Curtis Harwell Discusses How Great Tasting and Nutritous Smoothies Can Be

Green smoothies are all the hype these days, but there's much confusion about how to get the most out of that daily dose of feel-good medicine.

One of the chief reasons you’d want to swap your dead, sugar-laden, complex breakfast with a “pre-chewed” living greens smoothie is to gain access to bioavailable nutrition while preserving your precious digestive fire. In this way, your body can focus its energy on other important tasks, like cellular repair, detoxification and the metabolism of that not-so-healthy late-night snack.

Unlike popular belief, it’s not necessary to start your engine in full force from the moment you wake up. Have your lemon water, take your probiotics, vitamin D, iron and B12, then get blending.

Confused about the process? Let me offer some simple tips.

Add more greens

If you want your smoothie to be healthy, keep the alkalizing greens dominant (60-80%). Know that these greens shouldn’t ever compromise the taste. Get them in, mask them with some low to medium GI fruit and a few delicious supplements, and both your belly and your palette remain satisfied.

Easy, neutral tasting greens include romaine and spinach. Start with these and you may get hooked. Other fun greens to play with include kale, collard greens (stems removed), butter/red/green lettuce, fennel, celery, cucumber and herbs (cilantro, mint and parsley — in smaller quantities). If you’re overwhelmed by the taste of pungent or bitter greens, halve the amount and substitute with romaine or spinach.