Green Smoothies

Information on how best to feed our bodies for optimal performance can be found in God's word, the Bible.  In Genesis 1:29 God provided the diet for men and women, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.”  Later, after Adam and Eve were no longer able to eat from the Tree of Life, God added the herb of the field to their diet, Genesis 3:18.  God knew that our bodies would need the nutrients provided in them. Natural foods, right off of the tree or from the ground. It couldn’t get much simpler then that!  When we think of today and our many complicated recipes and processed, packaged foods it’s ironic how our so called advancements in diet have actually caused our decline. 

So for those of us who want to improve our diet but do not know where to start, I would suggest starting with a green smoothie a day.  What is a green smoothie you ask???  A green smoothie is a wonderful beverage packed full of fruits and green leafy vegetables in a blended form so that it's not only easy to digest, but it is easy to get in several servings of these life giving foods into your body every day. 

 Green Smoothie

Recipe:  There is no right or wrong way to make a green smoothie.  Experiment with which combinations of fruits and greens are most tasty to you and agree with your body.  As a guide you may use the following template:

To a blender add:

2 cups of water

3/4 to 1 lb  of raw, washed greens (beginners, start with less greens to taste)

Fruit(s) of your choice

1-2 bananas which add a creamy texture and sweetness

Blend.

*A tip from the green smoothie girl, Robyn Openshaw:  Add frozen mixed berries or blueberries to your smoothie.  It will make the smoothie look purple instead of green. 

Here are some examples of green smoothie ingredients. 

 Banana, Chard, Mango - Delicious and sweet.  The chard is so mild, you won't even taste it.

Apple, Banana, Kale - Packed full of nutrition.  If the kale is too strong for you, add a squeeze of lemon to your smoothie.

This smoothie is not green but you can easily add any mild tasting green such as spinach or chard.

Raspberry, Pear, Romaine

I sometimes eat all fruit smoothies.  Not often, but when wanting something yummy and sweet while avoiding unhealthy alternatives, these do the trick.  You can easily add mild tasting greens to them also, such as spinach or chard.

Coconut, Guava, Banana - This tastes like a tropical milkshake.  Yummy!!!

Blueberry, Apple, Banana - My husband asked for this combo the other day.  It gives him 3 servings of fruit in one glass!

The fruits provide, nutrients as well as a delicious flavor and the leafy greens provide us with enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and even protein.  Be creative with your ingredients.  Choose from a variety of fruits.  Examples of some greens you can use in the smoothie include: Spinach, Arugula, Beet greens, Bok choy, Cabbage, Chard, Collard greens, Dandelion greens, Kale, Salad greens, Mustard greens, Turnip greens, and Watercress.  Be sure to taste greens before adding them to your smoothie.  Some greens have more of a bitter taste, thus you will want to use less of them or mix them with a mild tasting green like spinach.

 I like to enhance the flavors of my smoothies with essential oils, which are able to be used internally.  A drop a Wild Orange, Lemon, or Lime essential oil will take your smoothie to another level.  Additionally, you may add other ingredients into your smoothie that you’d like to get into your diet such as ground flax seed, chia seeds, or nut milk.

Robyn Openshaw conducted a study where participants were asked to drink at least a pint of green smoothie three times a week for at least 30 days.  Of the 175 participants, 95.4% indicated that the ingestion of green smoothies noticeably improved their health.  85% experienced more energy, 79.5% improved digestion, 65% reported fewer cravings for sweets and processed foods, 54% experienced a more positive and stable mood, and the benefits went on and on.  For a full report of the study read “The Green Smoothies Diet” by Robyn Openshaw or go to http://greensmoothiegirl.com.