Question 1

What is a green smoothie made of?

Accepted Answer

Green smoothies are simply blended mixtures of whole foods that include greens (like spinach, kale, and collard) or other nutrient-dense veggies, and they may or may not contain other ingredients like fruit or nuts blended in. Don’t let the name mislead you—green smoothies don’t necessarily come out looking green! Some of my smoothies do have a rich green hue, but I’ll often add frozen mixed berries to make them purple or other ingredients that turn the smoothie purple, pink, or orange.

Question 2

Are green smoothies really that healthy?

Accepted Answer

Green smoothies are very healthy, especially if the emphasis is on the greens! Green food is a powerhouse of enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Drinking a quart of green smoothie a day addresses what I believe is the #1 deficit in the American diet: lack of leafy greens. A close second deficit is lack of overall plant fiber in the diet, but eating green smoothies addresses that, too.

One quart of green smoothie per day can be a major game-changer for your health. Based on my research poll of 175 adults for The Green Smoothies Diet, 95.4% of people who drank a daily quart of green smoothie for 30 days reported improved health or quality of life. Specifically, the quart-a-day health benefits respondents reported were:

more energy (85%)
improved digestion (79.5%)
fewer cravings for sweets and processed foods (65%)
more positive, stable mood (54%)
improvement in skin tone and clarity (50%)
weight loss (50%)

Green smoothies are “fast food” that actually leave you feeling energized. It’s easy to make one for yourself before you go to bed, put it in a glass jar and refrigerate overnight before drinking it in the morning on your way out the door, which is a vast improvement over most quick options or skipping breakfast entirely.

Question 3

How long will a green smoothie keep in the fridge?

Accepted Answer

Green smoothies keep well 2 or 3 days in the fridge. They often begin to separate fairly quickly, but that is easily remedied by a quick shake or another spin in the blender. After the third day, though, you’ll notice your green smoothie start to taste a little off.

Question 4

Can green smoothies be frozen?

Accepted Answer

You can freeze green smoothies! I like to pour them into pint-size jars (leaving a half inch or so space for expansion) and store them in the freezer. When ready to use, allow to thaw at room temperature or in the fridge, then shake well (or reblend) before drinking. You can also freeze smoothies in ice cube trays to re-blend later.

Question 5

What blender should I use to make a green smoothie?

Accepted Answer

You can make a smoothie with any blender, but for proper digestion and the best benefit, the ingredients need to be blended thoroughly. Many blenders will give you “chunkies” to drink instead of smoothies, so I like a high-speed blender like Blendtec or Vitamix.

I have a lot to say about the best blenders for making your green smoothies, but you can get a pretty good result with a cheaper blender if you don’t use frozen fruits or veggies and make sure to blend in ingredients a bit at a time. Make sure the mixture is a smooth puree before adding in the next ingredient. Add a bit more water if you feel the smoothie is too thick.

I even have a reader who makes all her smoothies with her hand-held stick blender! It’s great for making smoothies on the road, at work, and even at home.

Question 6

Do green smoothies taste good?

Accepted Answer

The taste of green smoothies can certainly be an adjustment if you’re used to processed foods, but luckily, you can tailor the ingredients to your liking. Many folks start with a lot of mixed berries and other fruits in their green smoothies so the final result is sweet. Some also add a few drops of liquid stevia or a tablespoon of honey to make it even sweeter. Over time, as your preferences evolve, you’ll probably add more greens and still love the taste as much as ever.

Question 7

What are the best greens for smoothies?

Accepted Answer

Pretty much any kind of edible leafy green can be thrown into your blender and whipped up into a tasty green smoothie. Spinach is very mild and a great green to start with (especially for kids’ green smoothies). Other mild greens are kale, collards, and chard. Greens that are more savory or bitter can be added as you widen your repertoire, like beet greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, and arugula. There are even edible weeds you can use for smoothie greens, like dandelion and purslane.

Question 8

How much does a green smoothie cost to make?

Accepted Answer

While the exact cost of a green smoothie will depend on your preferred ingredients, you’ll spend about 12 cents per ounce of green smoothie if you make it with about half greens and half fruit. That makes a quart of green smoothie cost about $3.76.

Some cost variables include which ingredients you choose and whether you grow or forage ingredients, use in-season fruits and vegetables, or purchase organic produce. You may even be able to get some ingredients for free if you forage or know what to ask for at a farmer’s market.

Question 9

How many calories are in a green smoothie?

Accepted Answer

The exact number of calories in a green smoothie depends on what ingredients you use, but a quart of green smoothie with about half greens and half fruit will be around 250 calories. 250 nutrient-dense, delicious calories!

Question 10

What should I put in a green smoothie?

Accepted Answer

With the wide variety of fruits, vegetables, seeds, legumes, and other nourishing foods available, your green smoothie ingredient options are practically endless. Here are just a few possibilities:

Liquid base: water, coconut milk, coconut water, almond milk, juice
Leafy greens: spinach, kale, chard, collard greens, beet greens, mustard greens, sprouts, bok choy
Vegetables: celery, beets, cucumbers, sweet peppers, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, purple cabbage, carrots
Fruit: bananas, mangos, berries, lemon, apricots, watermelon, pomegranate, oranges, apples, cantaloupe, peaches, grapes, pears, dates, limes, plums, pineapples
Healthy fats: avocado, nuts, nut butters, coconut oil, sprouted ground flax, flaxseed oil, sunflower seeds
Extras: cacao powder, cinnamon, bee pollen, parsley, maca, real maple syrup, honey, fennel, turmeric, basil, cilantro, aloe vera, protein powder, vanilla extract

Question 11

Should I buy organic ingredients for green smoothies?

Accepted Answer

It’s not necessary to buy all-organic produce for green smoothies, especially for foods that have thick outer shells or peels that are removed, like watermelon, bananas, oranges, lemons, limes, and pumpkins. But you may want to consider organic for other produce that is more difficult to wash herbicides and pesticides from, like leafy greens (spinach, kale, collards) and strawberries.

Check out our more complete discussion of what “organic” actually means, plus a list of which foods you should buy organic and which ones are okay to get conventionally.

Author: Robyn Openshaw

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