If you want to lose weight fast by following a healthy diet and eating loads of fresh raw fruits and vegetables, you need to use some tricks to make it easier for yourself. Few people are able to actually chew the big amounts of greens and veggies that are required for healthy weight loss. That’s one of the reasons why green smoothies have been growing in popularity so quickly among the healthy weight loss enthusiasts - they are SUPER HEALTHY, SUPER EASY to make, and SUPER TASTY too!
Your spouse and your kids will love them, too - I promise!
So what is a green smoothie?
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. 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!
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 adding some non-sweet fruits and vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, beets and carrots.
The need for more greens
Did you know that our ancient ancestors ate up to six pounds of leaves per day? They spent their days going from one place to another, picking and eating leaves on their way. Now, we all know that eating a large salad is good for us, but how many of you could eat such amount of greens each and every day?
And yet on the nutrition front, dark leafy greens, are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition available. They deliver a multitude of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, Omega-3 fats, protein, calcium, and of course fiber. The darker the leaves, the more nutrients they have.
Let’s talk a little more about the nutrients that green smoothies deliver. One of the common questions that is asked is “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 to add 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 plant eating animals get their protein and fats? That’s right…green leafy sources, not other animals! So why aren’t we doing the same? Amino acids are what our bodies need to create protein and where do we get amino acids? From GREENS!
If you have read my post about sugar cravings and how to stop craving food that is bad for you, then you already know why food cravings occur. Either you body is craving nutrients, or it is addicted to the chemicals found in cooked foods. Green smoothies can help you stop these cravings that keep sabotaging your weight loss plans.
Green Smoothies or Drinkable Salads
You can call them 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 that 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.
There is really no excuse not to have them!
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
Add 1-2 cups of water and blend until smooth. 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.
Fruits are added for sweetness, so make sure they are really RIPE, especially bananas.
Why Drink A Green Smoothie?
Start drink the smoothies 2-3 times a day, and you will experience so much more energy and wellbeing that it will soon become your second nature. And you will start losing weight really quickly too, because you will be eating less of the fattening foods that you normally crave.
- 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.
- 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 nice zest to it. Green smoothies are simply the best tasting dishes for the majority of adults and children.
- By consuming two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough of greens for the day to nourish your body, and they will be well assimilated. Many people do not consume enough of greens, even those who stay on a raw food diet.
- 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 clean the equipment after juicing, or to drive to the juice bar.
- 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.
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, calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron and countless other ingredients, including those with cancer and disease fighting properties.
- 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, bok choy, chard, spinach, parsley, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, mint, basil, cilantro, beet tops, carrot tops, 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.
Here are more ideas for your delicious green smoothie creations.
•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.
The bottom line is to just get your greens in 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!
Read my other posts Stop Sugar Cravings: 2 Proven Tips to Stop Sugar Cravings and Stop Craving Food When Trying to Lose Weight; Weight Loss Tips: Are people in your life sabotaging your fat loss efforts, about using Hypnosis to Lose Weight, Blendtec Blender for Making Green Smoothies, and about the latest gizmo in weight loss industry - the BodyBugg Calorie Management System to help you lose weight.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I am sure that this is a good way to loss weight, no diet just eat more spinach and fruits and sweet juices more, really a good way, may be you think if we eat more fruits the sugar level may increase, but no question here because you are eating spinach also…..
Suresh@How to lose Weight´s last blog ..Home Exercises to Lose Weight Quickly
Very nicely written article. You’ve obviously put a lot of thought and time into this. These smoothies are a very interesting concept and one I will definitely be trying. I’m a big fan of straight fruit smoothies but I’m yet to try one of these. Looks great! Thanks again for such a great article.
Linda@How to get slim´s last blog ..7 Ways You can Beat Food Cravings
Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber,
a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.
No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.
regards
There is no short cut in achieving BMI at the healthy range. Weight loss is gradual process involving lifestyle changes. To lose weight, make sustainable changes to eating and exercise habits.The amount and type of food taken determines the energy (calorie) intake. Energy in food comes from carbohydrates, protein and fat. There is weight gain when consistently intake of calories is more than the physical activity.But I have to agree that natural way are the best way to lose weight since you do not have to worry about the side effects……..