Elevate Your Diet with Nutrient-Packed Smoothies

A balanced diet ideally consists of 8-10 daily servings of fruits and vegetables, with 2-3 servings being fruits and the rest vegetables, both raw and lightly cooked. Essentially, half of our daily food intake should be fruits and vegetables, as they offer a wide array of health benefits.
Smoothies provide a convenient means to incorporate more vegetables into your diet effortlessly. The beauty of it is that you don't need to adhere strictly to specific smoothie recipes; it just takes a bit of practice.
Fruits: The best choices for your smoothies are antioxidant-rich berries like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries. While bananas and apples are commonly used in smoothies, recent studies reveal that fruits high in polyphenol oxidase, such as bananas, can reduce the bioavailability of flavanols, which are potent antioxidants. You can still use them in moderation. To maximize benefits, vary your smoothie ingredients to harness the diverse qualities of various fruits and vegetables.
Vegetables: Despite not being sweet, vegetables are nutrient-dense and essential for a healthy diet. Be mindful of oxalates, particularly in greens like spinach. Keep spinach to a maximum of half your smoothie, as excessive oxalates can be problematic when consumed without other fruits and vegetables, or when you're dehydrated. Cruciferous vegetables are best consumed cooked, steamed, or blanched to avoid potential thyroid hormone interactions, particularly important for those with thyroid concerns.
Base: Opt for organic almond milk, coconut milk, coconut water, or oat milk and avoid ingredients like carrageenan and excessive sugar.
Organic produce is ideal, but if it's not within your budget, conventional fruits and vegetables are a better choice than none at all. Remember to wash your produce thoroughly, and you can remove some pesticide residues by soaking them in a solution of water and baking soda or vinegar. Keep in mind that organic produce still contains pesticides, although they differ from conventional ones. A simple cleaning solution can be made by mixing 4 parts water and 2 parts vinegar in a spray bottle, spraying liberally, allowing it to sit for at least 5 minutes, rinsing thoroughly, and letting it dry.

Building Your Smoothie
Choose from the following options:

Liquid Base: Select from water, coconut water, almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk, cashew milk, or macadamia milk. You can even make your own nut milk by blending water with a spoon of nut butter.

Greens: At least half of your smoothie should consist of greens. Consider spinach, broccoli, broccolini, kale, Swiss chard, peas, dandelion greens, beet greens, parsley, cucumber, broccoli sprouts, microgreens, or lettuce. A greens powder, such as Genuine Health Original Greens+, is another option.

Fruit: Add fruits like bananas, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, dragon fruit, acai, mango, pineapple, cherries, pomegranate, or apple. Nutrient Boosters: Enhance your smoothie with ingredients like cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, cacao, chlorophyll, wheatgrass, broccoli sprouts, vitamin C powder, collagen, bee pollen, acai powder, medicinal mushrooms (Lion’s mane, chaga, reishi, shitake, cordyceps), spirulina, matcha, or goji berries.
Increase Protein: Incorporate chia seeds, frozen peas, kefir, nut butter or nuts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, collagen powder (Genuine Health Unflavored Marine Collagen), bone broth, or protein powder.
Experiment with flavors to find your preferred combination.

Not in the Mood for a Cold Smoothie?
During cooler weather, traditional Chinese medicine recommends warm foods. Transform your smoothie into a nourishing "soup" to boost your greens intake without the need for added sweetness. Alternatively, increase your vegetable intake by including them in your meal gravies. Prepare frozen mixes of spinach, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and celery to effortlessly add to your sauces and gravies. Broccoli, carrots, cabbage, and peas can be blanched and frozen, making them a quick and convenient side dish. For fresh greens, consider baby kale, spinach, romaine, arugula, lettuce, or dandelion as a side salad, garnished with lemon juice, olive oil, and your favorite spices for added flavor."