The Green Drink

In honor of our Editor-in-Chief, Khylie Heins, bringing her juicer back to school for us this week, I would like to talk about one of the latest health crazes: the green drink. If you have any form of major social media and follow any famous people, magazines or public figures then I’m sure you have seen something about this all-natural, low-calorie green smoothie. It has been featured on shows like the Dr. Oz Show and the Bethenney show and is the topic of many health centered blog sites all over the Internet.

 

So what is the green drink? For those who haven’t heard of the green drink, it is a beverage made with about 75 percent dark green vegetables, fruits and sometimes depending on your recipe, Greek yogurt and water. These drinks can be juiced or blended and most recipes call for all organic foods to ensure your drink has no GMOs, hormones or pesticides. (These non-organic components, found in a lot of our foods today, are still being studied but have been linked to weight gain and cancer. Eating these in our daily lives is not life-threatening but if you can afford it, I would buy organic.) 

 

Why should we care about this green drink? Well, we all know how many fruits and vegetables we eat in a day and I’m guessing not many of you meet the recommended daily intake of 2-3 of both fruits AND vegetables a day. These blended/juiced drinks make it easy to get a whole days worth of fruits and vegetables into our diets with just one drink! Not only does this help us achieve our RDI count for fruits and veggies but it is low in calories and high in nutrients. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that nourish our body and keep us healthy. Fruits and vegetables also contain fiber to help regulate your GI tract and lower your cholesterol. It’s also convenient because it fits in perfectly within our diets. These drinks can make good meal substitutes because they are filling and packed with nutrients that will keep you feeling full and energized. 

 

So what recipe should you drink? There are many recipes out there to try but the most beneficial ones will be all organic, made with lots of dark green veggies and fiber packed fruits such as apples, berries and/or pears. Be cautious of brands such as Naked or Odwalla, that promote their healthy “green” drinks that aren’t totally organic and may actually contain higher amounts of sugar and additives. For tips on how to make your own green drink at home, refer to the Dr. Oz website for his Green Drink recipe where you can find multiple green drink recipes and more explanation of green drink diets.