Green smoothies are all the rage right now, but a few people, including my mom, said to be careful because drinking my veggies might not be as healthy as eating them. So I thought it would be a good idea to look into the pros and cons of green smoothies.
I started my research at the USDA and Mayo Clinic and found they both have recipes for green smoothies. That seems like a good endorsement to me.
The articles I found on the the Washington Post, Time, and USA Today seem to have balanced reports on the topic. They linked to similar studies and interviewed nutritional experts. While green smoothies are not as nutritious as eating whole fruits and vegetables they are a good way to get people to add fruits and vegetables to their diets. Also green smoothies shouldn’t be a meal replacement unless you try to balance the carbs with proteins and good fats.
Nothing I read has made me want to give up this green smoothie habit. I will increase my vegetable to fruit ratio going forward, and use 3 cups of vegetables to 1 cup of fruit. I will also keep using ingredients that we wouldn’t normally eat whole, like carrots and beets.
Have you read any persuasive/ fact based articles on smoothie science? Please share the link in the comments. Cheers!
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