Most of us already know that we need to eat better. We learn from a young age, that green vegetables and fruits need to be a big part of our diet. Somehow this is usually not practical, especially as we get older and busier. 

My intention here is to show you how to increase the right foods (greens and fruits) in an easy way that is actually fun, delicious and doesn’t take half the day to make. Whether you’re single, have a family, or are retired, you can do it. Anyone can. You can do it your way, within your lifestyle.

By using technology to our advantage, we can improve our well-being in ways never thought before. There is already a huge movement of people who are taking responsibility for their well-being. You too can be a part of it. Don't get left behind, simply because of a lack of information.

So let's start with simple definitions and I promise you, by the end of this post, you will want to try a green smoothie right away :-)

What is a smoothie?

A smoothie is a drink, resembling milkshakes, with a thick consistency, made from blended natural ingredients, usually with frozen fruits or fresh fruits with ice. 

A green smoothie is simply a fruit smoothie with your favorite greens and veggies added in! Greens such as kale, collards, spinach, parsley, romaine lettuce, bok choy and other edible weeds such as dandelion are amazingly delicious when mixed in the right proportion with fruit such as apples and others. The ratio for beginners is usually 60% fruit and 40% veggies. As you get accustomed, I suggest reversing the ratios- to 60% green veggies and 40% fruit.

You can call green smoothies, drinkable salads or salads straight from your blender. The fact remains that it’s MUCH faster to drink the same amount of greens than it would take to eat (and properly chew) the same amount of greens, fruits and vegetables. Smoothies only take about a minute to prepare (with a good blender, such as Blendtec or Vitamix), and a minute or two to drink.

By consuming a green smoothie, you are blending the greens, which in essence, is “predigesting” the greens. Many of the important nutrients in greens are encased inside plant cells and getting their benefits requires these cells’ walls to be ruptured.

Blending allows the food to be ingested as a whole vegetable with fiber intact (as opposed to juicing), so you feel FULL from the fiber and are able to absorb the maximum amount of nutrition from your greens. Plus, you are getting more greens than you would probably get in a day…or in a few days!

For those looking to cleanse or detox, but have no time to do the extended juice fasts that I teach on this website, adding a green smoothie to your lifestyle (daily) can start the cleansing process for you and give you amazing results within just a few months. Breakfast is the best time to get your head-start with green smoothies, although, they can be consumed at any time.

I once surprised a visiting friend from out of town with a green smoothie for breakfast and the look on his face was priceless. He looked scared. We are usually scared of things we don’t know or understand. After I briefly explained to him what it was and urged him to taste it, he was pleasantly surprised. He had about 2 full glasses and of course, his expression went from shock to a smile.

I realize the green color of this lovely, tremendously beneficial drink might have you saying “No Way” to even tasting this concoction… but, you shouldn’t let the “greenness” of this smoothie keep you from all of the health benefits you will get from it!

Let’s touch on the benefits; the nutrients that green smoothies deliver. One of the most common questions that I get asked is “Where do you get your protein from? Shouldn’t I add some protein and healthy fats to the smoothie? For example, milk, yogurt, whey protein powder, soy milk, flax oil etc?”

Well, I do NOT recommend adding any additional protein, animal products or fats (even the so-called “good” fats) to the green smoothie and that’s because – contrary to the popular belief that greens are a poor source of these nutrients – they already contain OPTIMAL amount of protein and fats for human needs!

Really, if you think about it…where do the large, plant-eating animals like elephants and buffaloes get their protein and fats from? Aren't they strong and hefty? What do they eat? That’s right…green leafy sources, not protein from other animals! Those animals that do eat other animals, have a different alimentary system altogether that provides them with plenty of gastric juices for high protein digestion. We are omnivores, according to old-school nutrition, but more and more information is coming to surface that shows that there is no standard diet for all people. People living in the tropics have much more variety of raw, living plant food than those that live in the northern hemisphere, like Greenland-they require more animal protein and fats because of their climate. However, with all the technology we have now, living plant foods are available to more people on the planet.


So why aren’t we eating these foods today? i.e plenty of fresh greens in addition to whatever our other preferences for protein are? (it's ultimately our choice, there's no bad or good, it's all about finding the right, healthy balance).

The answer to the question above may be that we have been conditioned by our cultures that the only way to get protein in our bodies is by eating animal flesh. Many people have 1 or two servings of veggies and fruits a day and indulge on animal flesh because it is readily available and yes...tasty for many. I won't touch on this topict for now but here’s a shocker; -protein is actually manufactured in our bodies by the help of essential Amino Acids, which are found abundantly in plants. Cows, goats, sheep etc, all eat plenty of fresh, leafy plants to get essential Amino Acids in order to  manufacture their protein.

Dark leafy greens, are perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition available. They deliver a multitude of enzymes, vitamins, minerals, phyto-nutrients, Omega-3 fats, protein, calcium and fiber. The darker the leaves, the more nutrients they have, especially Vitamin A!

Spinach for example, has 40% protein. Spirulina (an edible blue-green algae grown and harvested for food and medicine) contains 60% protein. That's right; a tablespoon of Spirulina powder has more protein than 3 oz of beef steak.  Spirulina and Chlorella are a great new discovery (re-discovery) in treating malnutrition in Asia, Africa and other parts of the world. I say re-discovery because many native people of all the continents have used these superfoods long before scientists discovered them recently. Spirulina has been harvested in Chad, Africa, since the 9th Century. Chad is found on the Sahara desert and so finding fresh veggies is almost impossible, but people are not malnourished there because they have these alternatives. Spirulina and Chlorella  are the primary food source for fish in rivers, lakes, oceans to make their protein. I touch on both superfoods on this blog and website.

When people ask me why I don't eat meat, I simply explain that I make my own protein...by eating directly what animals and fish use (edible greens and superfoods) to make their own protein.

I digress; I’m not here to convince you to become a vegetarian, I’m here to show you how YOU can improve your well-being by simply adding more leafy green veggies into your diet in a simple and practical way. Your body will immediately respond in a positive and maybe, miraculous way for some of you. However, you got to try it and be consistent. Even one glass a day will yield great results.

The big lesson in all this is that FRESH, BLENDED VEGGIES and FRUITS have lots of necessary ENZYMES and BIO-AVAIBLE NUTRIENTS that usually get lost when heated, cooked, processed/pasteurized or corrupted with preservatives etc.

The ongoing Wellness Revolution...and common sense really, requires us all to re-consider what needs cooking versus what doesn't. We obviously have to cook potatoes, rice, beans etc; except that as per the Alkaline-Acid Balance Nutrition guidelines, these foods can be eaten less frequently than those that don't require cooking.

This is where the green smoothies come in!

If you are new to to the on-going Wellness Revolution and have some habits that are hard to give up such as coffee,  nicotine etc, don't you worry. I've been there, done it...and now beckoning to you from across the street. You too can cross. Its' a lot easier than it seems, actually.

For starters, I suggest gradually replacing morning and afternoon coffee with a glass of green smoothie. Do you feel like you could never, ever give up your morning coffee or tea? Well, there is in fact a scientific reason for coffee “addiction”. The reason has to do with alkaloids- which are bitter organic compounds derived from plants bearing seed found in coffee and tea. Caffeine, morphine, cocaine, nicotine, are all alkaloids. Alkaloids from tea, coffee and in some cases, drugs, give us a temporary high as acids are neutralized in the body and the blood is alkalized.

Raw greens have the same effect as alkaloid substances, thereby giving your body the alkaloid stimulation it desires. The great news is that their high lasts much longer, and unlike the other aforementioned substances, greens soothe the nerves and calm the body. Green smoothies help the body rid itself of cravings of any kind and re-balance the body in amazing ways.

I will show you how you to make green smoothies- I personally took these pictures of the blender and glasses of smoothies in this post, in the kitchen, where I use a Blendtec Blender to make my green smoothies 2-3 times daily. I personally drink 4-6 large (16 oz) glasses of green smoothies per day. 3 glasses in the morning for breakfast and 2 or 3 in the evening for dinner. My lunch usually consists of either whole grains like Brown Rice, Quinoa or Kamut (exotic grains with over 50% protein) or legumes such as lentils with steamed or curried veggies. Eating right is easy if you know how to make it fun, tasty and quick. I'm dedicated and totally honored to be sharing what I've been doing for the past 10 years now, with great results. Please give me two weeks to start posting different green smoothie recipe videos on this space. For now, let's get started on the basics.

Here’s how to make a green smoothie

There are three types of kitchen appliances that may be used to make smoothies: a kitchen blender, a food processor or more specifically, a new introduction in the market; a smoothie maker or high-speed blenders.

If you have both a blender and a food processor, try out both to see which one makes a better smoothie.  If you have neither and would like to purchase one, get a smoothie maker or high –speed blender.  Unless, of course, you prefer to buy something that's multi-purpose, then get a blender.  A food processor usually costs more.

Instructions

Start by washing all produce thoroughly. If you can afford only organic veggies and fruit, it'll save you the time and effort to clean off pesticides, toxins etc. If not, it's all good all the same. Just clean your veggies and fruit really well. You don't really have to chop up the veggies, unless you have extra long stems of celery and large cucumbers. To make everything fit into blender well, simply cut/chop in half and put into blender by handfuls.

Add 1-2 cups of water and blend until smooth. If you have fresh orange juice or any other fruit juice, you can use in place of water. Some people will add Almond Milk or Soy Milk. That's okay too. I don't want to make rules of what you can add or what you can't add. Just get those greens in, my dear friends. Adjust proportions to your liking. Try to experiment with different greens and fruits. Start with small amount of greens and keep adding more as you progress.  For maximum benefit – use a variety of greens and rotate them – have a different kind every day.

I personally love romaine lettuce, spinach, parsley, cilantro (coriander or dhania), celery and cucumbers. You can never go wrong with these. Kale, Chard, Turnip Greens etc. are also great, loaded with so many cancer-healing properties. Fresh Cilantro for instance, is a great heavy metal cleanser (mercury etc). It's known as a 'Chelator". Its chemical compounds snatch all heavy metals in the body and remove them from our bodies. I'll go over all individual veggie properties in another post. I don't want to overwhelm you with too much information for now.

Next, fruits are added for sweetness, so make sure they are RIPE, especially bananas. Some of the most delicious fruits for green smoothies are: bananas, pears, peaches, nectarines, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries, and apples. You may also try less sweet combinations with non-sweet fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, beets and carrots. When using fruits with seeds and cores, please remove them all.  Apples seeds for example, contain small doses of cyanide. Though very small amount...it is a poisonous substance that can build up in the body. As with all things in life..natural or unnatural...take caution.

To make my smoothies really creamy, I love to use ripe bananas and/or avocados. While Avocados are so nutritious- a whole food with everything you need, go easy on it because it is loaded with calories-linoleic fats from Omega 6 and Omega 9 fatty acids. Half an Avocado is enough for one or two people-a whole pitcher of smoothie and a whole Avocado for more drinkers, of course.

Why Drink A Green Smoothie?


Once you start to drink green smoothies daily for a month or two, you'll start to get compliments on how radiant your skin looks, on how slim your body is becoming, and on how much vibrant energy you have.

Start drinking green smoothies 1-3 times a day and you will experience so much more energy and well-being that it will soon become your second nature. Your metabolism will increase and you will start losing weight really quickly too, because you'll be eating less 'dead' foods that you may have normally craved.

       ▪      Green smoothies are easy to digest. When blended well, all the valuable nutrients in these fruits and veggies become homogenized, or divided into such small particles that it becomes easy for the body to assimilate these nutrients, the green smoothies literally start to get absorbed in your mouth.

       ▪      Green smoothies, as opposed to juices, are a complete food because they still have fiber. This helps tremendously with regular bowel movements, colon health and better nutrient assimilation. Your hair and nails may even grow faster because your body is getting lots of missing minerals.

       ▪      Green smoothies belong to the most palatable dishes for people of all ages. With a ratio of fruits to veggies as 60:40 the fruit taste dominates the flavor, yet at the same time the green vegetables balance out the sweetness of the fruit, adding a nice zest to it. Green smoothies are simply the best tasting dishes for the teens and children. You will never have to force your kids to eat their veggies. They’ll love their sweet, liquid greens.

       ▪      By consuming two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough of greens for the day to nourish your body, and all nutrients will be well assimilated. Many people do not consume enough of greens, even those who stay on vegetarian or a raw food diet. Your body will be also well-hydrated because you are drinking extra fluids.

       ▪      Green smoothies are easy to make, and quick to clean up after. Many people told me that they do not consume green juices on a regular basis because it is time consuming to prepare green juices and to clean the equipment after juicing, or to drive to the juice bar. Well, here's to 'no more excuses' :-)

       ▪      Green smoothies are perfect food for children of all ages, including babies of six or more months old when introducing new food to them after mother´s milk. Of course you have to be careful and slowly increase the amount of smoothies to avoid food allergies.

       ▪      When you consume your greens in the form of green smoothies, you can greatly reduce the consumption of oils and salt in your diet.

       ▪      Regular consumption of green smoothies forms a good habit of eating greens. After a few of weeks of drinking green smoothies, you may find yourself craving and enjoying greens. Eating enough of green leafy vegetables is often a problem with many people, especially children.

       ▪      Receive fewer mood swings

       ▪      You may feel an urge to start exercising      

            Your body craves to be used. But processed foods drain our bodies of the much needed energy. Replace the junk food with nutrient dense foods, and your body will be bounding with energy.

       ▪      Blood sugars may be stabilized

             If you are a diabetic, you may need to choose low sugar fruits at first such as berries, green apples, grapefruit.

            There are thousands of people who've totally seen diabetes and other degenerative diseases disappear after 3-6 months of adding more raw greens and low sugar fruit in their smoothies. I'm not surprised by this at all because the body does respond positively to raw, green foods, returning it to its original state.

More Benefits of Drinking Green Smoothies

       •      Increased energy and clear thinking.

       •      Beautiful skin, bright eyes, and shiny hair.

       •      No cooking or washing pots and pans required!

       •      In one drink you will be consuming more nutrients than you have in a week if you live on cooked foods!

       •      You will be supplying your body with amazing nutrition: Amino acids needed for protein, omega-3 fats, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Bs, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron and countless other minerals and phyto-chemicals, including those with cancer, free-radicals and disease fighting properties. All courtesy of Mother-Nature!

       •      Plenty of FIBER for much better digestion – so forget about those colon cleansing supplements!

       •      Experience overall improved health.

       •      Weight loss.

Great Ingredients For Your Green Smoothies

Greens: kale, chard, spinach, parsley, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, mint, basil, cilantro, beet tops, carrot tops, bok choy and anything else you can find in your local farmer’s market or garden.

Veggies: cucumber (with the skin on) – amazing for your skin!, celery, tomato, avocado (small amount only)

Fruits: bananas, pears, apples, mango, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, kiwi, pineapple, melon, papaya, watermelon, grapes, cranberries, lemon, orange.       

Some fruit and green combinations you may want to try:

  • ■ Spinach with bananas and strawberries
  • ■ Spinach with apples, bananas, and some lemon or lime juice
  • ■ Spinach, bananas peaches, mango
  • ■ Romaine lettuce with bananas
  • ■ Romaine lettuce with cucumber and bananas
  • ■ Romaine and celery with blueberries
  • ■ Parsley and ripe pears
  • ■ Parsley, celery, apple and pears

Flavor it Up!

There are many natural flavors you can add to your smoothie to give it that extra kick.

When your main ingredients are mainly vegetable base, you may want to sweeten it up a little to make it more palatable. Apples work best with any type of veggies, but bananas and other fruits work really well too. Always have more greens than fruit to get the most benefits from your green smoothie.

Fresh ginger (use only the size of your thumb or half) gives your smoothie the added spice and powerful anti-oxidants. Fresh mint leaves are great too!

Some examples of the extra flavorings you may want to add to your smoothies: ground cinnamon, cocoa powder, grated coconut, half a lemon or lime, mint powder, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, etc. Be adventurous!

Time Factor

Eat/drink your smoothies within 10-20 minutes of making them to take full advantage of the enzymes and nutrients before they oxidize and turn your smoothie into a brown color.

However, if you add Lime or Lemon- usually a quarter works just fine to stop the oxidation and to keep your smoothie fresh for up to 48 hours or more. Three days max and even that is pushing it.

I do not recommend storing smoothies too long after they have gone through the blender as once the fruits/vegetables are cut up in the blender, the nutrients and live enzymes will deteriorate rapidly. This might get you to start questioning a lot of things in the supermarket- like which chemicals and processes are used to keep so called 'fresh juices' bottled and un-refrigerated for months! Well...

The bottom line is to just get your FRESH GREENS in abundance every day. There is really no right or wrong way to do this – if the recipes above do not suit you, simply add or take out until your taste buds are delighted! Enjoy as I do on a daily basis. My body, mind and spirit thank me for this practice in many ways and I wish it to do the same for you! Blessings!

Some great recipes to try

•1 head of spinach

•1 apple

•1 banana

•1-2 cups of water

Blend well.

•1/2 head of spinach

•1/4 cup of raspberries

•2 cups of water

•1/2 cup of strawberries

Blend until smooth! Makes a full pitcher.

• 1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and chopped

• 1 mango, peeled, cored, and chopped

• ½ head romaine lettuce

• 1 tiny piece of fresh ginger

Blend all ingredients in blender. You may add some water. Serves 3-4

• 10 tips of Douglas Fir

• 2 cups spinach or your favorite green

• 2 bananas

• 2 cups of water

Blend well (Yields one quart of smoothie).

• 5 cups of fresh Miner’s Lettuce (or other lettuce)

• 1 ripe mango

• 1 apple

• 2 cups of water

Blend well. Yields one quart of smoothie.