Yes my friends….. smoothies again! But I think this will finish my series on smoothies.
So I have been your guinea pig, trying EVERY morning (I take Sunday’s off) different combinations of smoothies.
LOOK>>>>>> 
It’s not going to be pretty. It CAN’T be! It’s ALWAYS going to have spinach and maybe kale and chard. THAT’s GREEN! And if you throw in blueberries…. that’s brown. So take your pick…. green? or brown…… for breakfast?? YECH!
I’m thinking you get used to it. I’m sure I can get used to what I made this morning: yogurt with berries and bannana, almond milk, blueberries, and spinach. Antioxidants, fiber, and…. and….
Now wait a minute!
Why don’t we know exactly why everything I’ve been using, is beneficial? I’ve got to get off my butt and do some detailed homework for you. All the info in ONE place!
So, here’s a list of ingredients I have used…. not all them them every day in one glass, mind you…. but it’s a ‘mix and match’ deal. You try combinations and see what you like. More important: combinations of what you know you need.
Here we go…..
Swiss chard is high in vitamins A, K and C, rich in Minerals, Dietary Fiber and Protein.
Spinach is extremely rich in antioxidants. Vitamin A, B2, C, E, K, Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, Zinc, Niacin, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids…. to name a few.
Popeye is ‘strong to the finish cause I eats me spinach’ and now we know the real value.
By the way, wasn’t that a beautiful spin on a cartoon, to get kids interested in eating spinach, without knowing why? Man! Our brainwashing machine was working overtime on that one!
Kale is very high in Beta Carotene, Vitamin C, K and reasonably rich in Calcium.
It’s also a source of a chemical that boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.
Black Beans – not too sure about the link I looked at but to paraphrase: Recent research shows them to provide support for digestive tract health, and particularly our colon. And in my world: HEY! It’s fiber. Along with rice, it makes a perfect protein!
Avocado is 75% fat, but they are mostly monosaturated fat.
They have more Potassium than bananas, hight in Vitamins B, E and K.
And with that high fat comes high fiber, mostly insoluble.
Preliminary studies show it can lower cholesterol.
Yogurt – Greek Yogurt. To quote an article I read which you can too on the link provided (just hover over Greek Yogurt and click): “Both are equally low in calories and packed with calcium and live bacterial cultures. But our Mediterranean friend—which is strained extensively to remove much of the liquid whey, lactose, and sugar, giving it its thick consistency—does have an undeniable edge. In roughly the same amount of calories, it can pack up to double the protein, while cutting sugar content by half”.
So that, my friends is HALF the carbs! It’s a good thing! lol
Since it’s high in fat, always go for the low fat and fat free versions. And less salt than regular yogurt. So the next time someone asks what’s the difference between the two, like at a dinner party? You’ll know why!
Blueberries will give you Micronutrients, dietary Mineralmanganese, Vitamin C and K, and Dietary fiber. And as a fruit, it has a low glycemic index.
Preliminary research shows their potential role in reducing inflamation and cancer. There are further studies that show blueberries can affect brain repair from a stroke, and help with high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and good for depression, if we can trust these studies.
Bananas are an excellent source of Vitamin B6, along with moderate amounts of Vitamin C, Manganese and Potassium. Studies show it may protect you from cancers, like rectal cancer.
I just like the flavor! But only brown ones…. and if it gets too brown? I make banana bread!
Raisins contain a high amount of fructose and glucose (sugars). That’s why you don’t eat them by the bowl! They’re low in sodium, high in certain antioxidants and new studies show it helps lower blood pressure, for people’s blood pressure that isn’t through the roof.
Watermelon is about 6% natural sugar and 92% water by weight. It’s a good source of Betacarotene and Lycopene ….
good source of Vitamin C….
and it may make you pee… ! lol
Guess I haven’t talked about oranges, cashews, almonds, walnuts, red pepper, almond milk – and these are all things I have tried or use in my smoothies. All but the almond milk (and you can just read the carton like I would) I left out because either they didn’t compliment the drink or people said: “What are you putting nuts in that drink for”? And I thought, “Well, I guess I can manage without them” (knowing how fattening they are). And besides, if I’m gonna ‘do’ cashews, I want the enjoyment of really tasting them! ha!
So now I’ve ‘edu-ma-cated’ you…. (there I go, making up words again) and you can feel free to pick the items you think you might need in your system. Just remember: Stuff high in sugar (like many fruits) can spike your glycemic index. And a high glycemic index is associated with obesity. But fat, like avocado in that same drink will take that index down.
Try to remember all the pieces of this puzzle when you’re combining.
So ends my series on Smoothies. Look them up under catagories, to learn more.
I’m thinkin’ – if I can get one of these into my system to replace a meal, even 5 days a week, I’m doing something right for my health! We can start on that bikini for next summer now…. right?
Nah. Too much pressure, even that far away.
It’s about heath. Really.
Happy Eating,
Chef Marian