instead of plain water! Our bodies are made up mostly of water so drinking fresh water is crucial to our health. We should be consuming 2 – 3 litres of water per day from food and beverages. Drinking a delicious green smoothie is getting your bang for your buck because it tastes delicious and you get the additional hydration.
Convenience! Green smoothies are so convenient for all situations and age groups. You can make it heartier and drink it as a meal for breakfast or keep it small and lighter to drink it as a snack. You can make it the night before or the morning of and pack it for work, gym, travel, or for recreational activities, especially when you know you won’t have adequate time to prepare a snack or meal. Kids and adults alike love green smoothies because they don’t taste the vegetables.
Boost it with superfoods! This is my favourite reason to drink green smoothies. I love to use superfoods like goji berries, cacao nibs, and adaptogenic herbs (which help the body and mind cope with different stressors). However, the taste of ashwagandha or tulsi in plain water is just a no-no for me. Adaptogenic herbs can easily be blended into green smoothies without the harsh and pungent tastes.
Tips to keep your green smoothie healthy:
Keep it full of greens. Don’t be shy about adding greens to your smoothie. Neutral tasting greens like romaine or spinach are subtler and can be added in higher quantities. Moderate tasting greens like greens like collards, chard, and kale (stems removed) can be added in a lesser quantity because they have a stronger taste. Sharp tasting greens like cilantro, mint, and parsley can be added in a very small dose so consider adding more spinach or romaine.
Rotate your greens. It may feel comfortable to keep using the same greens week after week but ensure that once in a while you rotate the leafy greens you’re using to avoid alkaloid buildup. Raw greens contain small amounts of toxins (used as their defense mechanism against bugs and animals) so as humans, we have to be aware that too much buildup of the same toxin can affect the thyroid. Alkaloid buildup is a rare occurrence and the symptoms can be mild but just be conscious to switch it up, perhaps on a weekly basis.
Use clean sources of ingredients. If you decide to add things like protein powder to your green smoothie, do your due diligence and research the best protein powders. Most often they are filled with additives, fillers, sugar, and conventional sources of whey or casein that may contain hormone disrupters and GMO’s (if dairy based). Invest in a high-quality protein powder that is from ethical and pure sources. We do enjoy unflavoured, sprouted plant-based protein powder. Optionally, you can add protein from other sources, like hemp seeds, spirulina, nuts, or seeds.
Use different fruits. To keep the blood sugar balanced and get a broader spectrum of nutrients, avoid only using high glycemic index (“GI”) fruits every day like mangoes, banana, or pineapple. Switch up your smoothie on a daily basis, and include other fruits like blueberries, strawberries, kiwis, nectarines, peaches, or pears.
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