20 Benefits of Green Smoothies

1) Natural Weight Loss

Just about everyone who drinks green smoothies loses weight. Green smoothies help you lose weight in several ways:1) Replacing a meal each day with a green smoothie lowers overall calorie intake, while increasing fruit, vegetable, and fiber intake. 2) Green smoothies help reset your taste buds so that you want to eat healthy, and you actually start craving healthy foods..

2) Increased Fruit & Vegetable Intake (Particularly Gree​ns)

The American Cancer Society recommends that we eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day to prevent cancer and other diseases. Green smoothies are a quick and convenient way to get your vegetables and dark, leafy greens without tasting them. The fruit boost the flavor so even though all you taste is pineapple, mango, banana or strawberry, you consume a healthy dose of spinach, kale, or any other vegetable you choose. The average green smoothie contains 3-5 servings (or more) of fruits and vegetables.

3) Increased Energy

Green smoothies provide a powerful boost of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients without overloading your digestive system. Since you are eating natural, whole foods in the most optimum form for your digestion and nutrient absorption, you will have more energy to get things done and enjoy your day. Green smoothies provide B vitamins and magnesium that help support energy metabolism.

4) Boost Nutrition

Green smoothies are packed with nutrients. The average green smoothie provides more than 100% of your daily value of vitamins A (as beta-carotene), C, and K. They also provide a good source of B vitamins (except B12), vitamin E, and folate. As for minerals, green smoothies are an excellent source of calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and many other trace minerals.

Blending fruits and vegetables together breaks down the cells of plants and improves digestibility. Your blender unlocks the nutrients and maximizes their delivery to your body more than chewing any salad could. Green smoothies are quicker and more convenient than preparing and thoroughly chewing a salad.

5) Strengthen Immune System

Increased fruit and vegetable consumption helps keep your body in optimum health. Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, as well as some of the compounds found in certain foods help protect your body against disease. Citrus fruits, cranberries, and ginger are the top immune-boosting smoothie ingredients.

6) Excellent Source of Minerals for Healthy Bones

Green smoothies provide a rich source of minerals thanks to the dark, leafy greens. All of the bone-building nutrients are abundant including calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.

7) Excellent Source of Antioxidants

Green smoothies deliver a massive dose of health-protecting antioxidants and phytonutrients. Not only are you giving your body the best defenses against disease, you are ingesting a variety of natural substances that are essential for optimum health and fitness.To get the most antioxidants in your blends, try making your green smoothies with blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, pomegranates, acai, and cacao (raw chocolate).

8) May Help Lower High Cholesterol

A healthy, plant-based diet that includes green smoothies may help lower your cholesterol.

9) May Help Lower High Blood Pressure

Many fruits and vegetables have been studied for their ability to lower blood pressure. As part of a healthy diet, green smoothies may improve your blood pressure, while also reducing some of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

10) Improve Mental Clarity and Focus

With a healthier diet comes greater mental clarity and focus. Green smoothies can replace morning coffee to provide more energy without any afternoon slump, or caffeine-related side effects.

11) Support Colon and Gut Health

Unlike juicing or drinking fruit juice, green smoothies contain the whole fruit and vegetable so that you get all of the fiber and nutrition. Fiber is essential for good colon health. It feeds your beneficial gut microbes, supporting optimum digestion and a strong immune system. The smoothies are low in fat, high in protein and fiber. Because they are blended, they give your digestive system a break, promoting cleansing and healing. Just remind yourself what an amazing thing you are doing for your body! It can be an empowering experience to know that you are taking charge of your health and making a positive change in your life

12) Promote Clear, Radiant Skin and Strong Hair & Nails

Drinking green smoothies can make skin, hair, and nails look healthier and stronger. Green smoothies can give a healthy glow, and clear up acne.

13) Reduce and Combat Cravings

Green smoothies reduce cravings for junk foods, unhealthy sweets, salt, and fats. You will find that after a few weeks of drinking smoothies, you will crave healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables, and greens. The sweet fruit in green smoothies satisfies cravings for sweets. If you crave chocolate, you can make green smoothies with healthy, raw chocolate (cacao).

14) Anti-Inflammatory

Most fruits and vegetables have anti-inflammatory properties, so green smoothies are an excellent food if you suffer from inflammatory conditions. Studies show that drinking green smoothies every day reduces inflammation. Green smoothies can benefit you if you suffer from arthritis and gout.

15) May Help Prevent Chronic Diseases, or Even Provide Therapeutic Benefits

There have been countless studies on diet and nutrition. The overwhelming consensus in all of the peer-reviewed, scientific literature is that people who eat more fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of developing disease – including cancer, diabetes (type 2), obesity, cardiovascular disease, as well as many age-related medical conditions.

Specifically, green smoothies, combined with healthy diets, may provide therapeutic benefits for (or protect against): Allergies, Alzheimer’s disease, Arthritis & Gout, Diabetes Type 2, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Stroke.

16) Support Eye Health & Protects Vision

Green smoothies are rich in beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and resveratrol – four antioxidant compounds found in many fruits and vegetables.

17) Specific Benefits for Women

Certain fruits and vegetables, as well as other smoothie ingredients, may help women who suffer from PMS. Green smoothies can also pregnancy. Women going through menopause may also benefit from green smoothies.

18) May Help With Seasonal Allergies

While the medical data is limited, there are many, many reports of people who have reduced the severity of their seasonal allergies once they started drinking green smoothies.

19) Rich with Chlorophyll

Green smoothies are rich with chlorophyll which some natural health experts say enhances the immune system, purifies the blood, and rejuvenates the body.

20) Alkalizing

Many natural health experts promote the alkalizing effects of green smoothies (or fruits and vegetables). Green smoothies provide minerals that are used by your body to naturally maintain pH balance. The calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in leafy greens helps keep your bones strong. If you are not deficient, your body doesn’t need to rob your bones of these precious minerals. Also, many green smoothie drinkers notice that heartburn and indigestion disappear when drinking green smoothies.

In addition to these health benefits, green smoothies are:

•Easy to make and cost effective.

•Taste amazing.

•Will keep for a few days in the refrigerator with added FRESH lemon juice.

•Fun to make and experiment with different fruit and vegetable combinations.

Green smoothies are life-changing!

Adapted from several sources including Victoria Botenko and Tracy Russell.