Green smoothies are not only plantbased and incredibly tasty, they are a fantastic way to get your daily dose of essential nutrients and extra leafy green nutrition all in one meal. But are they safe to have every day? As a nutritionist, let me explain why I feel it is ok to have green smoothies, and often.
Why Green Smoothies Are Good For You?
Whether you're looking for a quick and easy breakfast, a mid-day snack, or something plantbased to help you power through an energy slump, green smoothies are a super healthy choice. They are a fast and easy way to increase your consumption of more leafy greens and high fibre fruits and vegetables, while nurturing your gut microbes. Smoothies help to keep you hydrated, can aid weight loss, improve digestion and boost your overall metabolic function. Being so nutritionally rich with plantbased nutrition, all the extra nutrients can also help to clear up your skin if you suffer from acne, boost mood and your overall energy.
On a budget? I personally find smoothies to be the perfect way to use up leftover fruit and produce before it spoils (if you need to make every fridge item count). In addition, you can make smoothies rather cheaply by buying fresh greens and other produce on sale, or from the discount section of your grocery shop.
Many shops nowadays have bagged fruit and veggies that may have not made the cut for display and are sold at half price. The only thing wrong with them is they are misshapen, blemished or not as "perfect" as stores like to provide. Coles supermarkets do a good job of this with their "I'm Imperfect" range and Woollies with their "Odd Bunch" range.
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What Goes In Green Smoothies?
What makes a green smoothie? Short answer is plantbased ingredients like green vegetables, mainly leafy greens, herbs and other veggies rich in green coloured phytonutrients. Lots of people usually add bananas to improve the texture and taste, in addition to berries, kiwi, mango and other tasty fruit like pineapple. if you are diabetic like me, you can substitute low calorie steamed cauliflower, sweet potato, raw or cooked oats, or creamed quinoa for bananas to create that soft serve-like consistency in green smoothies. This is great idea to provide variety and not just rely on super sweet bananas to flavour your smoothies every time.
For instance, my Green Goddess Super Slimmer Smoothie tastes super creamy, but provides such mega dose of plantbased phytonutrients from veggies. You can make it with either banana for a hit of sweetness or steamed cauliflower for a low-carb, diabetic-friendly option.
More smoothie recipes to try:
SHOP SMOOTHIE MEAL PLANS
Key Ingredients Used
Typically, smoothies are made with a combination of fresh fruit, vegetables, and a liquid such as milk or water. The wholefood ingredients are blended together to create a thick and creamy beverage. Smoothies can be customised to fit any dietary needs or preferences, whether you are plantbased or not. With a variety of flavors and combinations, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Milk or water: the liquid you use can be simple tap water or something more nutrient-rich like coconut water, dairy or plantbased milk.
Fruits and veggies: this is where smoothies get their fibre-rich nutrients from and provides you with a powerhouse of plantbased nutrition all in one tasty meal.
Natural thickeners: some people add ice or frozen bananas to their smoothies to make them thicker and more like the consistency of serve ice cream. If you are diabetic some alternatives to banana include avocado, steamed cauliflower, yoghurt, and nut butters.
Combining these three simple ingredients makes a surprisingly delicious smoothie recipe suitable for those looking to heal and nourish the gut while rebalancing body weight.
Healthy Smoothie Variations
Not only are smoothies simple to make, but the recipe is also incredibly versatile and generally cheap to make. You can use any kind of dairy or plantbased milk or just water, and combine with your greens, high fibre fruit, nuts, and herbs to create your own unique recipes. Here's some liquid variations to try:
Almond milk: rich in magnesium, a great low calorie alternative to dairy
Coconut milk: another great replacement for dairy milk and easily digested, it has a lovely thick consistency and a rich, creamy texture.
Coconut water: a nutrient dense water extracted from young coconuts that is very hydrating and fabulous to include after sport or the gym.
Cow's milk: if you are not sensitive, this can make a wonderful creamy pudding but is higher in calories than plantbased options.
Oat milk: an easy-to-digest, low-fat, low-sugar milk that also provide healthy fibre and a creamy flavour.
Soy milk: higher in protein than other plantbased milks, soy is great option if you are sensitive to dairy or vegan.
No matter which version of milk you choose, adding greens smoothies to your meal plan each week is a fabulously delicious way to get more fibre, eat a little more plantbased, and consume a well-balanced meal.
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What Are The Side Effects Of Green Smoothies?
While green smoothies are definitely densely nutritious, a diet consisting of only smoothies isn't healthful. In fact, it is very imbalanced. Meals need to be balanced with wholefood-based dietary fibre, lean proteins, and healthy fats from a variety of sources, and not just from fruits and vegetables.
In fact, consuming too many leafy green vegetables can be a harmful, especially to some people with underlying health conditions. This is because leafy greens like beet leaves, endive, dandelion greens, kale, spinach, and Swiss chard all contain high levels of oxalic acid, a naturally-occurring plantbased compound.
In moderate amounts, this plant compound is perfectly safe, but if you overindulge by eating too much, or too many of these foods, it can lead to accumulation of oxalate crystals in the body. This most often it occurs in the kidneys which can lead to painful kidney stones and other organ distress. High levels can also affect your calcium absorption. Cooking greens that are naturally higher in oxalate acid is one solution, but who wants wilted spinach in their cup?!
Food Sensitivities
Can you be allergic to green smoothies? Yes, absolutely if you are sensitive to the ingredients used. Use what you know your body responds well to and if you experiment, try only one new veggie or ingredient at a time. Isolate it so you can easily track the culprit.
Got thyroid conditions or IBS? A word of caution, cruciferous vegetables such as bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and watercress all contain compounds called, goitrogens. These are known to disrupt thyroid function in some people. Goitrogens interfere with iodine uptake and hormone production within the thyroid gland and be a triggering food. Cooking the above foods (as they really are super healthy) can reduce the effect that cruciferous vegetables have on the thyroid gland.
If you choose to simply avoid (the above) or are on a AIP Diet, test and try micro-greens or dandelion, and include selenium-rich foods in your blender to boost your selenium levels. Selenium helps support thyroid hormone production. Its found in Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, eggs, and legumes. Yes, you can add all of these to smoothies.
How Often Should You Drink Green Smoothies?
It's important to be mindful when adding sugars, carbohydrates, or fats to your blender, that you don't overdo it on too many calories in one meal. Trust me, it is so easy to over do it in the name of eating healthier. And plantbased green smoothies are no different.
I recommend enjoying a green smoothie 3-4 times a week, or every day but only if you are making sure you vary the ingredients each time. For instance, if you enjoy an almond milk, avocado kale based smoothie on Monday, make sure you switch it up and have a coconut water, mango and arugula based one the next day. Yes, you could safely have a green smoothie every day, but you need to vary the greens, the milk and the fruits to provide your body with a broad spectrum of nutrients throughout the week.
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3 Green Smoothie Recipes (No Banana)
Give these plantbased, banana-free smoothie recipes a go and tell me you don't feel amazing afterwards! Each smoothie recipe is made with a balance of fruits and veggies and contains 30g of plantbased protein. As a general rules, I don't recommend you use whey or dairy-based protein in your plantbased smoothies as this can ferment in your stomach and cause gastric issues in many people.
Pineapple Berry Green Smoothie
Ingredients
250ml almond or oat milk, unsweetened
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, chunks
1 cup fresh spinach greens, organic
1/4 cup raspberries, fresh, organic
1/4 steamed cauliflower, cooled
3 tbsp chai seeds, organic
1 scoop Vanilla protein powder, vegan
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Add all the ingredients into a high-powered blender. Combine well until smooth. Serve in a coconut bowl with a little crunch from a sprinkling of crushed walnuts and seeds.
Lime Mango Green Smoothie
Ingredients
250ml coconut milk, unsweetened
1 large fresh mango, pitted
1/2 cup shredded kale, organic
1/s Hass avocado, choose a ripe one
1 scoop Vanilla protein powder, vegan
3 tsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tsp ginger root, ground
Add all the ingredients into a high-powered blender. Combine well until smooth. Serve in a coconut bowl or mason jar (will be thick) with toasted coconut flakes on top.
Kiwi Green Smoothie
Ingredients
1/2 cup Greek or Coconut yoghurt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup micro-greens, organic
3 large kiwi fruits, chopped
1 scoop Vanilla protein powder, vegan
2tsp spirulina powder, organic
1 tsp ginger root, ground
Add all the ingredients into a high-powered blender. Combine well until smooth. Serve in a coconut bowl with raspberries and banana cut into wheels. Add a sprinkle of granola or chia seeds.
Want more wholefood, plantbased smoothie recipes like these? You might like my 7 Day Green Smoothie recipe book full of easy smoothie ideas! Click here to grab your copy!
Healthy + happiness,
Emma Lisa xx
HEALTH & NUTRITION PRACTITIONER
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