Green Smoothies
Green smoothies are made by blending raw green vegetables together.
Benefits of Green Smoothies
 Increase energy
 Reduce muscle pain and menstrual cramps
 Improve mood and sleep
 Reduce risk of osteoporosis and colon cancer
 Increase HDL cholesterol and reduce LDL cholesterol (thus improving cardiovascular health)
 Helps prevent anaemia
 Reduces high blood pressure and reduces risk of heart attack or stroke
 Helps with cell division - especially important in pregnancy to reduce risk of birth defects
 Supports healthy nervous system function
 Supports immune system
 Are rich in soluble and insoluble fibre, which helps improve digestion by promoting release of
stomach acid and by feeding beneficial gut bacteria. Fibre also binds to excess oestrogen and can
thus help restore hormonal balance.
Green vegetables are rich in magnesium – the darker the green vegetable the more magnesium it
contains. Magnesium has many important roles:
 It helps cells take up glucose and then turn the glucose into energy
 It helps make muscles relax. Calcium and magnesium work together to cause muscles to contract
and relax. To contract muscles need calcium and then to relax they need magnesium. Studies have
shown that magnesium can improve the muscle pain associated with fibromyalgia and in
conjunction with vitamin B6 help relieve menstrual cramps.
 Studies have also shown that magnesium deficiency can lead to depression and sleep disturbances.
 Magnesium is important for bone growth and helps prevent tooth decay
Green vegetables are also an excellent source of calcium. For example, there is nearly twice as
much calcium in 100g or raw watercress than in 100g of milk. Calcium has many important roles:
 Helps maintain strong, healthy bones
 Helps reduce high blood pressure
 Studies suggest it may help prevent colon cancer
 It may help raise HDL cholesterol, which is associated with improved cardiovascular health
 Digestion of fat and protein and production of energy
 Helps with the absorption of nutrients, especially vitamin B12
Green vegetables are rich in folate. Folate (also known as folic acid) is important:
 It is needed to make red blood cells; insufficient folic acid can cause a type of anaemia
 Folate helps reduce homocysteine (homocysteine occurs naturally in the body but you don’t want
high levels of it as it increases the risk of heart attack and stroke)
 Folate reduces the risk of birth defects
 Studies suggest that folate deficiency can contribute to depression and dementia
 Folate deficiency results in an inefficient immune system and thus increased risk of disease
Green vegetables are an excellent source of iron, which is required by every cell in the body:
 Production of haemoglobin for oxygen transport; insufficient iron causes anaemia
 Helps make energy from food and supports the immune system
Julia Stone Nutritional Therapist BSc (Hons), Dip ION, mBANT
Tel: 01992 813136 / 07952 970688
Email: juliadstone@hotmail.com
Website: justgoodnutrition.co.uk
Why do the vegetables need to be raw?
When green vegetables are cooked, much of the magnesium, iron and folate in them is lost. Although
green plants are a good source of iron it is in a form that is not easily absorbed. However, iron absorption
is improved by vitamin C, for example by adding lemon juice to food.
Benefits of adding chlorella to green smoothie
 Improves bowel regularity i.e. reduces constipation
 Stimulates the immune system
 Helps bind and remove toxins and heavy metals
 Supports growth of beneficial gut bacteria
 Speeds up wound healing and reduces inflammation
 Supports liver function
Basic smoothie recipe (courtesy of Nadia Brydon)
300mls water
80g cucumber
80g spinach
40g rocket
40g celery
5-15 Sun Chlorella tablets (start at 5 and – if you can afford it - build up to 15 over 10 days).
Optional extras – to add variety from day to day
20-40g avocado (makes the smoothie creamier and is packed with beneficial nutrients and oils)
½ clove of garlic (if you add chlorella this should not make your breath smell as chlorella is a deodoriser)
2 tsps lemon juice (for taste and to improve iron absorption)
Can also add other vegetables e.g. fennel bulb, parsley, pak choi, basil, kale etc. For extra sweetness, add
an apple or carrot.
20g pea protein – turns the smoothie into a complete meal and is a great and economic way to
increase protein intake!
How to make a green smoothie
 Wash all ingredients well
 Use either a smoothie maker or blender – see recommendations for choosing a blender below
 Put the water in first
 Next add the ingredients one by one, starting with the most watery vegetable first
 Put the stringier leaves in last. This reduces the strain on the engine
Note: With powerful blenders (e.g.Vita Mix) just add everything on top of the water and blend in one go.
How long will a green smoothie keep?
 Green smoothies start to oxidize as soon as they are made and the nutrient value reduces 50%
after only 15 minutes, especially vitamin C, so best drink as fresh as possible.
 Juices can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a maximum of 24 hours (to avoid
fermentation). Drink immediately on taking out of the fridge.
Type of Blender For Smoothies (as recommended by Nadia Brydon)
Electric counter top
Blenders
Electric hand held blenders
Smoothie maker
Prices correct October 2011
Many brands available on-line and in stores.
Best blender is the Vita Mix at £439 from www.vitamix.co.uk
Many brands available online and in stores £7.97 (Tesco’s) - £100.
Many brands available
Julia Stone Nutritional Therapist BSc (Hons), Dip ION, mBANT
Tel: 01992 813136 / 07952 970688
Email: juliadstone@hotmail.com
Website: justgoodnutrition.co.uk