It’s the golden age of smoothies! Green smoothies are all the rage these days, as many people are drinking, them every day or at least several times a week in an attempt to be more healthy and “alkalize” their bodies. Usually, whenever I stop by the cafe of my local health food store, Green smoothies are loaded with health-boosting vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
I usually see several people in gym clothes lined up juice bar ordering a green smoothie to drink it after their workout. Green smoothies have Awesome Health Benefits as they are made by blending large amounts of raw leafy green vegetables with fruit to soften, and nutritional sweeten the taste.
Typically you will find vegetables included in green smoothies are cruciferous vegetables (The Cancer Killer or Thyroid Killer vegetables) like kale, broccoli, collard greens, and usually a maca powder supplemental, as well as others veggies like spinach, swiss chard, celery, and parsley. So we broke down all the great reasons green smoothies are fantastic.
15 Awesome Health Benefits of Green Smoothies
Quick and Easy:
Green smoothies are easy and fast to make. Green smoothies are also super flexible. Virtually anything green veggie can be used, and you can adapt most green smoothie recipes to suit your tastes very simple. Smooth, sweet and yummy!
Filling:
Green smoothies are low in calories, but full of natural fiber and water, which makes them filling. Add a little healthy fat and some muscle feeding protein, and it’ll keep you full for hours.
Meal-On-The-Go:
Green smoothies make for a highly nutritious and convenient meal for those on the go. Drink it on your way to work, or a mid-day snack, or post-workout. A green smoothie is essentially an incredibly healthy meal in a glass. Make ahead of time if you’re short of time in the morning, and refrigerate a batch of green smoothies overnight for a quick breakfast on your what out the door. Or if you prefer a green smoothie later in the day as an afternoon pick-me-up, blend one in the morning.
Refuel Post-Workout:
Green smoothies are rich in electrolytes, replacing essential minerals. Many leafy greens (e.g., spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens) are rich in magnesium, nature’s muscle relaxant, helping to recover those sore muscles and muscle cramps. Green smoothies are also a great way to deliver a much-needed dose of protein to your muscles with a post-workout smoothie shack. Add nuts, nut butter, seeds, or premium protein powder to up the protein content of your workout smoothie.
Energizing:
Green smoothie lovers often report substantial increases in their energy levels!
Weight Loss:
Fewer hunger times and less snacking during the day means it’s easier to lose weight. Vegetables are nutrient-dense and low in calories. So whether you’re making a low-calorie smoothie for snacking or as a meal replacement, green smoothies can help you cut back on your daily calorie intake, while providing essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Be sure to add some protein and healthy fat to your green smoothie if you’re making it as a meal replacement smoothie.
Reduce Junk Food Cravings:
Green smoothies can help curb those late afternoon cravings and reduce hunger, helping to stick to your diet much easier. It is known that increasing the number of healthy foods in your diet will naturally stop those junk food cravings and increases the cravings for more fresher, healthier foods. Try swapping out your morning cup of coffee for an energizing and filling green smoothie. A handful of kale, with a cup of pineapple (or your favorite fruit), banana, one teaspoon of spirulina, a scoop of protein powder, and a cup of almond milk to make a significant green power smoothie that will keep you full for hours.
Better Skin, Hair, and Nails:
As you know by now, green smoothies are full of healthy fresh fruit and veggies, but did you know it can help lower inflammation and reduce acne. Many green smoothie fans swear by it, they often report healthier, shinier hair, and also stronger nails. This natural beauty booster is most likely due to a combination of increasing nutrient levels in your daily diet (e.g., vitamin A plays a vital role in skin health) and naturally eating less processed junk food will also help. After all, beauty starts on the inside.
High in Antioxidants:
Green vegetables, especially the dark leafy greens, are packed with antioxidant phytochemicals such as kaempferol, carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin, and quercetin. Studies show antioxidants keep us healthy by protecting our cells from damage caused by free radicals. Next time you make a green shack, add in a cup of antioxidant-rich broccoli to give your shack a healthy boost!
Anti-inflammatory:
While almost all processed foods are high in saturated fats and sugars, which are linked to inflammation, cancer, obesity, and an abundance of other chronic diseases, veggies (esp. leafy greens) are packed with benefits. Greens are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds that protect the body against inflammation and help keep our bodies healthy. Try this awesome green smoothie recipe. A cup of kale, an apple, a banana, and one cup of almond milk. Blend!
Super Nutritious:
vegetables are nutrient-dense foods, and when you drink a green smoothie, you consume all the benefits of the nutrients that come from the vegetable all in intact. Most of us eat our vegetables cooked, unfortunately, many of the vitamins in vegetables are sensitive and can easily be destroyed by cooking them, such then are often significantly reduced or totally lost during cooking. Whereas, green smoothies are made of raw vegetables and lose none of their nutritional value. That’s why pasteurized store-bought vegetable juices and green smoothies are secondary to a freshly made green smoothie or juice that’s filled with more healthful nutrients.
Eat more veggies:
Green smoothies are a quick and easy way of increasing your recommended daily vegetable intake, it allowing you to get a greater dose of the vegetable nutrition than you could not manage to eat with your daily meals. Green smoothies give you a super concentrated blend of green vegetables and fruits. With just one green smoothie serving you can hit the five recommended daily servings (but that doesn’t mean you can skip eating your vegetables now)! Also, green smoothies are often packed with the type of vegetables we don’t eat enough of, the dark leafy greens, such as kale and spinach.
Gives your digestion a “rest”:
Green smoothies and green juices require hardly any digestion, meaning your body doesn’t have to work hard to break down the greens, and allowing your body to rapidly absorb all the good nutrients to improve, heal and detoxify your body.
You get more of the nutrients:
When blended your smoothie, the outer plant cell walls (plasma membrane) of the vegetables and fruits are broken down, making the valuable nutrients more easily available and ready for the body to absorb. The vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other benefits are easily assimilated and utilized by the body. So you’ll get the maximum benefit and faster absorption! Add a healthy fat source to your green smoothie and you’ll boost micro nutrient absorption even further.
Super easy to digest:
Eating some raw foods can be very challenging for the digestive system to break down. But blended vegetables are essentially pre-digested and simultaneously giving your digestive system a big rest. Giving your body the ability absorb Chlorophyll, which oxygenates your body.
