Green Smoothie: Why is it so healthy?

Why is the green smoothie the champion of the kitchen?

Because he is a champion in the amount of vitamins - wins all other smoothies, a champion in the amount of minerals he contains, a champion in the levels of chlorophyll that regenerates our cells and revives them, a champion in his high amount of dietary fiber that is so important for our digestive function.

What does the green smoothie contain?

The green smoothie usually contains fruit from the fruits of the season: it can be an apple, pear, persimmon, clementine, kiwi, banana, orange and any other fruit you like. For those who love the tropical fruits and do not have a special sensitivity to them, it is possible and even desirable to add them to the smoothie: fruits like pineapple, papaya and mango will upgrade the smoothies and make them a real delicacy. Some green vegetables are added to this fruit: zucchini, cucumber, chicory, kohlrabi or kale, and the most important ingredient is the green leaves. Green leaves refer to all types of green leaves available: coriander, parsley, dill, lettuce, arugula leaves, rocket leaves, endive, kale leaves, chard leaves, spinach leaves, sprouts and more. It is important that the leaves will be organic in order to avoid consuming of many pesticides into the body. The last ingredient is water, depending on the desired dilution level. For starters I would recommend going for a combination of green leaves with banana and date.

The magic of green leaves

Imagine a situation where you come to a party and the refreshments are green smoothies, lots of sprouts and green leafy salads. You'll probably be disappointed. The passion for stimulating foods such as sugar, coffee and white flour, indicates that the internal balance in our body has been upset. The human body has changed in recent years and we have started to love more stimulating foods than natural and unprocessed foods. It is clear to everyone that it is not possible to lead a healthy and prosperous life if we eat only chocolate and pasta. In contrast, most people will not agree to eat boring or bitter foods that will improve their well-being and health, even if they suffer from a life-threatening illness. Many keep asking, "What can we eat to get better health?". The green smoothie allows us to regain the ability to love and crave healthy foods, even though we have developed strong and unnatural desires. The green smoothie is not only nutritious, it is also delicious and even children love it. The widespread belief that green leaves are a food suitable for rabbits, sheep and cows has prevented us from bringing them into our meals on a regular basis. Also, the taste of green leaves is bitter compared to the taste of root vegetables for example which is sweet and other foods that are rich in sugar and therefore more attractive. Despite the bitter taste and the opinion that green leaves are animal food, green leaves should be treated as a food group in their own because the amount and variety of the enormous nutritional values in them, and here are just a few examples to illustrate this:

• An interesting fact is that the amount of calcium in beet leaves is 7 times higher than the amount of calcium in the beet root.
• Another interesting fact is that the amount of vitamin A found in beet leaves is 192 times higher than the amount of this vitamin in the root itself.
• In turnips, for example, the amount of vitamin K is 2,500 times higher in the leaves than in the root.
• The amount of vitamin C found in parsley leaves is 8 times higher than the amount of this vitamin in the parsley root.

In addition, eating large amounts of green vegetables provides our body with a plenty of proteins. These proteins are in the form of individual amino acids that are easier to utilize by the body, compared to the proteins that come from the animal source in their complex form. Take for example the kale cabbage leaves that can be found in any organic store today and are considered as superfood. In half a kilogram of kale cabbage leaves you can find a wide variety of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) in an amount that exceeds the recommended daily allowance for a person. At the top of chicory leaves, for example, you can find 204 mg of tyrosine (amino acid), compared to 222 mg of tyrosine in one serving of chicken. Thus, the good news for vegans and vegetarians is that eating a wide variety of green leaves can certainly provide the full amount of protein needed, and therefore is a source of quality protein that our body needs in order to maintain good health.

The green smoothie is an energy pill for the body

The smoothie is rich in vitamins and minerals, and therefore raises energy levels and vitality. It is very difficult to maintain a proper balance of acid and base in the body. Improper acidity balance is a fertile ground for the development of infections and diseases. The green leaves establish our body systems, thus balancing acidity levels and reducing and even preventing inflammation and disease development. The green smoothie is rich in chlorophyll, which is the liquid form of solar energy and hence its importance. Chlorophyll has many health benefits: improves blood counts, provides iron to the body's organs, neutralizes toxins consumed in food, helps cleanse the liver, accelerates wound healing, restores blood vessels, reduces inflammatory pain and balances bacterial levels.

The green smoothie is also rich in dietary fiber that is nature's wonder sponge. The green leaves contain insoluble fiber, these are also found in legumes and nuts. If we look at the insoluble fibers under a microscope it seems that they look like a sponge. Each piece of them can absorb an amount of toxins that is much larger than its volume. The insoluble fiber catches the toxins and removes them from the body. Through adequate intake of insoluble dietary fiber we are basically opening the door to allow the body to get rid of toxins in the easy and natural way. Here are just a few of the dietary fiber’s functions:

• Absorb toxins and take them out.
• Prevent diabetes.
• Lower cholesterol levels.
• Strengthen the immune system.
• Maintain intestinal health.
• Relieves constipation.
• Prevents the formation of gallstones.
• Prevent many types of cancer.
• Helps increase the feeling of satiety and hunger.

An interesting point to think about is that animal source foods do not contain any dietary fiber at all.

A recipe for a green smoothie

So, here's the recipe for the simplest and most delicious green smoothie you can already bring into your kitchen and try:

The ingredients:

• Fruit: Banana and pear.
• Vegetable: Zucchini.
• Green leaves: lettuce leaves.
• Glass of water.

Preparation:

Put everything in a blender, pour and drink. How simple, how healthy! The smoothie can be upgraded with super foods that are rich in nutrients and antioxidants, such as goji berry strawberries, maki berry powder or chia seeds, thus tripling the amount of nutrients that we consume. Hope you are convinced, ready to try?

The author of the article is Dr. Adi Goldenberg, a naturopath, who owns a clinic in Tel Aviv and guides people in detoxification processes to improve health and in the processes of weight loss and diet. For a series of videos on Adi's formula for achieving a healthy, happy and light body, click here.