Christy's Healthy Living

What the heck is all the noise about Green Smoothies?. Apart from the obvious facts that it's a refreshing and nourishing beverage, it's filled with so much health benefits you can even begin to imagine. If you've not given Green Smoothies a place in your diet you better do so now and do it fast no kidding. Smoothies are great ways to include more fruits or vegetables in your diets, but Green Smoothies takes it to a different level by the inclusion of dark leafy greens which are high in vitamins.

Green Smoothies are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which your body needs to function properly. They are nutrients rich and delicious beverage made from whole fruits and vegetables.
The American Cancer Society recommends we eat 5-9 daily servings of fruits and vegetables to prevent cancer and other preventable diseases. An average serving of Green Smoothies contains 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables.

Consuming Green Smoothies regularly is one of the fastest and easier ways to eat more leafy greens. Green Smoothies are much more healthy than fruit or vegetable juice. When you extract juice, you get only the vitamins and minerals but not the fiber, Green Smoothies are made with whole fruits and vegetables, given you not only the vitamins and minerals but also the fibers which your body needs to attain and maintain optimal health.

Regularly consuming Green Smoothies help form good green eating habits. Most people end up craving more Greens after a few weeks of drinking Green Smoothies. Drinking Green Smoothies daily can help improve your overall well being.

The Health Benefits of Green Smoothies cannot be overemphasized:

• Natural Weight Loss: Consuming Green Smoothies help you lose weight naturally. They are low in calories but very filling. By replacing a meal per day with a Green Smoothies, you are lowering your calorie intake and increasing your fruit, veggies and fiber intake. Green smoothies contain a high amount of water and fibers, it will make you feel full easily, thereby helping you fight hunger and cravings while losing weight.
• Digestion: The abundance of fibers in Green Smoothies helps the digestive system function properly. it helps to deal with issues like constipation and other related digestive health problems.
• Lowers High Blood Pressure: Consuming more fruits and vegetables daily have been associated with regulated blood pressure. Taking Green Smoothies regularly helps in maintaining your blood pressure level.
• Increased Energy: Green Smoothies provides you with vitamin B and Magnesium, which helps boost energy metabolism.
• Boost Immune System: Green vegetables are loaded with lots of phytonutrients which helps strengthen the immune system warding off illness.
• Healthy Bones: Leafy Greens are high in calcium and vitamin K, which promotes healthy and strong bones.
• Healthy Heart Health: The high amount of Vitamin A and C in Green Smoothies can help to significantly lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of stroke and Heart attack.
• Glowing Skin: Green Smoothies decrease the risk of aging and hydrate your skin.
• Easy to Consume: Taking the daily required servings of fruits and vegetables might not be that easy. Green Smoothies is an easier way to include more green leafy vegetables in your daily meals, without even noticing it.
• Healthy Colon and Gut: Fiber is one of the essential element or good colon health. Green Smoothies contain whole fruits and vegetables, ensuring you get all the necessary fiber your body needs.

What is there not to like about Green Smoothies, they are fantastically delicious, highly nutritious and above all very easy to make. if you've not included this in your diet, do so quickly.

Fruits and Vegetables are important components of a healthy and balanced diets, especially for children. It Aids growth, prevent obesity, boost immunity level and Aids better digestion, but most kids are just not a big fan.Most Parents are stressed out, and highly frustrated trying to force their kids to eat more greens. So how can parents win this war between children vs fruits and vegetables?

• Take the Lead: Children look up to their parents for everything. They see them as their role model, and  god. if you lead by example, and eat more fruits and veggies yourself, it will be easier for them to emulate this. Avoid junk foods during meal times, pile your plates with veggies and fruits and your kids will be on their way to consuming more greens in no time.
• Take them Shopping: Trips to the Markets and grocery stores is a great and fun way to introduce children to different types of healthy foods.Let them help in choosing different types of grains, veggies,spices, fruits and herbs.This will encourage them, to want to eat out of it when its done.
• Let them be involved in cooking: Allow children help in prepping, and cooking the meals( with Adult supervision). They are more likely to be interested in meals that they help cook themselves.
• Make Smoothies: Smoothies are delicious and nutritious drinks, consisting of different blends of fruits ,vegetables or combination of fruits and vegetables. This is an easier way, to get kids to consume more fruits and vegetables.  Blend different kinds of fruits and vegetables to make a nutritious drink that is pack full of healthy and nutritious fibers.
• Make a Popsicle: Children love Popsicle, this is one frozen dessert that children just adore. This could be a way to get them, to consume more greens. Wipe up a healthy combo of different fruits and vegetables, to make a delicious and nutritious Popsicle that children cannot resist.

Above all be consistent, if you try and fail, try  again. Consistency is the way, to get kids more interested in eating more fruits and vegetables.