Benefits of adding Greens to your Smoothie

You should be eating a variety of leafy greens on a daily basis and tossing them in your smoothie is an great way to do that. They're packed with nutrition, fiber and antioxidants that offer a wide range of health benefits from dieting and disease prevention to lowered blood pressure. Before we dive in, we need to know what green smoothies are exactly.

                      

What are Green Smoothies?

Green smoothies are smoothies containing a nutrient-rich blend of fruits and green vegetables. Basically, they are smoothies in which greens leafy veggies are added into. They have become a way for a lot of people to meet their recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals towards retaining a beneficial fiber content from whole foods. 

Balanced diet is a crucial component to staying healthy. One of the main things you need to focus on when dieting, maybe for weight loss, is increasing the number of fruits and vegetables you consume daily. Consuming these fruits and vegetables in smoothie is a great way to make being healthy easier. Not only are green smoothies great for adults, they can be used to help children get healthy as well. 

Green smoothies usually combine leafy greens like spinach, kale, lettuce, beet greens

celery, parley and microgreens amongst others with a base liquid like water, at their most basic form. There are tons of combinations that improve its flavor and make up for a bitter tasting smoothie, some of which are 

Fruits such as apple, banana, avocado, or pineapple 

Natural sweeteners; like honey or dates.

Creamy additions like yogurt, dairy or non-dairy milk

Nuts almond or peanut 

You can see that adding greens doesn't have to be bitter or uninteresting. However, care has to be taken when combining these ingredients to ensure a balanced smoothie in terms of calorie, sugar and fat content. Therefore, it is best to measure your portions so you know what’s in your drink. Also, The taste of greens in smoothies are often mild but can be bitter depending on how much is added. With a high water content though, you can’t usually taste greens in smoothies.

Benefits of adding Greens to your Smoothie.

Now, what benefits can one derive from consuming leafy greens in their smoothie?Leafy greens in your smoothie can provide health benefits like: 

Weight Loss

One smoothie per day can help us lose weight without skipping any meal, and replacing a meal everyday with a green smoothie can also help reduce overall calorie intake,while simultaneously increasing your energy levels and helping you maintain regular bowel movements. As a low-fat, low-sugar diet, green smoothies also provide fresh nutrients to your cells and extra bulk from the fiber increases your satiety and makes you feel full. So, make sure to include green smoothies in your weight loss diet.

Improves Digestive Health

Green smoothies are naturally alkaline. The insoluble fiber in leafy green vegetables help food to pass through your digestive system, reducing issues like diarrhea, constipation, heartburn,acid reflux and bloating. Fibrous foods also help you to feel fuller for longer, which can aid in meeting weight-loss goals. When compared to chewing, greens are easier to digest when pureed in a smoothie.

For skin Glow & Healthy Hair

Drinking green smoothies can make your skin and hair look healthier and stronger. Green smoothies are filled with vitamins C and E, as well as antioxidants and fiber that are natural beauty enhancers. Many fruits and vegetables such as oranges, pineapples, broccoli, blueberries, strawberries and spinach used in smoothies are considered as the best anti-aging ingredients, and incorporating these natural ingredients to your daily diet can help reduce the signs of aging, clear up acne and keep us hydrated, thereby giving your skin a soft and dewy look.

Lowers Cholesterol Levels 

Bile acid sequestrants are compounds used in medicine to lower cholesterol and are found naturally in leafy greens. Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels keeps fatty deposits from building up on your artery walls, reducing your risk of heart disease. 

Better detoxification

Green smoothies are rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, all of which can help to detox the body and remove harmful toxins. The nutrition in green smoothies essentially help the body’s own natural detoxification systems. 

Immunity Support

Leafy greens are much higher in vitamin C than other vegetables. Vitamin C is known to support the immune system, fight infection, and help maintain healthy cellular function throughout our bodies. You can optimize your green smoothies for immune health by specifically adding nutrient-dense immune-boosting foods such as ginger, turmeric, yogurt and citrus fruit.

Lower Risk of Chronic Disease

Leafy greens in smoothies are high in antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamin C, which help to prevent and may even reverse oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals occur naturally but increase due to lifestyle and environmental factors, and the damage they cause to our cells is linked with chronic issues like inflammation, heart disease, and cancer.