Green smoothies are everywhere these days, and for good reason. Green smoothies can be a great way to get in extra nutrients in a quick, portable, delicious format, and can be a great bridge to getting people to consume more veggies. But some green smoothies are marketed as “healthy” and are anything but. That’s why I developed my “magic” smoothie formula. It’s the key to making healthy, delicious, and filling smoothies … as a result, you feel amazing and keep you off the blood sugar roller coaster. Enjoy!
7 Critical Ingredients for Your Healthy Green Smoothie
- Vegetables. Include at least one giant handful of romaine, spinach, kale, cauliflower (frozen cauliflower “rice” or fresh steamed cauliflower are great!), carrots, celery, beet, or pumpkin. Scared? Start small, and move up over time! Watch my webinar here for strategies to include veggies in your smoothies and to get my 20 favorite green smoothie recipes!
- Protein. Including a source of protein in your smoothie is a great way to ensure you’re supporting your lean muscle mass (which helps you burn fat!). It rounds out the meal and helps balance your blood sugar. Try a clean protein powder, collagen (see the benefits and my recommendations here!), cannellini beans (strange but good!), organic non-GMO tofu if you include soy in your diet, and milk, cottage cheese, or yogurt if you include dairy in your diet.
- Healthy fat. This is the #1 missing ingredient in most smoothies, and the reason you may think a smoothie won’t fill you up. Including a source of healthy fat is the key to staying fuller for long! Avocado makes smoothies delicious and creamy, and almond or other nut butter makes them taste luscious. Chia or milled flax seeds, full-fat coconut milk, unsweetened shredded coconut, or toasted pumpkin seeds are great options, too!
- Fruit (optional!). While most smoothies on the market are chock-full of fruit, I recommend limiting to 1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit to stabilize your blood sugar. Try berries, pear, banana, peach, apple, plum, or pineapple!
- Ice. Blending it in last will help preserve the texture!
- Liquid. Be sure to use unsweetened almond, cashew, or other nut milk if you are using non-dairy milks. Or try water, tea, coconut water in moderation, or even coffee!
- Optional “extras.” Adding in spices like cinnamon or ginger can enhance the flavor profile, as can vanilla or peppermint extracts or essential oils. Want even more? View my webinar to learn about adding maca, matcha, MCT oil, turmeric, and more!
Blend up all of these ingredients (yes, I LOVE my Vitamix!), and enjoy, knowing that you’re taking care of your health!
Get more super helpful smoothie info!
Want tips to make your smoothie texture amazing? Want to know how much sugar is too much, or which protein powders I prefer? Want 20 of my favorite healthy smoothie recipes, in a printable format? Watch my webinar and get the downloads here!
Now it’s your turn … What is your favorite green smoothie recipe! Any other add-ins you love including?
For liquid, I usually use carrot juice, but it doesn’t make the color particularly appetizing.
Great job for packing in extra nutrients! Love that! Just watch that sugar – most bottled carrot juice has sugar added (Bolthouse Farms is a great, widely available one that doesn’t), and even the pure carrot juice has 13g natural sugar per cup. A good choice since I know you’re so active, but a few cups of carrot juice + a load of fruit for the average person is too much! 🙂