Monday, November 19, 2018

In Life

“In life, much like smoothies, you get out what you put in.” (Bolthouse Farms)

Green smoothies are drinks made from blended fruits and leafy green vegetables. The smoothie makes it easy to consume the vegetables your body needs. The sweet taste of the fruit helps to cover up some of the less-tasty ingredients. The end result is a simple way to eat your greens. Green smoothies have helped people around the world drop unwanted pounds. Weight loss isn't the only benefit of “going green.”

Is a green smoothie better for you than just eating a salad with the same greens? The first response is yes because you can eat a lot more greens a lot easier in a smoothie than in a salad. On top of that, some of the most beneficial vegetables are also some of the least desirable when it comes to taste. This is where green smoothies come into play. Here are five other reasons why you should stop eating your vegetables, and start drinking them.

1.   Better looking skin-If you find that your skin is oily, dry, blotchy, or that you get frequent pimples (even as an adult), then green smoothies can help you here as well. Blackheads and pimples are caused when the pore around a hair follicle becomes clogged with dirt and grime. The pore may then become infected and inflamed, which leads to pimples. All of this can be traced back to oils, both natural and unnatural, on your skin.

Reducing your intake of fried foods and unnatural sugars, and instead relying on green smoothies, can help reduce the amount of oil that your sebaceous glands produce, which will lead to less oily skin and acne. At the same time, the water and vitamins in green smoothies will help hydrate and nourish your skin, preventing it from becoming dry, flaky, and blotchy. And by aiding in digestions, green smoothies also allow your body to devote more of its energy towards removing dangerous toxins from your system, which will also help improve the look and feel of your skin.

2.   Elevated energy levels- Most modern food is loaded down with two things: ingredients to make it taste good, and ingredients to increase its shelf life. This translates into a whole lot of salt, sugar, and chemical preservatives being taken into our bodies on a regular basis. These can lead to feelings of sluggishness as your body tries to metabolize a non-optimal diet. While feeling tired at bedtime is the best way to get a full night’s sleep, feeling tired throughout the day is an indication that your lifestyle needs a change.

 

Green smoothies are free from these harmful additives, and are nutrient dense, which means that when we drink them, we’re giving our body the best fuel to keep it going for hours on end. You may even notice an increased desire to exercise. After all, all of that extra energy has to go somewhere.

 

3.   Improved digestion-Approximately 63 million people in the Unites States suffer from chronic constipation, which can lead to discomfort, hospitalization, or even death. Constipation can also have a negative effect on your daily schedule as spending too much time in the bathroom can make you miss out on other activities. The most common cause of constipation is dehydration and too little fiber in the diet.

 

Green smoothies address these issues, and help keep your bowel movements regular and easy. Regular bowel movements will not only help you feel better in general, but it will also remove dangerous waste and toxins from your system. Many fruits and vegetables act as natural laxatives. Be sure you don’t overdo it so experiment with different combinations and see which ingredients are best for you.

 

4.   Increased hydration-A lot of these points seem to make mention of hydration, but we’d like to reiterate just how important water is to the human body. Water is a major component to any living organism, and a drop in our body’s water of as little as 2% can cause symptoms of dehydration. Perhaps more alarming is the fact that 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration. Yes, we should probably all be drinking more water, so why aren't we? It’s because we’re not motivated.

 

Water doesn't taste like much, and so it can seem boring when we try to take it with meals. By drinking green smoothies that use water as a base, you’re able to not only get all of the nutrition that comes from a liquid fruit-and-vegetable salad, but you’ll also be increasing your hydration, which, if you’re like most Americans, should already be at the top of your to-do list.

 

5.   Stronger hair and nails- We all want to look our best. For many of us, our hair and fingernails don’t want to cooperate. Hair that is constantly splitting and nails that are brittle can be a sign of an unhealthy diet. Like any other part of your body, your hair and fingernails are made up of cells, and when those cells don’t get the nutrients that they need, then they start to degrade. Green smoothies provide the vitamins, minerals, and hydration that your hair and nails need to grow quickly and to grow strong.

 

 “Green smoothies are easy to digest. When blended well, all the valuable nutrients in the fruits and veggies become homogenized, or divided into such small particles that it becomes easy for the body to assimilate the nutrients. In fact, the green smoothies literally start to get absorbed while still in your mouth.” (Victoria Boutenko)[i]

Green Smoothie




[i] Sources used:
·        “5 Green Smoothie Benefits You Didn't Know” by Blendtec

·        “Are Green Smoothies Good for You?” by Jolinda Hackett

 

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