3 Tips to Add Green Smoothies to Your Diet

Are you trying to find ways to include more greens in your diet?

Sometimes the shopping, chopping and planning can be overwhelming! Green smoothies are a fast way to add a lot of raw nutrition to your diet, but with all of the recipes and tips out there, getting started can be tricky. Here are 3 good tips to get going.

Start Small

A lot of recipes call for numerous ingredients, some of which can’t be found at your local grocery store. I would recommend starting with a simple, 3-ingredient green smoothie base and then experimenting from there.

My basic green smoothie consists of spinach leaves, banana, and pineapple. Add a little water and ice, and you'll have a great green smoothie.

Basic Green Smoothie Recipe
2 c spinach leaves, washed
1 medium banana, peeled
1 c fresh pineapple chunks
¾ c water
½ c ice cubes

Add ingredients to WildSide+ jar in order listed and secure lid. Select "Whole Juice."

Modify

Are you trying to eat more lean protein? Fight cancer? Lose weight? Feed your children a healthy after-school snack? Green smoothies can be easily customized with nutritional add-ins. Most of the time, these additions don't change the overall flavor of the smoothie very much. Experiment with different additions to see what works for you and your family.

Here are some ideas:

Protein: cottage cheese, romaine lettuce, kale, protein powder, avocado, apricots, celery

Fiber: blueberries, chia seeds, flaxseed, apples, pears Cancer fighters: flaxseed, oranges, green tea, turnip greens, ginger

Sweeteners: agave nectar, honey, peanut butter, fruit juice, berries

Vitamin C: kale, papaya, strawberries, oranges, kiwi, guava

Plan Ahead

Once the ingredients are in your Blendtec blender, your green smoothie will be ready to drink in less than 1 minute. But depending on the ingredients you choose, washing, peeling and chopping ingredients can be time-consuming. By planning ahead, you can always be ready to make a quick green smoothie. Here are a few ideas that will save you time:

1. Peel and cut up pineapple; store it in the refrigerator to use throughout the week.
2. Buy a very large bag of prewashed spinach leaves, and freeze what you won’t use in a week. Raw spinach freezes well, without losing nutritional value.
3. Always have some protein powder on hand—it is the fastest way to add a lot of protein to a green smoothie. Protein is important because, among other reasons, it helps you feel full and gives you energy.
4. Green smoothies can be stored in airtight containers. Make a large batch, and sip on the tasty drink throughout the day.

After you try out some or all of these suggestions, please share what worked best for you. What are your favorite green smoothie add-ins?