The Green Smoothie

As I continue to pursue the optimal health diet Dr. Joel Fuhrman's website has provided some great additional insights into health and diet in addition to what I have learned at Dr. McDougall's website. The links to both sites are included in my favorites on the right side of this page.

There are many similarities between Dr. McDougall and Dr. Fuhrman. There are also some differences. John McDougall bases his eating plan around starches with the addition of ample amounts of fruits and vegetables. Joel Fuhrman is focused on eating the highest nutrition foods. Fuhrman basis his plan around several servings of vegetables and fruits per day. He refers to his plan as the "nutritarian" plan. The most nutritious foods are leafy green vegetables and Fuhrman highly recommends consumming these foods in large quantities.

In addition to eating lots of salads, another of my favorite ways to get green vegetables in a delicious way is the Green Smoothie. These smoothies are like a "liquid salad." This may not sound appealing, but these nutrition powerhouses taste great. Here is a recipe for the Eat Your Greens Smoothie from Joel Fuhrman, M.D. excellent book Eat for Health (double click on the image below:



A food processor or high power blender is needed. The best way to prepare is to put the liquid ingredients in the blender and add the frozen fruit. Mix until creamy. Then add the other ingredients except the greens. Mix again until smooth and then gradually add the greens, through the hole in the top of the blender, for example. You may need something like a carrot to push the greens into the mix so they are mixed in fully. You might want to also add a couple of ice cubes, if the frozen fruit doesn't make the smoothie cold enough for you.

Green smoothies have now replaced Vega shakes as my preferred breakfast. I have one of these smoothies most every morning for breakfast. I have varied the ingredients and now have many varieties to choose one. The common features of these smoothies are plenty of green leafy vegetables to choose from - spinach, spring salad mix, kale and much more. I also always add a cup of frozen berries, either mixed berries or blueberries plus ground flax seeds (one tablespoon)and a couple of Medjool dates to add a bit of healthy sweetness.

Smoothies are a great way to start the day. They are easy to digest and give lots of energy.