5 Reasons to Drink Green Smoothies

As St. Patrick's Day approaches, many of us like to get in touch with our Irish heritage (real or imagined) through food and drink. One of the healthier alternatives to celebrate the holiday is through green smoothies, the color of the famous Irish shamrock. This is a tasty, festive treat, and drinking green smoothies can provide some health benefits. Here are five reasons to drink a green smoothie, and at the end, we'll throw in a recipe of our own for inspiration!

1. Dark, Leafy Greens

One of the best ways to give your smoothie that deep, dark green color you're looking for is the addition of dark leafy greens. This includes vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, and chard, among others. Dark leafy greens include many essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need, like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and Iron, so tossing them into your smoothie provides a bevy of nutrients to go along with the wonderful green earthy flavor.[1] For more information, check out The Best Green Foods To Eat & Why They're So Good For You.

2. Avocado

Avocado isn't just for toast! Tossing some avocado into your next smoothie will lend a wonderfully complex, smooth, and creamy flavor, and that's not all! This nutrient-dense fruit contains prebiotic fiber, Vitamin C, Folate, Lutein, and Zeaxanthin.[2] That's a lot of punch for one fruit! Folate, also known as Vitamin B9, is important for proper red blood cell formation and supports the production of neurotransmitters that are needed for mood health. Lutein and Zeaxanthin are macular carotenoids that help support your eye's natural blue light filter. With all the screens we look at every day giving off plenty of blue light, supporting eye function and healthy vision can be essential, especially for those of us who work remotely! Nature Made® Lutein & Zeaxanthin Gummies can help support your dietary intake of Lutein and Zeaxanthin with two daily Delicious Mango flavored gummies!†

3. Fiber

Adding your daily dose of a prebiotic fiber is one way to give your green smoothie a prebiotic kick. Prebiotic fiber is found in oats, flaxseed, and nuts, and it helps to feed your gut microbes to support a healthy digestive tract. Over 90% of women and 97% of men don't meet the daily recommended intake for dietary fiber.[3] Nature Made® Prebiotic Fiber Drink Mix Powder provides 3 grams of soluble dietary fiber in one daily scoop mixed with your favorite non-carbonated beverage. Next time you make a green smoothie, add your daily scoop of prebiotic fiber to provide gut health benefits without changing the flavor.†

4. Hydration

One of the best ways to support your body daily is by staying hydrated. Adult men should aim for about 13 cups of water daily, and adult women should aim for 9 cups.[4] However, the ideal amount may vary depending on several factors, so consult your primary care physician if you need more clarification.[4] If you want to support your hydration but crave more variety than just plain water, a green smoothie can be a good choice. Many juices and flavored drinks are packed with lots of added sugar, but making a smoothie that contains things like high-water content fruits and vegetables, milk (or milk alternatives), and ice can be a tasty way to help reach your fluid goals!

5. A Healthy, Tasty Way to Prepare Less Loved Ingredients

There’s plenty of ways to prepare healthy ingredients in ways that not only provide you with nutrients you need, but taste great to boot! Our taste buds are all different, and sometimes the best way to prepare less-loved healthy ingredients is by mixing them up with flavors you do love! If you want to get more broccoli in your diet but don't love it on its own, tossing it into the mix with a bunch of flavors you like can help to give you the nutrient benefits with a great taste. Every smoothie is different, and one of the best ways to find out which ingredients work well together is through experimentation; there are not many ways to go wrong when tossing healthy ingredients into a blender. Try your favorite and less favorite ingredients, and even try some new ones altogether!

Now that you know the five reasons to celebrate St. Patrick's Day by drinking a green smoothie, here's a recipe to get you started!

St. Patrick's Day Green Smoothie

• 1 cup milk of choice
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/3 avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 scoop of Nature Made Prebiotic Fiber Powder

Instructions:

1. Place milk, spinach, avocado, strawberries, and the scoop of Prebiotic Fiber Powder into a large blender and secure the lid.
2. Pulse the blender, then set it to low speed. Increase steadily to high speed.
3. Blend on high for a minute until the smoothie has a smooth, creamy texture.
4. Pour into a glass of your choosing and drink cold with or without a straw. Enjoy!

This year, celebrate your St. Patrick's Day with a health-conscious green smoothie!

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References

1. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables : USDA ARS. www.ars.usda.gov. https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/gfnd/gfhnrc/docs/news-articles/2013/dark-green-leafy-vegetables/
2. Dreher ML, Davenport AJ. Hass avocado composition and potential health effects. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013;53(7):738-750. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.556759
3. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov.
4. The National Academy of Sciences. Dietary References Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. https://www.nap.edu/read/10925/chapter/6#102 Accessed 1/29/2024.