Green Smoothies: Not As Healthy As You Think

When I was younger and decided I would start eating well, I immediately began drinking green smoothies every morning. It was also around this time that I developed a severe case of candida that would likely return if I resumed my high carb, low-fat diet of days past.

Because here’s the thing about green smoothies that no one talks about: they’re full of sugar.

The basis of a smoothie is 2 cups greens + 2 cups liquid + 3 cups fruit.

Every day I’d combine spinach, water and mixed fruit like pineapple, banana, berries, apple, etc. While berries are lower in sugar, the majority of the fruit is full of sugar. While that sugar is healthier sugar than what is found is soft drinks or beer, it’s still a lot of sugar to be ingesting. Especially first thing in the morning!

Take a look at these sugar comparisons:

Product	Sugar
Coke 284g	29g
Dr. Pepper 282g	30g
Beer – Miller High Life	0g
Sprite 282g	30g
Root Beer 277g	29g
Apple Juice 12oz	37g
Smoothie made with pineapple	48g
Smoothie made with apple	39g
Smoothie made with banana	84g

Another thing people neglect when it comes to smoothies is the necessary addition of fat. People are still so fat-phobic that they don’t realize they aren’t absorbing the fat-soluble vitamins: A, E, D and K. If fat is not present in a smoothie, you will not absorb any A, E, D or K. Unfortunately, the green veggie+liquid+fruit combo leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to nutrient density. This type of smoothie is not rich in true vitamin A (retinol) or vitamin D. It lacks healthy fats which are necessary to fuel the body and brain, as well as keep you satiated.

This type of green smoothie is not healthy, it’s not a meal, and it won’t help you lose weight.

This type of smoothie is a fad, but that isn’t to say that all smoothies are bad.

A smoothie that has fat, eggs yolks and gelatin is a serious superfood smoothie. It is more nutrient dense than a spinach/water/fruit smoothie and much lower in sugar. Not only that, due to the nutrient profile it’s actually comparable to a meal.

Here is my favorite smoothie recipe:

1/2 cup coconut milk
1.5 cup water or ice
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup berries
1 tbsp raw manuka honey (so healing!)
2 tbsp gelatin
2 cups greens (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend, baby, blend! This smoothie is rich in healthy fats, choline, vitamins A, E, D, and K as well as B vitamins.