Try something new, drink a ``Green Smoothie``

It seems that lately everyone is talking green smoothies and has finally decided to ride the green smoothie band wagon. I think this absolutely wonderful since it is an excellent way to get in a lot of veggies in one drink. I am a veggie beast, I absolutely love them. If I don’t have veggies at every meal I feel guilty.

I know a number of people that don’t eat many veggies at all. They will opt for cereal and milk, bagels or toast at breakfast, a slice of pizza, a burger and fries, or a sandwich with minimal veggies on it for lunch, and then a big piece of meat, starchy carbohydrates such as rice, with a small serving of veggies at dinner.  Even though this makes them happy, they are totally missing out on the amazing benefits of vegetables that have been put on this earth to help us heal and feel good.

Without even thinking about it, we know that fruits and veggies in a drink with no added sugars or preservatives is a no brainer.  But people, including me, love answers and want to know why. Here are a few reasons:

Nutrients are more easily absorbed Green smoothies are awesome because your body does not have to work to break down the food through the digestion process. Most of the valuable nutrients are broken down by the blending process which makes it easier for the body to absorb.	Increased Energy The balance of fruits and vegetables are a great source of energy since the sugars in the fruit are balanced out with the vegetables. These drinks are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which naturally lead to increased energy.
Low in calories and keeps your belly full Fruits and veggies contain high amounts of water and fiber. They will make you feel full and balance out any cravings you may have because of the lower sugar content.	Quick and Easy to make The key ingredients are a liquid, fruits, veggies, and super foods (optional). You can make your smoothie the night before, and have it ready to go for the next morning. No muss, no fuss.

If the reasons above convince you, awesome, you rock! If they don’t, that’s okay, how about just trying it out for fun. See how you feel after you drink one. Try and replace one meal in a day with a smoothie. I recommend breakfast since it is the easiest.

Before I tell you how to make one of these nutrient powerhouses, here are some of the most common excuses, and my responses:

Excuse	Response
``I don`t have a blender``	Go to Canadian Tire and you can find one on sale for as cheap as $30. Wait for a sale, and don`t do a small magic bullet, it doesn`t have the power to break up the vegetables. You also don`t need a $500 Vitamix or Blendtec to do the job.
``I don`t like vegetables``	Boo hoo, get over it! Kidding J But seriously, you will get over it. When mixing the fruit with the vegetables, you won`t even taste the vegetables.
``I don’t have all the ingredients that are in the recipes``	You don`t need to have all the ingredients! I have come up with a chart below that will help you create your own smoothies.

Guide to creating your own green smoothie

(Use the following suggested measurements and you can mix and match within each category)

	Base	Vegetables (leafy greens)	Fruits	Fats	Sweetener	Boosters /Protein
	<Mandatory >			<Optional>
Serving Size	1.5 cups (add more for a less thick version)	2 cups	1 cup	1 tbs	1 tsp	1-2tbs (booster)/ 1 scoop (protein)
Ingredients	>Water >Coconut Water >Coconut Milk >Almond Milk	>Kale >Spinach >Swiss Chard >Romaine	>Banana >Strawberry >Blueberry >Raspberry >Mango >Kiwi >Pear	>Avocado >Walnuts >Almond Butter >Chia Seeds >Cacao Nibs >Coconut oil	>Agave syrup >Maple syrup >Stevia >Date (1)	>Goji berries >Maca powder >Raw Cacao Powder >Your favourite protein powder

The chart above is definitely not inclusive of ingredients, but gives you a good starting point. Be creative, try out different combinations. Some combinations will not be great, but keep trying and you will find your favourite mix.

If you are trying to lose weight, limit items from the fats and sweetener categories.

When you first start with green smoothies, you may not find it sweet enough. Start with the recommendations above, but then try to wean yourself off. Use ripe fruit, or fruit that is in season to help naturally sweeten your smoothie.

See HERE for my favourite go-to smoothie.

If you already do green smoothies, comment below with your favourite recipe.

Shameen