Whether you want to lose weight for health reasons, or just to be able to fit back into your favorite pair of jeans, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that over 50% of Americans would like to shed some unwanted pounds. Get started with one of our personal favorites that will help you do just that!
Recipes — Green Smoothies
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ORGANIC SMOOTHIE RECIPE
If you're trying to live a healthy lifestyle and drink green smoothies, it's always best to make your own at home. Smoothies at cafes or smoothie shops tend to be loaded with sugar and other unnatural ingredients.
To ensure that your smoothie is truly green, we've created this simple recipe that can be prepared in seconds to give you a healthy start to any day. The key is to purchase all organic ingredients.
Why Choose Organic Smoothie Ingredients
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic produce must be grown without synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms. This designation means organic food is generally better for the planet and healthier for humans to ingest.
Exposure to the pesticides commonly found on non-organic produce has been linked to several health issues, including cancer and Parkinson's.
Pesticides are used to keep harmful insects away from produce as it grows. There is wide debate over whether agricultural workers use enough pesticides on fruits and vegetables to cause harm to the consumers who eat them. It's more clear that pesticides harm to the environment by damaging soil health.
Guide to Buying Organic Smoothie Ingredients
Unfortunately, buying organic is generally more expensive. You may notice a big difference in your grocery bill if you abruptly switch all of your items to organic. But there are ways to cut costs, starting with knowing which produce items have been found to contain the highest amounts of pesticides.
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit that puts together a list of fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides using data from the Department of Agriculture.
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Pears
- Tomatoes
- Celery
- Potatoes
If you are trying to buy organic smoothie ingredients on a budget, start by purchasing these produce items with organic labels first.
Another tip to save is to buy organic produce that is in-season. Items will be priced higher when they aren't currently growing naturally.
Finally, look for sales and coupons on the organic smoothie ingredients that you need. It may take some extra time, but the health benefits and reduced environmental impact will be worth it.
Blendtec's Organic Green Smoothie Recipe
You'll notice that three of the ingredients in our organic smoothie recipe are on the EWG's "Dirty Dozen" list. You can always choose the conventional version of those ingredients if your budget requires, but be sure to at least thoroughly rinse and clean your non-organic produce.
Once you've gathered all of your ingredients, this unique organic smoothie recipe takes less than one minute to make, and keeps you going with three grams of protein and 48 grams of carbs. And don't let those 33 grams of sugar scare you — that's all natural sugar!
Let us know how you like this organic green smoothie in the comments below!
LAYERED WATERMELON SMOOTHIE
Watermelon rind, green grapes & chia seeds contribute to the green layer while watermelon and frozen strawberries make a delicious red layer in this festive smoothie!
ORANGE GREENSICLE SMOOTHIE
Get the flavor of an Orange Creamsicle in a light, refreshing green smoothie. This creamy treat is so tasty, everyone will be asking for seconds!
GREEN PROTEIN SHAKE
Get some veggies & healthy fat in along with protein with this shake.
GINGER PEAR VEGAN SMOOTHIE
Getting enough protein can be difficult on the vegan diet - but it's not impossible. This smoothie includes a significant amount of protein from non-animal sources and it tastes great, too!
CHERRY MANGO GREEN SMOOTHIE
This recipe contains a full serving of green vegetables and the same amount of protein as 8 oz of chicken. Whether you're vegetarian or not, this is a great way to get your protein and veggies in!
BERRY BANANA GREEN SMOOTHIE
The blueberries and banana flavors stand out in this not-so green, green smoothie.
CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE
So decadent, you would never know this is a green smoothie!
SKINNY PEACH BERRY SMOOTHIE
This non-green smoothie (with greens) tastes just like one you could purchase at a smoothie shop without the hefty price tag.
GREEN VEGAN SMOOTHIE BOWL
A creamy green smoothie that is perfect when eaten with a spoon and your favorite toppings!