I love to drink green drinks because they make me feel great and provide my body with many health benefits. I can often feel my body thanking me when I drink a green drink.
Drinking green drinks has a different effect than drinking green smoothies
It feels different drinking green drinks that consist of one ingredient, the juice of leafy greens, rather than added fruit and fiber included in “green smoothies” that are sweet, fun, and creative drinks.
I asked some family members and a friend how they feel when drinking green drinks. Here is what they said…
- I feel satisfied.
- My body feels more awake.
- I feel a buzz especially in my sinuses and head area.
- I feel more energetic.
- It feels like a medicine my body loves.
- My teeth feel cleaner.
- They make me feel better when I eat too much sugar or junk food.
- I feel a sense of well-being.
- I get fewer pimples.
Enjoying these “good feeling” sensations is the reason I drink green drinks which is a different reason than why I drink smoothies. Sweet green smoothies taste YUMMY and they are “happiness” to drink!
I asked my family and friend if they feel the aforementioned sensations when drinking green smoothies and they all said, “No.” I think a few of the reasons why plain green drinks create these sensations are because green juice is:
- in a simple form that the body can assimilate easily and very quickly
- nutrient-dense
- toxin neutralizer
- blood purifier
- immune booster
- high in enzymes for healthier digestion
- helpful in improving elimination
- low in sugar
Favorite leafy greens for green drinks
My favorite leafy greens are…
- kale and spinach greens
but I also sometimes use…
- cilantro
- parsley
- romaine lettuce greens
- beet greens
- collard greens
- and occasionally the vegetable celery
If a preferred type of leafy greens is not available, I purchase another that is. No other ingredients are needed to make the healthiest green drinks.
Expert says green drinks are better than green smoothies
Five experts agree green drinks (not green smoothies) are an excellent choice. One of those experts, Dr. Barry Popkin, Ph.D. said…
Veggie juice is very healthy and way healthier than fruity concoctions like smoothies, which Popkin recently came down against. The main concern about juicing and blending—that pulverizing produce lets sugar rush into your bloodstream faster without fiber—isn’t a big issue with juice made from vegetables because it is low in sugar.
A store-bought, veggie-heavy green juice can contain 36% of your daily recommended potassium and 20% of daily vitamin A, with 12 grams of natural sugar, no fat and 4 grams of protein. Juicing your own fresh glass will likely net even more nutrients.
Time.com
Additionally, I know from first-hand experience that fresh wheatgrass juice and other types of leafy green juices are great sources of calcium. Since I am lactose intolerant, I haven’t drunk milk for many years. I got a DEXA scan a few years ago to make sure my bones were not being adversely affected by the absence of dairy products in my diet. I was very pleased when I learned my bone density is great and the overall health of my bones is good.
Wheatgrass Powder
When I am traveling or when it isn’t convenient to make green juice, I keep powdered green drinks on hand. I purchase my powdered wheatgrass from Amazon. Below are links to a couple of different brands I use.
Amazing Grass Organic Wheatgrass Powder
No Juicer and Juicer Methods
There are a couple of ways to make green juice.
If you don’t have a juicer, no worries. I recently learned you can use a blender and then filter the pulp out with this cool nut milk bag. I love this bag! This bag is no harder to clean than a juicer, probably even easier. Additionally, the end product using this bag is as good as if you had a juicer. Below is an Amazon link to the Bigger Better Nut Milk Bag and below that is a link on how to use the bag.
Elle’s Best Bigger Better Nut Milk Bag
Demonstration
You won’t want to miss the demonstration link below on how to use the Bigger Better Nut Milk Bag to make green juice without purchasing a juicer. Very cool!
Demonstration on How to Make Green Juice Without Purchasing a Juicer
Blender recommendation
Here is a link to a durable blender I highly recommend. I enjoy the volume space provided in the 64 oz. container. I have been using the Vitamix 5200 professional blender for almost 20 years and it continues to do a great job!
Vitamix 5200 Professional Grade 64 oz. Container Blender
Lisa Bryan’s recommendation
I enjoy watching Lisa Bryan’s healthy recipe videos from Downshiftology. She often comments on how much she enjoys and recommends the Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender, Professional-Grade with the 64 oz. Low-Profile Container. I can understand why Lisa loves this blender; it looks like this machine can practically do anything plus it is a very nice-looking appliance.
Juicer recommendation
If you have a juicer, then you are all set. The juicer I have been using for years is the Omega brand- J8006HDS Dual Stage Masticating. I chose this juicer because it is strong enough to grind wheatgrass and because it is easy to clean. I don’t like juicers with lots of parts because they are a hassle to clean especially on a daily basis. Below is an Amazon link to the juicer I use:
The J8006HDS Omega juicer does a great job. I have been using it daily to three times per week for 15 years without any problems. It is still reassuring that it comes with 15-year protection on parts and performance.
Conclusion
Because of the reasons included in this blog post, I highly recommend incorporating green drinks into your regular routine and drinking sweet green smoothies a bit less frequently.
My son who lives with Bipolar II Disorder makes a green drink almost every day because it improves the way he feels.
Top Featured Photo by Truong Dat
