Even though eating a vegetarian diet seems like it would be healthy, it is just as easy to over eat and consume bad calories. Recently I came across several references to green smoothies that promise better health.
The concept is the best things for you to eat are whole foods. Apples versus apple juice for example. A green smoothie is a combination of 4-6 fruits and vegetables mixed together in a blender with a little water. This will give you between 24 and 40 oz of smoothie. Consume one of these a day and you will be getting your full RDA of vegetables, calcium (depending on your vegetable choice), and more fiber than you can think. They are easy to drink, will often end up replacing a meal or two, reduce your calorie intake and provide energy all day long.
the trick is the balance and choice of fruits and vegetables. I recommend spinach as your main vegetable (I use about 1 - 1.5 cups a day), but you can just as easily use lettuce, kale, chard or any other leafy green. Combine 40% greens with 60% your choice of fruits. I personally like berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), bananas (makes them creamy), oranges and apples. I have tried cantaloupe and mango as well.
Mix them well in a blender. Depending on what texture you like you might be able to use the blender you already have, but if you want a really smooth drink, you will need to get a BlendTec blender. In the two weeks I have added these to my diet, I have stopped drinking soda altogether and lost over 7 lbs with no other change to my exercise regime or diet. Experiment, give it a shot and remember the following tips:
- 40% green, 60% fruit
- This is fiber people…start slow and build up.
- Make a fresh one everyday as they don’t keep well after 24 hours.
- Use different ingredients everyday.
Read more on www.rawfamily.com and www.greensmoothiegirl.com.
