Green smoothies are an easy and tasty way to include more raw fruits and leafy greens into your daily diet. Mornings are an ideal time for fruit as that is when your body’s natural cleansing cycle is in full effect.
Ingredients:
- 1 handful leafy greens
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 ripe pear, cored
- 2 tablespoon milled flax/chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon superfood or nutritive powder
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 cup of filtered water
Directions:
- Blend your greens (including the stems) and the water until smooth.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Note: If using a high power blender you can pulse all the ingredients together in one go. P.S.: The working blender you own is the best blender!
Chew your smoothie. Swill it around inside your mouth to mix with digestive enzymes in the mouth before swallowing.
Variations
Add chlorella or spirulina, a tablespoon of milled hemp seeds, or soak dried fruit such as figs, apricots, goji berries, raisons etc. overnight and add to mix. Use frozen berries and fruits if you don’t have fresh fruits to hand. Experiment, use what you have in your cupboard or fridge.
A basic formula for making smoothies
60% fruits : 40% leafy greens + water or nut milk (+ superfoods )
I consider dark leafy greens to be the most medicinal of foods. The darker the shade of green, the higher the nutrient content. Leafy green vegetables are rich in fibre, folic acid, minerals, the B vitamins plus C and K and beneficial phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are plant-based chemicals such as anti-oxidants that support your immune system, carotenoids to protect eye health, and bioflavonoids such as Quercetin that is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic.
Blueberries, gooseberries, cherries and blackberries are full of antioxidants that help to prevent free radical damage associated with cancer. Orange-colored fruits such as apricots, mangoes and melons are all great sources of beta-carotene, which is another important nutrient for cancer prevention.
Avocados are naturally nutrient-dense. They are brimming with fibre, folate (B9) and vitamin K. The healthy fat content in avocados increases absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K. You could also try adding a tablespoon of tahini, some seeds or a tablespoon of hemp oil to your smoothie to increase your absorption of fat soluble nutrients.
Hemp seeds and oil are fantastic in smoothies. Hemp seeds have an ideal 3:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids, which promotes cardiovascular health. They are high in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an essential omega-6 fatty acid that has been proven to naturally balance hormones. Hemp seeds are a perfect protein because they contain all 20 amino acids, 9 of which our bodies cannot produce. They are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibre that naturally cleanses the colon.
The lack or deficiency of certain elements, such as vital organic minerals and salts, and consequently of Vitamins, from our customary diet is the primary cause of nearly every sickness and disease.
~Dr. Norman W. Walker
Related: The Breakfast Smoothie
The Health Benefits of Juicing