We’ve all heard how amazing green smoothies are for you. But how many of you have actually tried them?
I realize that the idea of drinking veggies, especially those that are green, is rather unappealing. To say I wasn’t put off by the ingredients I was seeing in all of the recipes, would be a lie. So why didn’t I just stick to the fruit smoothies I had been drinking for months? They taste (and look) sooo much better! Let me show you why I stopped fruit smoothies.
This is mostly for the ladies, but some men have it too, so bear with me….you know that pooch we all have on our lower abdomen? The one that we can never seem to get rid of? Well, for the ladies, this is a place where all of our stress hormones like to hang out. For me, this is also a place that any and all sugar accumulates. So despite eating healthy with minimal artificial sugar, I was bloating everyday around my mid section with no obvious explanation.
Let’s think about it….fruit is what a lot of health experts recommend eating when you crave something sweet….because fruit has natural sugar in it….but natural sugar can’t be bad for you, can it?! 😳
Yes and no.
I agree that eating fruit is a necessary aspect in being healthy, as well as a great way to fight off those pesky cravings. However, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. If you eat any kind of sugar in excess, it can be bad for you.
Hence why I stopped drinking fruit smoothies. Limit sugar from all sources=no more bloated belly.
So what do I drink then? Just greens can’t taste good! 😵 And your right! They don’t! And they don’t blend well either! Which is why I do put some fruit in my smoothies! 😏
🔹1 packed cup frozen spinach
🔹1 loose cup frozen kale
🔹1 cup frozen green apple (chopped)
🔹1 cup frozen pear (chopped)
🔹4-5 cucumber slices
🔹1 cup water
🔹1 handful unfrozen spinach (added at time of blending, optional)
🔹1/2 banana
🔹1-3 tbsp ground cinnamon (to taste)
Isn’t it hard to cut that every morning?! Nope!
It’s all about the prep! I make up these little bags every Sunday night then freeze them! It takes me about 45 minutes from washing, chopping, and bagging. But cuts my time in the morning by 20 minutes! Yay for 20 extra minutes of sleep! Here are some tips from my many trials and errors:
🔸Put the first 4 ingredients from about into the bags. Add all other ingredients fresh.
🔸Double bag to help prevent freezer burn. Place the inside bag in upside down and slightly open so any moisture can escape. Put a small paper towel in the bottom of the insulating bag to catch the moisture.
🔸Add the fresh, unfrozen ingredients first. I’ve found this helps distribute the flavors better. No one wants to do the cinnamon challenge with their smoothie.
🔸Blend forever. Unless you like your smoothies chunky. Once it starts to look smooth, blend another 10 seconds or so. Trust me.
But why should you drink these crazy concoctions? Google provides a variety of sites with tons of reasons, but here are the benefits I’ve personally experienced. It’s not motivating to read a boring scientific article anyways. 😉
🔹Weight loss: In the first 2 weeks, I lost 4 pounds and kept it off. I had a smoothie for breakfast with some wheat toast or an English muffin. Otherwise, I made no other lifestyle changes. I would like to think they’ve continued to help me lose weight since I started drinking the most, but I have changed a few other things, so you decide.
🔹Improved skin: I’ve struggled with acne my whole life, and have some scars to prove it. My skin has never looked or felt better! All of the vitamins and nutrients really do wonders for your skin! Not only has my acne improved, some of the scarring has faded, and I have this healthy glow in all of skin!
🔹Less snacking: I feel fuller longer during the morning, which definitely helps me avoid snacking before lunch. It starts my day in a healthy way, so I’m more motivated to not negate it with junk food.
🔹Good dose of fruits, veggies, and nutrients: because who has time to stick to the food pyramid anymore?
…and a TON of other things! I highly recommend trying green smoothie so. It takes some getting used to, but your health is worth it! Stick with them and tweak the recipe to suit you and your body! 💪🏻
What are your favorite smoothie recipes?
Xoxo.
