Shake Shake Shake

So perhaps you are considering this whole vegetarian or plant-based diet thing, but you are not quite there yet ... that's ok.  It is a process to start giving up the flesh, the cheese, the ice cream .. believe me, I know!  But on your veggie journey to the optimum health and super awesome you, we can begin kick-starting everyday and maximizing your daily nutrient content.  Now, break out the blender and let's start blending!

I'm sure you have heard about green smoothies for breakfast, green shakes for your pre-workout energy, basically green machine madness to supercharge your day.  If you have already discovered the magic of blending, please comment support for those who are a little unsure!  You may think that spinach and other veggies in your fruit smoothie sounds ridiculous and nasty, but I promise whipping up a green shake can include whatever flavors you like and is a great way to get several servings of veggies and fruit out of the way.  It also energizes your metabolism and provides your body with micronutrients galore!

But, first things first: what is blending, why is it awesome, and how do you do it?  Blending is a method of combining intact fruits and vegetables to create a supernutrient shake.  Unlike juicing, all the fiber and pulp are apart of the whole finished product.  More about fiber later, let's look at vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, oh my!

Vitamin A is essential for vision, growth, your immune system, and reproduction. The carotenoids that make up this vitamin are found in the bright colors of produce - reds, oranges, yellows, and dark greens.  It is also a powerful antioxidant to prevent some cancers and diseases.  Excellent sources are squash, kale, spinach, mango, and apricots.

Vit C is a busy nutrient that has many functions in the body. It helps create collagen, neurotransmitters, acts as an antioxidant, and helps with immune function, protein metabolism, and iron absorption. This vitamin is available in many fruits and vegetables including cabbage, kale, tomatoes, strawberries, bananas, berries, citrus, etc.

Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that also participates in other metabolic processes.  Plant sources include avocados, seeds, nuts and nut butter, pumpkin, olives, and leafy greens.

Vit K is essential for blood clotting and assisting in bone metabolism.  Nuts, seeds, olives, leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, lentils, and peas are great sources.

B1 helps convert carbs into energy and is found in whole grains (quinoa, oats, barley), legumes, nutritional yeast, squash, and tahini. B2 is important for energy metabolism and red blood cell growth. It is found in the same B1 places along with soybeans, spinach, mushrooms, sea vegetables, and fortified plant milks. B3 deals with energy and also production of DNA and is found in nuts, rice, grains, tahini, avocados, peas, and potatoes. B6 is involved in amino acid metabolism and has antioxidant properties. Plant sources include bananas, raisins, tomatoes, figs, chickpeas, and lentils. B12 is the tricky vitamin and most criticized in a vegan or plant-based diet. This is the main vitamin you need to concern yourself with getting enough of since it is the only nutrient an herbivore cannot attain directly from most food or sunlight.  B12 is made by microorganisms and bacteria and since we wash these off of our plants before we eat them, we need to use a fortified product like plant milk or nutritional yeast, or a supplement.

Since this section is getting long, I'll quickly mention two important minerals - calcium and iron. Calcium is essential in blood clotting, nerve transmission, bone and tooth formation, muscle contraction, and hormones and enzymes. Plant sources include spinach, kale, broccoli, seeds, beans, bok choy, etc. Plant-based diets tend to be higher in iron than other diets which is great since it is an essential component of proteins and enzymes and important for transporting oxygen.  Iron is found in greens, beans, apricots, seeds, molasses, fortified plant milks, raisins, etc.

Fiber and phytonutrients - so you probably already know that fiber keeps things in the body moving, it also does many other things from preventing cancer to managing your weight. Fiber is also found exclusively in plants. So try to eat a variety of legumes, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, like your green shake which is super-loaded with fiber. Phytos are a naturally occurring substance found in plants that contain powerful elements that protect and nurture the plant, which are then benefits passed onto you. They act like secret agents in your body taking on tasks from anti-inflammatory to anticancer, basically protecting you from the outside environment. The most colorful fruits and vegetables are the greatest holders including dark leafy greens, cruciferous veggies, berries, tomatoes, garlic, onions, citrus, seeds, and legumes.

(The micronutrient information was provided from "Plant-based Nutrition" by Julieanna Hever)

So from this list you can obviously see the super awesomeness of a green shake jam packed with all the above!  Do you think for breakfast you could sit down and eat 4-8 servings of fruits and vegetables?  In a blended shake you can! Not only does blending provide your body with everything it needs to get going in the morning (or whenever), but it is filling and pretty low calorie.

*Quick note on fresh, canned, and frozen fruits and veggies -fresh is best, frozen is a close second since it is typically "flash frozen" and maintains most of the above nutrients intact, canned is not the best way you want to get your produce since it is usually in sugar juices, dipped in sodium, and heated up which destroys a lot of the nutrients.

So before you write off the green sludge in a cup, keep in mind all the amazing nutrients above and give your body what it needs!

How I typically make a green shake is to scour the fridge and grab whatever fruits and vegetables are available.  I always start with about a cup of water in the base, add a leafy green (typically spinach since it has a mild taste), blend for a few seconds, add a banana and some berries, blend, add another veg or two like carrots, blend, add some seeds and more fruit, and blend.  As long as you start with a good leafy base and a sweet fruit like a banana, it's hard to mess up a smoothie from there.

PBD Recipe
My Green Smoothie (makes 2-3 servings)

Ingredients:
1 cup spinach (about a handful)
1 carrot
1 banana
6-8 strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup of pineapple (fresh or frozen)
1 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon chia seed or flax seed
1 tablespoon lemon juice (I prefer fresh squeezed lemon juice and use about 1/4 of the lemon)
3-5 ice cubes

*Note, anything blended is best served right away before the shake starts to oxidize and break down the micronutrients, however, if you cover it in your fridge it is still good to drink later that day.
*I like to add in some nuts or seeds to my green smoothies.  They add some healthy fat to the shake which allows your body to better absorb the nutrients from the fresh produce.

Also, keep in mind that the super green smoothie can be whatever you want it to be! I always start with a green leafy base and a banana and then just grab whatever fruit or veggies I'm craving .. mangoes, raspberries, kale, bok choy, collard greens, tomatoes, peaches, oranges, etc. all make great substitutions or additions! Have fun, and if you have favorite green smoothie recipes to recommend then please do so in the comments!

Side note on my next blog entry - I quickly discovered that it was easy to fall into the junkfood vegetarian realm (think lots of cheese and ice cream, and when I joined the veganism front, it was a tad more difficult since you cannot just buy vegan queso and vegan donuts anywhere ... however, after finding many vegan junkfood options to quench my palate, I watched my waistband expand and my body not feel so great.  Even if you kick meat to the curb, you will not reap the major benefits of a PBD if you consume a lot of your calories from added fats, oils, and sugars.

Happy Thoughts from Your Healthy Herbivore,

S

“You literally empower your immune system to fight off foreign invaders, slow the aging process, and maintain a lean physique by choosing nutrient-dense sources of fruit. It really is that simple.” 

- Julianna Heaver M.S.

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