What if you could drink a magick potion that would revitalize you, clear your system of unwanted toxins, and take less than 13 minutes to make? Green Smoothies can do just that, and much more.
1. All you need is a blender and an open mind.
The great thing about green smoothies is that it doesn’t require much to get started. (You could invest in a Vitamix for silky-smooth shakes, but that’s totally optional.) My biggest suggestion is to give green smoothies a try before you get a better blender. That way you’ll be convinced of their effectiveness.
2. Green Smoothies are quick to make.
If you’re in a rush you can get a green smoothie ready and blended in less than 13 minutes. You can just blend and go while you drink the green smoothie on the run. You could even make a green smoothie ahead of time. Then store half of it in the refrigerator using a glass mason jar and it will still taste great one day later.
3. You get a steady stream of energy. (No crashing!)
You won’t experience the up-and-down spikes that you might from an all fruit smoothie when you make it a green one. That’s because the fiber rich greens slow down the absorption of fruit sugars, providing you with just the right amount of energy and nutrition at a pace that your body really loves.
4. Green smoothies can be enjoyed year round.
When your garden is overflowing with greens, just whip up a couple of batches of green smoothies and enjoy these inexpensive nutritional drinks. You can also benefit from green smoothies in the winter, by using frozen fruits and greens that you might have preserved from the summer. Green smoothies provide you with a lot of options all year round.
5. Green smoothies are ideal for weight loss.
Whenever you feel a craving coming on, make yourself a green smoothie instead of indulging your craving. (If you’re having a lot of trouble with cravings, consider hiring me to do a Magick Power Session and we’ll eliminate them together.) Green smoothies help cut cravings because they are satisfying and provide your body with tons of nutrition.
6. Greens are the most Under-appreciated Superfoods.
We all know green tea is great as an antioxidant. What is green tea made of, if it’s not greens? Skip the middleman and just increase your intake of greens. Green leafy veggies are great because they have tons of cancer fighting properties, immune system boosting vitamins and minerals. Upping green leaf intake has been shown to reduce heart disease and prevent other degenerative diseases. That’s what I call super. To find out more about greens, get my free special report.
7. Satisfy every taste bud.
If you have a sweet tooth you’ll enjoy making green smoothies with lots of fruit. If you want something a little edgier, you can add some Raw Chocolate powder and make it a nutritiously devious dessert. If you want to replace a meal, you can make savory green smoothies using ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and even spices to make it a satisfying hearty meal.
Fancy a bowl of a witch’s green magick goop?
8. You Get to be a Modern Witch
Modern witches use blenders to make their magick potions, because cauldrons are so 13th century. Making green smoothies is a lot like casting a spell or making a magick potion. It brings out the childlike qualities in all of us, and it even sets the magick of healing in motion. I like to eat my green smoothies in a bowl with a spoon, because it’s even more like a witch’s mysterious bubbly concoction.
9. Get your daily portion of fruit and vegetables.
One green smoothie probably contains more fruits and vegetables than most average Americans eat in a day. It’s one of the easiest ways of increasing your fruit and veggie intake. Plus you don’t need to carry an easily bruised banana around.
10. Chock full of amino acids.
If you’re worried that you’re not getting enough protein, increase your green smoothie intake. The more greens you eat, the more amino acids that you provide your body with. Your body uses these amino acids to produce protein.
11. Indulge your creativity and experiment.
You can throw almost any fruits or veggies into your blender and it will turn out tasting pretty good. (It helps if you follow some basic guidelines, of course.) Green smoothies give you the flexibility to create your own recipes, but they’re also a great way to use up leftovers.
12. Green smoothies are chimney sweepers for your body.
Over time, food that doesn’t get digested properly can get stuck in your system and become a burden on your elimination organs. Green smoothies act as a chimney sweeping brush to flush out all that toxic waste. The more green smoothies you drink, the cleaner your bowels will become, and the better your elimination. If you want to feel great, make it easy for your body to take the trash out. Oh, and that helps with releasing weight too!
13. Green smoothies are a great addition to any eating plan.
What I like about green smoothies is that they can act as a “gateway drug” to raw foods. It’s so easy to just add a green smoothie to your current diet. There’s no reason not to give it a try. If after a couple of months you’re feeling great, you might choose to increase your raw food intake a little. That, my friend, is the power of green smoothies.
The Basic Green Smoothie Recipe
Feel free to use this basic green smoothie base and experiment. (Remember #11!)
- 2 Bananas
- 1 Peach
- 5 Strawberries
- Handful Spinach (increase greens gradually over time, and you’ll find you crave more of them!)
- 1 cup water
After you make your first green smoothie, you’ll want to learn about trying new recipes and rotating your greens here.
What Are YOUR Favorite Green Smoothies Recipes?
I’d love to hear what your favorite green smoothie recipes are! I know there are tons of variations out there, but which one is YOUR favorite?
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My favorite green smoothie is mango, peach and parsley. I love the fresh taste the parsley gives it.
My favorite green smoothie is mango, peach and parsley. I love the fresh taste the parsley gives it.
I have been drinking for a couple years now- frozen blueberries, frozen banana, milk, yogurt, spinach and ground flax seed. I know I should have variety but I love it so!
I have been drinking for a couple years now- frozen blueberries, frozen banana, milk, yogurt, spinach and ground flax seed. I know I should have variety but I love it so!
Sounds like a nice mix. Definitely try switching at least the greens every few days… you don't want to become allergic to spinach. ;)
Sounds like a nice mix. Definitely try switching at least the greens every few days… you don't want to become allergic to spinach. ;)
I have had one green smoothie so far…spinch, banana and soy milk. Shared it with my adult daughter -WOW it was awesome! How long will a green smoothie last? Will it hold its thickness if I take it to work for lunch? (Noticed the spinach taste got stronger over night)
I have had one green smoothie so far…spinch, banana and soy milk. Shared it with my adult daughter -WOW it was awesome! How long will a green smoothie last? Will it hold its thickness if I take it to work for lunch? (Noticed the spinach taste got stronger over night)
Hi Amanda! Glad you liked your first green smoothie. :) I think a green smoothie is best within the first 24 hours, stored in a sealed tight container in the refrigerator. One trick I like to use is to put all the ingredients for a smoothie in my blender, then put the blender container in my fridge and just take it out and blend in the morning. :)
Hi Amanda! Glad you liked your first green smoothie. :) I think a green smoothie is best within the first 24 hours, stored in a sealed tight container in the refrigerator. One trick I like to use is to put all the ingredients for a smoothie in my blender, then put the blender container in my fridge and just take it out and blend in the morning. :)
I am new to green smoothies, raw food, and this website: all of which I am very excited about!
My question is : can you recommend some combinations for the following fruits/veggies :
mango, strawberries, pineapple, papaya, arugula, parsley, cilantro, romaine, oranges, apples, bananas.
These are the smoothie friendly (I hope) items I have in my fridge. Also, I want my 3.5 and 1.5 year old children to enjoy them too!
I am new to green smoothies, raw food, and this website: all of which I am very excited about!
My question is : can you recommend some combinations for the following fruits/veggies :
mango, strawberries, pineapple, papaya, arugula, parsley, cilantro, romaine, oranges, apples, bananas.
These are the smoothie friendly (I hope) items I have in my fridge. Also, I want my 3.5 and 1.5 year old children to enjoy them too!
I am new to green smoothies, raw food, and this website: all of which I am very excited about!
My question is : can you recommend some combinations for the following fruits/veggies :
mango, strawberries, pineapple, papaya, arugula, parsley, cilantro, romaine, oranges, apples, bananas.
These are the smoothie friendly (I hope) items I have in my fridge. Also, I want my 3.5 and 1.5 year old children to enjoy them too
Hi Tammy! The beauty of raw food is that you can just throw stuff in the blender and adjust course if it doesn't taste like you want it to. I suggest start with 1 or 2 fruits and some greens then go from there. Mango, and strawberry is a great combo, so is banana papaya.
Have fun experimenting!
Hi Tammy! The beauty of raw food is that you can just throw stuff in the blender and adjust course if it doesn't taste like you want it to. I suggest start with 1 or 2 fruits and some greens then go from there. Mango, and strawberry is a great combo, so is banana papaya.
Have fun experimenting!
I have been drinking green smoothies for almost 3 years now and love my blendtec. I use red grapes or pineapple/mango to sweeten my green smoothies. I put the following organic veggies in all my green smoothies: carrots, parsley, celery, beet, cucumber and switch between spinach and kale and add 1 tablespoon of flaxoil. Tastes really great!
My one and only fruit smoothie we have sometimes for breakfast goes like this: 2 cups frozen strawberries, 2 cups blueberries, hand full of walnuts or 3 tablespoons of flax seeds, 1/2 cup yogurt and some non flavored protein powder. Enjoy.
I have been drinking green smoothies for almost 3 years now and love my blendtec. I use red grapes or pineapple/mango to sweeten my green smoothies. I put the following organic veggies in all my green smoothies: carrots, parsley, celery, beet, cucumber and switch between spinach and kale and add 1 tablespoon of flaxoil. Tastes really great!
My one and only fruit smoothie we have sometimes for breakfast goes like this: 2 cups frozen strawberries, 2 cups blueberries, hand full of walnuts or 3 tablespoons of flax seeds, 1/2 cup yogurt and some non flavored protein powder. Enjoy.
Thanks so much for sharing what your daily smoothies look like! :)
Thanks so much for sharing what your daily smoothies look like! :)
My blender shattered the first time I tried a green smoothie. :( Now I'm scared to try again.
What type of blender do you have? The other trick here is to keep in mind that you need to add in enough water to get it to blend… also if you're using frozen fruit your blender better be able to handle it. ;) That's why the vitamix gets such a good rap. ;)
I tried my first green smoothie last week (I'm just starting out on raw foods) and it was so good! I love spinach, anyway, and this is a great way to get more of it in my diet…especially for breakfast! I've started out with two bananas, spinach, a handful of blueberries and some ground flax and chia seeds with some wheat germ thrown in…very filling!
I am new to green smoothies, but I am now obsessed with them! The only greens I have tried in my smoothies are spinach and brocolli. Can anyone give me other ideas for greens to throw in there, and also, why is it so important to mix up the greens that you use? If I could I would use spinach every day! Thanks.
Hi! I started replying to your comment and realized I had too much to fit in one little comment. So I wrote a blog post answering your questions here: http://rawfoodswitch.com/fruits-vegetables-nuts…
I'm late to this party, but just started green smoothies a week ago. I am feeling great, for the most part. I use a “Magic Bullet,” which works very well with the smoothies. I chop up my grains first with a knife and put the ingredients in that way. It takes a little longer than one of the big blenders, but since I can't afford one, this works great! (I'm not sure when we bought this contraption…we've had it for some time.)
The only downfall to this method (besides the chopping) is that I can only make one serving at a time. That gives me a lot of leeway to experiment with different recipes. (I'm a silver-lining girl.)
Thanks for your site, Natalie.
I think a magic bullet is great – though go easy on it, since I've burned out more than one magic bullet in my time. ;) I'm so glad you're experimenting with these – and don't worry, you're never too late to give green smoothies a twirl!
I've been juicing for a while today, and love the green ones. But haven't tried a green smoothie before… I think that's next on the list :) Loved the point about green smoothies being “chimney sweepers for your body.”
Thanks John, and woohoo for our mutual love of greens. ;)
I am still in my first week of having green smoothies and I love them! I do find my body craves for them. I have 1 for breakfast – 1 for lunch – and the last 2 days I’ve had one after dinner!! My kids have had smoothies with me at breakfast and lunch – and then I share my blender full of green smoothie at night with my husband!
I need to work on rotating greens – and fruits too. I have found something we all like and to get the kids really on the green smoothie kick I’ve stuck to the recipe I know they’ll like. I also dont’ buy everything organic – not sure if that is good or bad. I *try* to buy organic but it doesn’t always happen. And – we are often adding frozen berries / fruits not fresh – so I’m not sure if that is bad too.
Love it tho and look forward to continuing with it!
Aww this is so awesome Erika, way to go! Definitely work on rotating the greens, and organic is good if you can… but I sometimes buy veggies from an Asian market and if I find bugs in there, then it means it’s good enough for me to eat. (No pesticides!)
How does doing green smoothies help you lose weight? Wouldn’t the calories from all the fruit add up? I’d love it if I could lose some weight. I love the smoothies and am doing it for the health benefits but weight loss would be good too.
Also – does it work to replace breakfast and lunch with them? I was wondering if I should be eating something else at those times. I’ve been trying to supplement with raw snacks or nuts/seeds of some sort if I get hungry. I am trying to eat a normal portion regular meal then for supper.
Weight loss will take place because green smoothies are simple to digest, are high fiber, and very cleansing. The fruit may add up, but you can swap out the bananas for other other fruits and keep it fresh and different.
You can definitely replace breakfast with a green smoothie, and there was a women named Valerie Winters who fasted on green smoothies to lose massive amounts of weight (she was morbidly obese).. her site is gone, but here’s an article about it: http://www.wellsphere.com/raw-food-article/raw-food-blog-review-green-smoothie-experiment/434867
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