Here’s the deal— a “green drink” is one thing to consider adding to every daily diet. It’s a caffeine-free pick-me-up that offers a concentrated form of raw, hydrating, vitamin-packed, enzyme-rich greens the body requires on a daily basis… but doesn’t usually get enough of.

Get Yo’ Drank On – The Takeaway

A green drink is any juice or smoothie that contains, well, greens. Not just green vegetables, such as cucumber or celery (although those can most certainly be thrown in there); rather, it’s a drink full of green leaves, like spinach, romaine, kale, and parsley. The health benefits of green leafy vegetables comprise an extensive list, but they ultimately cleanse the blood and fuel the body with oxygen. Supplementation of vegetable juice concentrates, such as a green juice, has been found to effectively increase the presence of important antioxidant nutrients and folate in the bloodSupplementation with mixed fruit and vegetable juice concentrates increased serum antioxidatnts and folate in health adults. I. Kiefer, Prock, P., Lawrence, C., Wise, J., Bieger, W., Bayer, P., Rathmanner, T., Kunze, M., Rieder, A. Institute of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health, Medical University Vienne, Austria. Journal of American College of Nutrition. 2004 Jun; 23(3): 205-11..

But don’t worry, there’s no need for nose pinching or rapid chugging. While a green juice or smoothie does indeed have leafy greens, which are “mild” in flavor to say the least, the finished product is no feast on lawn grass. The reason it is so palatable is because it also includes other vegetables and fruit such as apples or carrots to cut the leafy-salad taste. The proportion is typically 1/3 leafy greens, 1/3 fruit, and 1/3 vegetable.

Making a green juice simply entails popping some produce in a juicer and drinking whatever comes out. Make sure to wash the greens, fruits and veggies thoroughly before juicing. I think the best time to get the green on is in the morning on an empty stomach. But no matter when: bottoms up!

Tip

Start the day with a green juice/smoothie, fueling the body with a neat treat that is full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.