After a doctor’s visit where I was diagnosed with chronic inflammation, I quickly decided to add more raw greens and superfoods to my diet. The best way to do that was with a daily green smoothie recipe that was easy to make, yet packed with anti-inflammatory foods, superfoods, and raw veggies.
I have been drinking this anti-inflammatory green smoothie while eliminating unhealthy foods out of my diet.
Already, I could see that two of the signs of my chronic inflammation (tonsillitis and sinusitis) had eased after only two days of this ridiculously easy green smoothie.
However, if you want to get the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet and this green juice recipe, you have to take a two-fold approach.
1- Eliminate the Foods That Cause Inflammation
For me, these inflammatory foods were quite standard. Sugar wasn’t really a problem for me, but as someone who loves pastries, I struggled with refined carbs and dairy. However, when my health was being visibly affected by this, that stuff had to go, and quickly.
Here are some of the top foods that cause inflammation:
- Sugar
- Refined Carbs
- Dairy
- Soy
- Unhealthy and overprocessed oils
- Most canned foods
2- Add Anti Inflammatory Foods
Here are the anti-inflammatory foods that I use in my green smoothie. There are only 6 ingredients in this smoothie that I rotate depending on the flavor I want.
1- Spinach
Spinach is a great source of vitamins and nutrients. Aside from healing inflammation, spinach is great for improving blood glucose, reducing blood pressure, and reducing cancer.
2- Beetroot
This anti-inflammatory food is a great source of minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and phosphorous. These are great for immune support and organ protection.
3- Ginger
Ginger is a popular spice that has the main compound, Gingerol, that is a great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory food that is great for green smoothies.
4- Coconut Water
This is a great way to boost hydration if you’re having your smoothie first thing in the morning. It also has added vitamins, phytonutrients and taste for your smoothie.
5- Organic spirulina powder
Spirulina is a green algae with powerful antioxidants that help to protect our cells from the damage caused by free radicals. As a natural antioxidant that is also classified as a superfood, this a great ingredient for a green smoothie recipe.
6- Hemp seeds
This is another superfood that is good for healing inflammation. Hemp seeds are delicious and nutritious and contains a lot of antioxidants. Blending this in a smoothie helps to absorb more nutrients effectively.
Not Mixing Fruits with Vegetables
You’ll notice that unlike most popular green smoothie recipes, I don’t have fruits like bananas or green apples or berries in this smoothie recipe.
There’s still a debate on whether or not you should mix veggies and fruits but personally, I prefer to have a fruit smoothie with only fruits and a green smoothie with only vegetables.
This optimizes digestion and absorption because fruits contain simple sugars that require little digestion, while veggies like spinach and beets will require more time to break down.
Flavour Profile of This Green Smoothie Recipe
I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of this smoothie.
I was prepared to drink it regardless of how it tastes, but I’m happy that the combination of ingredients was tolerable by even my spinach-hating roommate.
Here’s how it works:
The coconut water added a flavor and nutrient boost that works well with the other ingredients.
The ginger, while you can hardly taste it, masked the flavor of the hemp seeds and spinach. Spirulina definitely smells like algae but is absolutely tasteless in this smoothie.
In all, this green smoothie is very palatable. It’s definitely not unpleasant, as I had expected.
Related: Healthy Late Night Snacks for Weight Loss
Green Smoothie Recipe with Superfood Ingredients
INGREDIENTS FOR GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE
- 1 cup raw spinach
- 1/2 cup Coconut Water (optional)
- 2 tsp Hemp Seeds
- 1 tsp Organic Spirulina Powder
- 1 tsp Ginger (raw, peeled)
METHOD
Combine all ingredients in a blender on high speed. Blend for 20 seconds or until fully combined.
Serve immediately.
Green Smoothie Tips:
It’s best to drink this smoothie immediately after making it and to make it fresh each morning if you’re on a green smoothie diet.