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CLEAN EATING #9 Green Smoothie Formula (Queen of Hearts)
After celebrating Lunar New Year with my family at Indonesia, I am finally back in Singapore two nights ago so here is my next update for my clean eating diary. After drinking my breakfast smoothie on Day 6 of my clean eating program late December 2013, I came back home and whip up a green smoothie for lunch before heading back to UCLA hospital.
There are different ways to blend a green smoothie and here is a good GREEN SMOOTHIE formula for you if you are racking your brains on how to blend it:
- A. For the base of your smoothie, you can have either of the following:
- - Coconut Water
- - Almond Milk
- - Filtered Water
- - Green Tea
- - Rice Milk
- B. Choose one or two of the following for your greens:
- - Collards
- - Dandelion
- - Spinach
- - Beet Greens
- - Swiss Chard
- - Kale
- C. Next, choose the fruits that add sweetness and more supplements to your drink:
- - Banana
- - Berries
- - Peach
- - Papaya
- - Avocado
- - Pear
- - Apple
- - Kiwi
- D. you can supercharge your smoothie with the following if you like (Optional but more essential to have):
- - Nut Butter
- - Maca Powder
- - Cinnamon
- - Moringa Leaf Powder
- - Cacao Powder
- - Spirulina
- - Chia Seeds
- - Ground Flaxseed
- - Vanilla Extract
- - Protein Powder
- E. If you want to make your drink sweeter, you can add the following (Optional & not necessary):
- - Honey
- - Maple Syrup
- - Dates
- - Coconut Palm Sugar
- - Stevia
- - Raw Agave
As you can see in my first few pictures of the entry, I have blended a green smoothie with the following ingredients that serves two people/portions:
- - 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- - 1 cup of baby kale
- - 1 cup of spinach
- - 1 apple
- - 1 celery stalk
- - 1/4 cup of fresh parsley
- - 1/4 cup of fresh mint
- - 1 carrot
- - 1 kiwi
- - 5 slices of cucumber
- topping:
- - pomegranate seeds to form a heart shape
The following is a summary of the list of benefits of the ingredients that I have chosen:
- kale:
- lowers cholesterol and thus, reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer
- has more calcium than milk so helps with bone function
- high in vitamin A and this helps to maintain good vision
- is an antioxidant and has ten times more vitamin C than spinach. vitamin C is the key to the production of collagen and gives skin its firmness
- low in carbohydrates, calories and fats and this will assist in weight loss
- spinach:
- neutralizes free radicals molecules that may accelerate aging
- consists of lutein and vitamin A, which helps to protect the eyes
- comprises of folate, which increases memory and concentration
- apple has lots of antioxidants and thus, it helps to make your skin strong and prevent cell and tissue damage
- celery is a good “salt”, reduces inflammation and has minerals that soothes the immune system
- parsley
- boasts plenty of beta-carotene and vitamin A, C and K to protect the kidneys and bladders
- helps to relieve menstrual bloating
- flavonoids in parsley combines with oxygen radicals to prevent oxygen-based damage to cells
- mint relieves symptoms of acne, improves oral health, promotes digestion and is a natural stimulant that relieves from fatigue and depression
- carrot reduces risk of stroke, repairs damaged eyes and DNA, fights free radicals and reduces blood pressure
- kiwi protects against macular degeneration, boost immunity, protects against DNA damage and improves digestion
- cucumber helps to flush out toxins and alkalize the body while delivering a nutrient punch
- pomegranate aids in weight management, lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of stroke
