What are Green Smoothies and Why are They Fabulous?
Green smoothies are basically leafy greens mixed with fruit smoothies, and the great part is that because you’ll be mixing the greens with fruit, the fruit covers up the taste of the greens! (If you don't like fruit, please see the recipes for the veggie based smoothies and soups below). This is one of the quickest, easiest, tastiest, most nutritious ways out there to get in your daily leafy greens and fruits! ** For more information, search "green smoothies," or, click here: Most Popular Green Smoothie Questions Answered by Victoria Boutenko


Why Do Them:
After consuming "blended leafy greens" on a daily basis for about 6 weeks, by making quick and easy "green smoothies," I noticed a huge difference in my skin. My skin doesn't break out like it used to, and it now has a healthy glow.

If you’re suffering with acne, there’s a very good chance that the smoothies will greatly help due to their high carotenoid content. You’ll be getting tons of nutrition (blended greens give you 4 TIMES the amount of nutrition compared to eating them, because the blender is able to more thoroughly break down all the cell walls in order to release nutrients. So, drinking 1 cup of blended greens is like eating “FOUR” cups of greens!!), you may notice your appetite going down (because your body will be getting so much nutrition), you may find that you feel calmer and happier (greens are great for this), have more energy (the most common reaction I hear about) and a host of many more health benefits! Click here: Green Smoothie (Original) by Sergei Boutenko.


Tips to Keep in Mind:
To jump-start the benefits, I recommend using 2 handfuls of greens a day in your smoothie, until you see improvements. You can then do just one handful a day if you like. Please keep in mind that it's very important to get at least a few servings of your greens every week from hormone balancing cruciferous greens, like spinach, kale, collards, bok choy, etc., otherwise, you may not see the results you hope for. If you have a juicer, drinking juiced greens will give you even more nutrients than blended greens, so do those as well, but it's also a good idea to do the smoothies for added fiber.

Please give the smoothies at least a 12 week try. If you are not improving, you might also consider supplementing with DIM, which is naturally found in cruciferous vegetables (mentioned above), but the supplement can give you more than you could consume through vegetables in a day. You can read about it here.

Diet Tips:
For best results, consider eating at least a 90% healthy diet by cutting out things like sugar, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), processed foods, eating less animal products, etc. Focus more on eating vegetables, fruit, leafy greens, nuts/seeds, beans/legumes, and whole grains. See Dr. Fuhrman's Library for advice on a healthy diet. Also, www.goveg.com has lots of good information on vegetarianism/veganism for those interested.

According to Dr. Fuhrman, it's vital to up your carotenoid content if you have acne. Click here: Carotenoids. This can easily be done with green smoothies, green juices, and cruciferous based soups (see recipes below). For those with acne, be sure to use lots of cruciferous greens (mentioned above), limit fruit to 4-5 pieces a day (don't eat all 4 pieces at once though, and chose low-glycemic foods, so you might want to opt for low-sugar fruits, like green apples, even though the leafy greens do help to balance out the fruit sugar), avoid all dried fruit, fruit juices, and dairy. Limit nuts and seeds to no more than two ounces with one meal, and opt for more seeds over nuts (if you're a plant-based eater and are worried about weight loss from eating less nuts/seeds, add in more beans and starchy (but low-glycemic) vegetables, like yams and squash.). Exercise (enough to sweat), avoid alcohol, don't overeat, and don't smoke. If you would like help incorporating more nutrient-rich plant foods into your diet, please send me a PM.

The following article talks of how many dermatologists have noticed improvements in their patients' skin when dairy is removed and a low-glycemic diet is followed. Perhaps soon they will also add "when green smoothies are added." Click here: A Clear Connection? Most dermatologists tell their patients diet plays no role in acne. New research suggests that's wrong.


What You Will Need:
A blender - preferably a high-powered one, fruit, frozen fruit Optional (Frozen fruit is great for a flavor kick - especially frozen pineapple, and often, you can find certain frozen fruits, like strawberries, raspberries, etc., cheaper than fresh. Whole Foods has a wonderful selection), leafy greens (For simplicity, I recommend pre-washed greens. Baby spinach is mild in flavor and great to start with, but be sure to eventually use a variety of greens!), flavoring Optional (cinnamon, honey, stevia, blueberry concentrate, etc), and water. Fat can help with nutrient absorption, so you might want to consider adding in a small amount of nuts or seeds. I add 1 tbs of ground flax seeds.

You can disguise the green color of your smoothies by using dark colored fruits like blueberries, raspberries, etc.

If you don’t like the noise of your blender (or if it’s over 90 decibels), you can use earplugs, ear protection from Hope Depot, or just figure out some way to cover your ears. We DO want to protect our hearing!







• Cut up 2 pieces of fruit (apples, pears, bananas, plums, etc) into 8ths
• Throw in 1 large handful of greens (romaine, spinach, kale, chard, etc.)
• Add about 1/2 a cup of frozen fruit Optional (tropical fruit mix, pineapples, mangoes, raspberries, etc.)
• About 2 cups of water (Be sure to add enough so it’s drinkable).
• Fats Optional (Nuts or Seeds - I use 1 tbs ground flax seeds)
• Add flavorings Optional (Cinnamon, honey, stevia, cocoa powder, etc.)
• Blend ingredients (Use ear protection if blender is loud.)
• Immediately rinse out the blender with water (or blend with hot, soapy water, then rinse), and let it air dry.
• You’re done! Enjoy your smoothie.
• Note: If you're new to smoothies, be sure to use plenty of fruit (*sweet* fruit, like the kind mentioned above, unless your acne is severe, in which case chose lower sugar fruits, like green apples) and only use a small handful of greens (preferably baby spinach, as it has a mild flavor). If your first smoothie isn't a hit, be sure to experiment with different fruit and leafy green combos until you come up with something you like!! Also, for the most benefit, please be sure to get in several servings a week of blended cruciferous leafy greens like spinach, kale, collards, bok choy, etc, as these will have the most powerful effect for clearing your skin.
• Tip: Smoothies can be stored in the fridge for up to 24-48 hrs, allowing you to make your smoothies every other day or third day if this better fits your schedule. Nutrition wise, fresh is always best, but you will still get enough nutrition to reap the benefits... I know this from experience, as for quite a while, I used to make mine every other day.
• Be sure to eat a variety of greens!! This is very important, because not all greens are alike, and they must be balanced! Also, some of you were getting confused about leafy greens being vegetables, like broccoli. Basically, if it's not a leaf, then it's not a leafy green.



Examples of other fruit-based smoothies:

Peach-Pear Delight
 1 pear
 1 cup frozen peaches
 1 handful baby spinach
 2-3 cups water
 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pineapple-Raspberry Paradise
 1 apple
 ¾ cup frozen pineapple
 ½ cup frozen raspberries
 3-4 flat kale leaves (de-stemmed)
 2-3 cups water
 ¼ tsp cinnamon

Heavenly Chocolate Smoothie:
 1 banana
 1 cup frozen mango
 ½ cup frozen raspberries
 1 handful spring mix
 2-3 cups water
 2 tbs cocoa powder





• ½ bunch parsley (gives a wonderful *fresh* taste to the smoothie!)
• 1 handful spinach
• ½ cucumber
• 2-3 stalks of celery
• 1 or 2 pieces of fruit (an apple or a pear)
• 1 lemon (peel, cut in half, discard large seeds, add to blender)
• 2-3 cups water
• Blend
• Note: It’s important to add at least one fruit and the lemon, otherwise, the smoothie may taste a little bitter. However, with these ingredients added in, it tastes very refreshing! Feel free to experiment with different veggies!



Examples of other Vegetable-Based Smoothies:

Fresher than Fresh Green Smoothie:
 1 bunch parsley
 ½ cucumber
 2 pears
 1 lemon (Peel away skin and remove large seeds before adding)
 3 cups of water


Blended Salad Recipe:
 3 stalks of dinosaur kale (flat, dark, kale)
 1 cucumber
 ¼ to ½ cup baby carrots
 1 tomato
 ¼ of an onion
 ½ avocado (adds a wonderful creamy flavor!)
 ¼ stalk of parsley
 1 lemon (Peel away skin and remove large seeds before adding)
 ½ apple
 3 cups water



Although not a smoothie, this is another great way to get "blended greens" into your diet. Simply blend some greens up with water, veggie or chicken broth, carrot juice, etc, and add to vegetable soup as your soup base, or, follow a version of the recipe below (a variation from Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s book, Eat to Live, my favorite book on nutrition), which is very quick and easy to make! This makes a creamy, “comfort food” soup.

• 1 lb bag of frozen broccoli (or a head of greens, like Bok Choy)
• 1 lb bag of frozen mixed veggies
• 1 cup almonds
• 1 quart chicken broth (or veggie broth)
• 1 ½ cups lentils (uncooked)
• 2 tbs turmeric
• 4 tbs cinnamon
• 2 tbs nutmeg
• 1/2 cup dried onions (gives an onion soup flavor)

Instructions: In a high powered blender, blend the frozen broccoli, almonds, chicken broth and dried onions until thoroughly pureed (if you do not have a high powered blender, you may need to cook the veggies first in the broth in order to soften them, and then cradle the veggies and broth into the blender). Pour mixture into a big pot. Add frozen mixed veggies to the pot (you may pulse the veggies on low power in the blended to dice them into smaller pieces if desired – only pulse 1/3 of the bag at a time for best results), and add lentils and seasonings (I guessed on the measurements for these, so you may need to tweak these a bit). Cook on low heat for 1- 1 ½ hrs until everything is cooked. If mixture gets too thick, you might need to add a cup or two of water. This can be made every week if you like and simple re-heat it throughout the week (a great *fast* food!). It makes a *big* pot of soup and will keep refrigerated for 4-5 days. Total Prep Time: Less than 20 minutes.

• Note: You can vary up the ingredients in this soup to make all sorts of combinations. For example, instead of the chicken broth, you could use tomato juice, and then add some diced tomatoes, cilantro, pinto beans instead of the lentils, and add seasonings such as chili powder, cumin, onions, garlic and lemon juice for a great chili soup. Carrot juice makes a great base as well. You could also add things like pumpkin puree or butternut squash puree and use different veggies with the liquid soup base. I like using frozen because it’s quick and easy. Sometimes I blend a head of leafy greens, like kale or bok choy into the liquid base as well for extra nutrients. You can also use other nuts besides almonds. Walnuts pulsed on low will give a meat texture to the soup and is really great in chili type soups.

Enjoy!






** For those who really want to get serious about improving their skin, the following is a recommendation from Dr. Joel Fuhrman:

Green Smoothie Videos:

Green Smoothie (Original) by Sergei Boutenko
This is more of a "grass smoothie," but it's a really cute, fun and happy video.
Jenna's Healthy Kitchen - Green Smoothie Video
GreenSmoothieGirl's Healthy Green Smoothie Demo
Trev4Raw's Blended Greens Raw Soup Video

Please post or send me a private message if you have any questions! I am happy to help!

This post has been edited by *`*~ABG Fairy~*`*: Nov 4 2009, 11:31 AM

Fresh vegi juicing is brill. I take cucumber and ginger, I like the kick of a few ginger roots which help digestion and pures the blood. Nice post - good to hear some results with changing diet and acne.

Hmm... I'll have to try that sometime. Nice suggestion!

This is an important componente of the dietary regime I'm following
Dr. Fuhrman calls them "blended salads" and the first one to introduce them has been Dr. Gian Cursio almost 90 years ago. Dr. Fuhrman itself, almost 50, has a great skin and so his patients and he says that althought the whole diet (which is based on securing the highest intake of nutritive elements and don't worry about macronutrient ratios) help the blended salads are what makes the trick



I will post laster blended salad recipes that I like

Danny - very cool info about Dr. Fuhrman, thanks! It really is sooo hard to eat big salads everyday, but the green smoothies make it so easy, because you just blend the greens and drink them!

I learned that our jaws and teeth can't chew our food completely anymore because of our modern lifestyle. That's why drinking the greens is good. Juicing doesn't give you fiber so it's best to have the whole greens blended.

Does any1 else use a slow rotation juicer here? Since I switched I notice my juice is miles better.

These are really good. My mom used to make these for people we they got sick, except she added avocado which makes for a creamier shake.

It's very beneficial even when you're not sick though.

What? are you 100% clear? I cant have this, I have "damp heat" in my body

I thought heat was from cooked foods.

I have a LOT of respect for Chinese Medicine, but I wouldn't let anyone tell me I couldn't have fruits and vegetables. They are our number one source for nutrition and antioxidants - our best bet against cancer! Maybe if you did some fats with your smoothies, like sunflower seeds, it would be better? If not, I'd try to find cooked foods that are high in Vitamin A. Check www.whfoods.com to see what foods are high in vitamin A. You could cook foods like spinach, kale, carrots, sweet pototoes, etc. Just don't start taking "synthetic" vitamin A, as it can be very harmful. You definitely want to stick to food sources.

I wouldn't say I'm "100%" clear all the time, but any blemishes that come up are much smaller and go away quicker. For the most part though, my skin is clear, and it looks really healthy too. For a while I was getting blemishes that were leaving behind mild scars - thank goodness a friend told me about green smoothies before I got more scars. I had mild acne on my forehead too, and that cleared up as well. If I get lazy and go a few days without the smoothies, I'll start to slowly break out again. However, as long as I do the smoothies, my skin stays clear most of the time!

Well...first she said it's cuz of HEAT in my body...then it's dampness, because i dont eat white bread, hydrogenated oils, etc...
I guess if I fried my apples in olive oil, it would be okay

Awesome! I hope you start seeing improvement in your skin! Just give it a few weeks. When I first started the smoothies, I hoped clear skin would be a "miraculous side benefit" - I had no idea they were actually going to clear up my skin - I was thrilled!

so by green veggies you mean lettuce? I thought lettuce had no nutrition in it, or at least I assumed that . When you make the smoothies do you just use lettuce or do you mix in other leafy vegetables too? Would just using something like iceberg lettuce be ok?

This seems interesting, too bad I am too lazy to make smoothies.

It's just pretty noisy.

Iceberg lettuce has virtually no nutrition - use romaine, spring mix, baby greens, spinach, etc.


Yeah, the five - ten minutes it takes every day to make the smoothies can be a real problem for people. hehe It just depends on how badly you want clear skin. To me, 10 minutes every day is a small, small price to pay for having clear skin and preventing new scars.


Yes, it is!!! Anything over 90 decibels can damage hearing. If your blender is noisy, just cover your ears, or, a very simple, easy solution is to go to Home Depot to the safety department that has things like ear protection muffs. For about $10-15, you can get ear protection. They look like giant headphones, haha. Before you blend, just stick them on - easy! I get laughed at for it, but hey, my ears will thank me down the road!

Rofl.

My fist blenders/juice extractors were very noisy. However my slow roating juice is not loud, it tends to grind the crap out of the veg/fruit more than slice it into parts. Tho i paid crap loads for it compared to the £100 I spent on my first bunch.

When I was done making it, my brother laughed at me. From now on, I'm probably going to just do fruit smoothies.