The Best Green Smoothie Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the best greens to put in a smoothie? ›

Start with mild-flavored greens - Spinach, lettuces, zucchini, broccoli, and cucumber make good starter greens since they have gentle flavors. Then work your way up to more potent varieties like kale, chard, cabbage, sprouts, and peppery arugula.

Many people have found that adding smoothies to their daily routine helps to curb their cravings for unhealthy foods. Smoothies that contain green vegetables like kale and celery provide many health benefits. Here is some information about why drinking a green smoothie a day is good for your mind and body.

Green smoothies are nutrient-rich blends of fruits and vegetables. They've become a popular way for people to meet their recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals. Unlike juices, green smoothies retain the beneficial fiber content from whole foods.

Breakfast is best

Drinking your green juice on an empty stomach is therefore the best option, and there's no better time to do it than first thing in the morning, at least an hour before or after a coffee too, to avoid any acidic interaction with the juice.

Green smoothies can be a great source of nutrients. They can also help you to feel full and encourage your body to burn fat. The best green smoothies for weight loss are low in calories and high in fiber and protein. They may include ingredients like spinach, almond milk, blueberries, and avocado.

Shai's team had dieters swap the meat from a Mediterranean dinner for one green smoothie made with nutrient-rich aquatic plants, similar to seaweed, to boost their daily polyphenol intake. The results: People who did this daily lost more weight and more belly inches than those on a standard American diet.

The answer is yes, absolutely. Green smoothies are still a great way to get the nutrients your body craves. But, as with anything else, be mindful of your choices — rotate your ingredients, wash produce thoroughly and allow yourself a few “smoothie-free” days every week so you can try other nutrient-dense foods.

Beyond perhaps taste, fruit salads are superior to smoothie bowls in every way. Science has shown a medley of fresh, chewable fruit is more filling than slurping down a blended bowl of icy slush.

Are green smoothies full of sugar? ›

Smoothies are high in sugar

Even if they have some added vegetables like spinach or kale, they are still likely to be high in sugar.

Concerningly, green smoothies may also have adverse effects on the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland requires the mineral iodine to produce thyroid hormones. Cruciferous vegetables—common ingredients in green smoothies—contain compounds called glucosinolates, which inhibit iodine uptake by the thyroid.

Arugula, kale, butterhead lettuce, and Swiss chard are just some examples of nutritious and delicious greens you can use as spinach substitutes.

Some of the most nutritious greens include spinach, kale, romaine, watercress, and arugula (see "Salad greens by the numbers"). They are rich in a combination of vitamins A, C, and K; several B vitamins (including folate); and potassium.