15 Refreshing and Colorful Benefits of Green Smoothies

Were you one of those picky kids, finicky about eating your vegetables, especially the green ones? That is not uncommon among kids, teens and young adults. But it becomes really tragic when it is a pattern that lasts a life time. Getting more green vegetables into your diet is essential for better health. The refreshing and colorful benefits of green smoothies promote and facilitate the healthier habit of eating your veggies. In fact, most of the time, you won’t even taste them.

What Kinds of Ingredients do Green Smoothies Have?

Green smoothies are known mostly for their color – green. However, there is a lot of leeway in terms of precisely what can be added into a green smoothie for it to still qualify as one.

All manner of veggies and a surprising number of fruits make the cut for inclusion in a good green smoothie. But, there are a number of more inventive additions many have tried with success.

Here are a few common options:

• Vegetables and Greens – Spinach, kale, zucchini, celery, broccoli, parsley, mint, etc.
• Fruits – Grapes, kiwis, melons, apples, etc.
• Seeds – Chia, hemp, pecans, peanuts, almonds, etc.

Where our 15 benefits of green smoothies can help provide the nutrition your body needs to prevent or in some cases eliminate certain health conditions, they are not all inclusive. More serious issues and long-term therapies need to be discussed with a health care professional.

15 Delicious Benefits of Green Smoothies

Increased Energy

One of the top benefits of green smoothies, which will motivate you to give them a try, includes increased energy.

What to do:

• Halve, peel and remove the pit of 1 avocado;
• Remove the stems of 4 leaves of kale;
• Halve, peel and core 1 apple;
• Combine ½ avocado, 4 leaves of kale and ½ apple with a handful of spinach, 1 cup of coconut water and 4 or 5 fresh mint leaves;
• Blend until smooth and drink this to start your day or give you a mid-afternoon burst of energy.

How it works:

The boost in energy will come from the B vitamins and magnesium found in leafy green vegetables as well as the antioxidants which promote enhanced organ function.

Boosts Vegetable Intake

Most of us don’t eat nearly enough vegetables. Another of the benefits of green smoothies is that it makes it easier for us to boost our vegetable intake.

What to do:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups frozen spinach with 1 cup each of frozen chunks of pineapple and mango and a medium, ripe banana in a blender;
• Add in 1 cup of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or your favorite berry and 1 cup milk (cow’s, almond, soy, coconut, kefir, horchata);
• Top it off with 1 tsp of vanilla extract and a touch of sweetener, to taste (agave, stevia, honey, maple syrup);
• Blend until smooth and drink once or twice a day.

How it works:

Five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day is recommended for optimum health and a single green smoothie contains between 3 and 5 servings (or more) of fruits and vegetables.

Natural Weight Loss

There are tons of pills and diet plans claiming to help you lose weight, but are they good for your body? One of the many benefits of green smoothies is that they help with natural weight loss.

What to do:

• Combine 2 cups spinach, 2 cups cucumber, 1 stalk of celery and two cored and peeled apples;
• Add in 1/2 inch or 1 tsp ginger root, a bunch of parsley, the juice of 1 lime and ½ lemon;
• Blend the ingredients until smooth and drink 2 to 3 times a day.

How it works:

Green smoothies are not only low in calories while being high in essential nutrients, but they tend to reset your taste buds. This way, you crave their healthy flavor rather than reaching for the junk foods which add on the pounds.

Healthy Bones

Preventing bone loss, and bone health, both benefits of green smoothies, are something we need to take seriously as we age.

What to do:

• Place 1 cup of water, 1 cup of chopped dandelion greens and one peeled medium banana in a blender;
• Add in ½ cup of frozen strawberries and ½ cup of frozen blueberries;
• Top it all off with 1 Tbsp of honey and blend until it is smooth;
• Drink this smoothie daily.

How it works:

Dandelion greens contain almost three times the amount of calcium as spinach and kale and nearly double the iron, besides being rich in protein.

Boosts Immunity

More serious diseases are a concern to all of us. But among the major benefits of green smoothies, are immunity boosting properties to combat the common cold and seasonal flu.

What to do:

• Place a tightly packed cup of chopped spinach and kale in a blender;
• Add in 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk;
• Dump in ½ cup each of frozen mango, pineapple and kiwi chunks;
• Top it off with ½ tsp freshly grated ginger and the juice of ½ lemon;
• Blend until smooth and drink daily.

How it works:

Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in the combination of these fruits and vegetables are highly effective at providing the necessary nutrients to keep your immune function in tip-top shape.

Antioxidant Rich

Rich in antioxidants to help you flush your system of free-radicals and carcinogens are also among the benefits of green smoothies.

What to do:

• Combine 1 cup unsweetened almond milk with ½ of a peeled banana, 1 cup of loosely packed spinach leaves and 1 cup of hulled, frozen strawberries;
• Add in ½ tsp of matcha green tea powder and ½ cup of ice as needed;
• Blend ingredients on puree until smooth and drink 2 to 3 times a day.

How it works:

The phytonutrients in green smoothies deliver high doses of antioxidants which help to eliminate free-radicals present in the cells of your blood and vital organs.

Better Heart Health

Another item on the list of benefits of green smoothies has to do with providing better heart health.

What to do:

• To 8 oz. of water add: 1 peeled medium banana, 1 peeled and sectioned orange, 1 cup of your favorite frozen berry or mix of berries, and ¼ of a peeled and pitted avocado;
• Chop up 2 to 3 cups or large handfuls of fresh, baby spinach (or substitute a different leafy green) and add it into the mixture;
• Finish this recipe off with 1 Tbsp of ground flax seed;
• Blend until the mixture is smooth and drink it a couple times a day.

How it works:

It is well documented that fruits and vegetable help to lower blood pressure as well as regulate LDL cholesterol, which are two main contributors to better heart health.

Improved Cognitive Function

Whether you get brain fog in the middle of the afternoon at work or if you want to keep Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorders at bay, you will find improved cognitive function among the benefits of green smoothies.

What to do:

• In a blender add 6 ounces unsweetened almond milk, 1 peeled banana, one cored and peeled apple and 2 cups of fresh baby spinach;
• Add ½ to ¾ cup of ice and finish it off with a dash or two of cinnamon;
• Blend together this mixture until smooth and enjoy it for a morning or mid-afternoon boost.

How it works:

Healthier diets provide greater focus and clarity, not to mention that the vitamins and minerals give you a long-lasting boost instead of a quick high with an equally rapid crash as with coffee or caffeinated drinks.

Colon Support

Another of the long list of benefits of green smoothies is proper support for your colon.

What to do:

• Add the freshly extracted juice of 2 chopped celery stalks, 1 small chopped cucumber, 2 kale leaves, 1 handful of spinach, 1 handful of fresh parsley or cilantro, 1 peeled and sectioned lemon and 1 peeled, cored and chopped apple;
• Blend the above ingredients with 1 cup of ice and 2 tsp of chia seeds until smooth;
• Drink this a couple of times a day.

How it works:

Green smoothies not only provide lots of fiber for colon support, but they also support healthy gut flora to keep your lower GI functioning properly.

Healthier Skin

Healthier glowing skin is also one of the attractive benefits of green smoothies.

What to do:

• Into ½ cup of plain coconut water add: 2 peeled, frozen, ripe bananas, 1 cup of chopped, frozen pineapple, 1 cup of chopped, frozen mango, 2 cups of spinach or kale, and ½ of a pitted and peeled avocado;
• Finish off this mixture with 1 Tbsp of flax or chia seeds and blend until smooth;
• Drink this smoothie daily for healthy skin.

How it works:

The vitamins and minerals in green smoothies, fruits and vegetables provide the essential nutrients for regenerating and revitalizing skin tissue.

Inflammation Fighting

Inflammation is one of the most devastating conditions affecting our health. So fighting it is one of the most powerful benefits of green smoothies.

What to do:

• Into 1 cup of water or coconut water, add 3 cups of spinach, ¼ cup of cilantro, ¼ of a pineapple (with the core included), and ¼ of a peeled and pitted avocado;
• Add in 1 Tbsp of chia seeds, ½ inch (1 tsp of powder) each of ginger and turmeric and several grinds of fresh ground pepper;
• Blend the ingredients together on high speed until smooth and consume 2 to 3 times a day.

How it works:

Most fruits and vegetables have anti-inflammatory properties. But the addition of turmeric and ginger, plus the bromelain found in pineapples makes this a particularly powerful anti-inflammatory green smoothie.

Reduced PMS Symptoms

Among the shocking benefits of green smoothies comes from its ability to reduce PMS symptoms.

What to do:

• Brew and chill ½ cup of red raspberry leaf tea;
• To the brewed tea add: 1 large peeled and sectioned orange, 1 large peeled banana, 1 cup of frozen sliced peaches, and 2 cups of spinach;
• Add in 1/3 cup of plain or vanilla Greek yogurt and 1 Tbsp of flax seed;
• Blend with 1 cup of ice until smooth;
• Drink this a couple times a day as your PMS symptoms approach.

How it works:

A blend of fruits and vegetables like those above helps to provide the nutritional support to maintain proper hormone balance when your PMS symptoms are at their worst.

Better Eye Health

Seeing your way to the benefits of green smoothies can help provide better eye health.

What to do:

• Combine together 2 cups of freshly extracted red grape juice, 1 cup of fresh spinach and ½ to 1 cup of fresh basil or cilantro;
• Add in ½ cup of ice and blend on high speed until smooth;
• Drink this smoothie twice a day.

How it works:

Green smoothies are rich in the phytonutrients beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and resveratrol. All of these contribute to optimal eye health.

Combat Seasonal Allergies

Seasonal allergies don’t have to get the upper hand once you’ve been sold on the benefits of green smoothies.

What to do:

• Into 3 cups of ice water add: 2 cups stinging nettles, 1 cup spinach, 2 peeled and cored apples, 2 peeled bananas;
• Finish it off with a ½ inch long piece of fresh, grated ginger root;
• Also add in 2 Tbsp of raw honey produced in your local area;
• Blend the mixture until smooth and consume a couple of times a day.

How it works:

Besides the antioxidant qualities in the greens and fruits used in this smoothie, the addition of raw honey from the local region help to build up resistance to the affects of the allergens which aggravate you seasonally.

Alkalizing

Keeping the pH of your blood on the alkaline rather than the acidic side, wraps up our list of the benefits of green smoothies.

What to do:

• To 3/4 cup of raw coconut water add: 2 cups of firmly packed baby spinach, 1 cup raw young thai coconut meat, 1 medium, pitted and peeled avocado, ½ of a peeled English cucumber, 2 medium, peeled and sectioned limes.
• Finish off by adding 1 tsp of lime zest, 20 drop of alcohol-free liquid stevia, a pinch of Himalayan salt.
• Blend with 1 cup of ice cubes until smooth and drink this a couple times a day.

How it works:

Green smoothies provide the necessary vitamins and minerals used by your body to naturally maintain a proper pH balance.

Going Green

We’ve listed on 15 benefits of green smoothies, which are both a refreshing and colorful part of better health. Trying out these smoothie recipes in order to overcome or prevent your health issues and challenges can give you an upper hand on feeling and being your best.

Regardless of what objective you have in mind, you can’t help but benefit from the loads of nutrients in green smoothies. Tell us about your favorite green smoothie recipes and success stories in the comments section below.

Images from depositphotos.com.