Nearly everyone could benefit from additional leafy greens in their diet.
They are packed with vitamins and minerals that help keep your body running optimally.
The trouble is that most people don't like eating greens plain.
They end up drowning their leafy greens in salad dressings to make them more appealing.
This adds an excess of fat and calories, which most of us don't need.
Fortunately there is a delicious way to eat your leafy greens without the added fat and calories - the green smoothie.
They are in essence a "liquid salad".
By drinking a green smoothie everyday, you can easily get your daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, as well as a myriad of health benefits.
The basic green smoothie consists of 2-4 cups of greens and 2-3 servings of fruit.
You can easily adapt your green smoothie recipes to your tastes, or whatever is in your fridge.
The key to a well-blended smoothie is to blend your greens first.
In the beginning, you may want to choose spinach or romaine lettuce, as these are mild-tasting.
You will not be able to taste them after you add the fruit.
After you have been drinking green smoothies awhile, you may want to experiment with other greens or even sprouts.
To begin, you will first want to place about 2 cups of liquid in the blender.
For the initial liquid, you can use water, kefir, milk, juice, or thin yogurt.
Water is a great choice if you are following a vegan diet.
Using low-fat yogurt or kefir as the liquid can be a great-tasting way to add probiotics to your diet.
After the liquid, fill the blender with your freshly washed greens.
Blend on high until all the greens are liquefied.
Blending your greens first helps ensure a smoother texture, even if you are using a less expensive blender.
After the greens have been processed, you can then proceed with adding fruits and other ingredients.
I like to use 2-3 different fruits, including one that is frozen.
You don't even need to peel fruits like apples or pears, just slice and remove any seeds.
This is a great way to add extra fiber to your diet.
If you desire a sweeter smoothie, you can add a ripe banana.
You can also blend up a couple of Medjool dates to sweeten it naturally.
Just be sure to remove the pit.
A small amount of honey or agave nectar will also do the trick.
In just five minutes a day, you can make a nourishing green smoothie for breakfast, a light lunch, or even a snack.
It truly couldn't be much easier.
A green smoothie is a simple and delicious way of providing your body with the nutrients and minerals it needs to stay healthy and strong.