Green Smoothies Rock!

[Ninu]

I AM ALL IN ON THIS CHALLENGE.  I already have a green smoothie every morning for breakfast.  Pat's basic recipe that consists of a few handfuls of greens (I go for kale, spinach and parsley most often), a fat source (I use salmon oil plus coconut oil), some nutrient dense add-ons (for me, it's spirulina and free form amino acids), some herbs (I use fresh herbs plus a couple drops of either oregano oil or basil oil) and some fruits (always bananas, plus whatever else is fresh - right now it's papaya, tangelo and passion fruit; frozen berries if there is nothing fresh available).  This makes a great smoothie that keeps you feeling fed all morning.  When I can get ripe avocado I also add that, it makes the drink creamy.  I make two quarts, drink one at home and take the other to work for sipping as the morning evolves.  

THE BENEFITS of this breakfast:

You get lots of energy from the fast burning fruits.

You get tons of minerals from the greens, bananas, and spirulina.  This gives you strong bones and teeth,  and it is calming to your nerves and prevents muscle spasms.  Coffee makes you anxious, spastic and dehydrated - what a terrible way to start your engine!  Try a green smoothie instead.

The herbs and berries are rich in phytonutrients that have antioxidant and anticancer propeties.  

You get healthy fats into your diet painlessly.  The coconut oil gives you medium chain triglycerides which are essential to a healthy brain, and the salmon oil has the Omega 3 oils DHA and EPA, healthy for your heart, your eyes and your nervous system.  Incidentally, the fats are what makes this smoothie keep you from feeling hungry all morning.  The avocado amplifies this satisfaction effect.  Avocado also gives you a natural source of CoQ10, which is good for your heart and your mitochondria, which increases your energy!

The fruits are rich in water soluble vitamins (B vitamins and C).   

This is a low calorie way to start the day that provides you with lots of nutrients.  Many low calorie drinks include caffeine, chemical flavorings, artificial sweeteners and other additives.  Making your own smoothies allows you to control the content of what you drink and keep it healthy.  If you are trying to loose weight you might want to add protein powder so that your body will build muscle instead of burn muscle to make up for the lack of calories in your diet.  The goal is to burn fat, not muscle.  

Anyone who has a hard time swallowing pills can use a green smoothie with liquid or powdered vitamins/nutraceuticals/pharmaceuticals in it.  That way you get what you need without swallowing pills and without tasting anything yucky (the greens and the fruit mask almost any flavor).  

And best of all, it's DELICIOUS.  Your kids will not know that they are taking their vitamins and eating their spinach, they think this stuff is candy!  Yum!