A Green Smoothie You'll Actually Enjoy Drinking

Green smoothies should taste good.

No really, they should.

Let me tell you, I've made my fair share that were downright disgusting. That usually happens when I end up winging it, and throwing whatever is available in the house into the blender.

Not a recipe for success. (Well, in the taste department anyway. The body is happy, but the taste buds are not.)

The other day I was at the Whole Foods in Tempe, AZ and visited the juice and smoothie bar. (I should note that only certain locations have the juice bar.) I had the tropical green smoothie and it was delicious. It was thick, cold, frothy, and made me take a sip -- hold out the cup -- look at it, and say "wow, that's good."

All of the green smoothies I've made prior to this Whole Foods experience lacked that smoothie quality that reminds you of a milkshake. And my friends, that is the difference between a green smoothie you choke down and one that makes you want more.

Let's be honest. Milkshakes are tasty. And so are the smoothies from those places that appear to be healthy. But the problem is that those choices aren't going to help you with your weight or give you any vegetable nutrients.

After tasting that tropical green and shelling out $6 for a small, naturally, I had to come home and make my own version. I just can't justify buying those all of the time. And unlike many of the tastier green recipes, this is one where there are more greens than fruit -- so you're getting plenty of plant nutrients.

Get ready, because it is good. Check it out.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water
3 cups spinach
1 1/2 cups romaine lettuce
1/2 cup pineapple
1/2 cup frozen mango
1 small frozen ripe banana
1 cup ice

Directions: In the order listed above, add all ingredients to blender. Start on low speed and gradually turn to high until consistency is smooth and well blended.

Notes: The frozen elements are what makes the thick and cold consistency. Don't swap frozen for non-frozen, it won't come out right. Also, you definitely want to use a ripe banana because it will make it sweeter. If the banana you use isn't ripe enough, it'll taste a little bitter.

Enjoy!

Benefits of Spirulina

Photo by aria9 on Flickr

If you're looking for a food source that's a little bit off the radar and dense in all kinds of nutrients and health benefits, then consider spirulina. Spirulina is a blue-green algae that grows in warm, fresh water lakes but also is found in saltwater and natural springs. It's what gives the water that dark green color. Once it's harvested and dried, it's  then turned into forms of powder, flakes, tablets or capsules.

Here are some of its benefits:

• It has 60-70% complete protein. It has all 8 essential amino acids and all 10 non-essential amino acids.
• Rich in omega fatty acids.
• Is rich in chlorophyll which is a blood cleanser. 
• Easy to digest, protects the immune system, reduces cholesterol and aids in mineral absorption.
• Helps maintain a healthy weight.
• Reduces risk of developing degenerative diseases.
• Has been shown to help correct degenerative disease.
• Is rich in vitamin B12 which helps the metabolism of every cell and benefits nerve tissue. It is also contains other B vitamins as well.
• Has protection against influenza, herpes and HIV.
• Has high amount of beta carotene which is converted to vitamin A. Vitamin A is beneficial for immune system, eyes, skin and mucus tissue.
• Its antimicrobial properties helps fight of harmful bacteria and yeast in the body.
• Help protect body against allergic reactions. 
• Helps increase energy and vitality. 

Though spirulina is a good source of complete protein, it should be noted that you would need to consume very high quantities of it to yield any substantial amount of dietary protein. It should also be noted that spirulina should be purchased from reputable brands to avoid any toxic contaminants. 

That said, I think adding a little spirulina to smoothies or juices is a great way to get an added boost of beneficial nutrients into the body. I should mention that it doesn't smell or taste good, so don't be surprised if you take a whiff of it and your nose is offended. This is why adding it to a blend of fruit and/or vegetables is wise. I like using the powder form. In addition to using it in smoothies, you may also want to sprinkle a little throughout a salad -- the dressing and other ingredients will help mask the flavor. You can find spirulina in all its forms at health food stores. 

Resources:

The University of Maryland Medical Center 

Natural News

Increase Healthy Fat Consumption with Hemp Seeds

Shelled hemp seeds
Photo by Evelyn Parham on Flickr

There is a lot of information out there when it comes to dietary fat -- good fat, bad fat, limit here, increase there -- it can be enough to make your head spin. To put it simply, eat the smallest amount of saturated fat and eat more healthy fats instead -- like hemp seeds.

Hemp seeds have a very light flavor, almost unnoticeable and are great to add into salads, giving it a little more heft. They can also be added into baked goods, shakes or yogurt.

Here are some things that I really like about hemp seeds:

• They have a 3:1 omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids ratio (most other nuts/seeds have a higher omega 6 content which most Americans already get plenty of through animal fat)
• They are a complete protein containing all essential amino acids
• They are high in fiber
• They are a good source of trace minerals and phytosterols (known to help lower cholesterol)

According to the American Heart Association, healthy fats from nuts, seeds, fish and plant oils may help lower cholesterol when used in place of saturated fats.

Though we often hear about how bad saturated fat is, remembering why it's so bad and how prevalent it is, can be forgotten sometimes -- so let's review.

Saturated Fat

Over consumption of saturated fats are most damaging to your health resulting in heart disease, atherosclerosis and increased risk of heart attack. Most people get too much saturated fat in their diets from animal products such as beef, pork, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk and cheese -- to name a few.

The AHA recommends limiting total fat for the day to 25-35% of total calories and saturated fat should be less than 7% of total calories.

So what does this look like? Take someone who consumes 1500 calories for the day:

• Total fat for the day: 375-525 fat calories which is 42g-58g 
• Total saturated fat for the day: 105 saturated fat calories which is 12g

Looking at those numbers it seems like a lot, right? But if you start to look at how much fat is in food, you'll be surprised. 

I recently saw a tweet from Eat This Not That calling out On the Border's Dos XX Fish Tacos for being high in fat. After reviewing their menu, one variation of that meal has 121g of total fat, 28g being saturated fat. That is horrifying.

This just goes to show how important it is to pay attention to what is in the food you're eating.

One serving of hemp seeds is usually about 3 tablespoons consisting of 13g total fat, 1.5 of that being saturated fat.

Next time you're dining out, think about what is really in your food. If you know where you're going to eat beforehand, take a look at their online menu and nutrition data and choose something that is friendly to your waistline and health.

A better option would be to make your own food and limit dining out to an absolute minimum. If you're looking for an easy way to reduce bad fat and incorporate good fat into your diet, try to swapping a typical lunch for a large salad and sprinkle some hemp seeds on that -- super easy. Remember, small changes add up. 

Fat Topics in the News

Here's some of what I've been reading and talking about lately -- really, I can't stop thinking about that 555-pound 14-year-old. (To be that big, that young? Yikes.)

I think this -- from The New York Times -- is interesting and want to know more. It could lead to some important breakthroughs:

"A new approach to treating obesity has been opened up by a discovery about how the body creates brown fat, the cells that burn white fat and turn it into body heat."

For the rest of the article, go here.

Childhood obesity has been in the news a lot lately.

The Kansas City Star wrote about a program in KCK that aims to fix the problem:

"A recent study found that 51 percent of elementary school children in Rosedale are overweight or obese. Even in a nation where childhood obesity rates have more than doubled in the last 30 years, that number from a KU study is high — 10 times greater than the federal government’s national goal for next year.
Partly because of numbers like that, a coalition of Rosedale leaders received a $225,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for a two-year effort called the Healthy Kids Initiative."

For the rest of the article, go here.

And I know you heard about the 555-pound teenager, right? Here's something about that. But the most interesting part to me is these stats:

"An estimated 15 percent of all children in the United States are overweight, and as many as 25 percent of black and Latino children fall into the overweight category. Study after study has confirmed that childhood obesity numbers have reached epidemic levels - and they continue to soar.
Despite what well-intentioned parents may think, childhood obesity is a serious health threat. Being obese increases your child's risk for serious conditions such as: heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, joint problems, reproductive problems and psychosocial problems.
Yet too many American parents turn a blind eye to their children's weight problems. Studies have confirmed that American parents of overweight and obese children severely underestimate their children's weight."

Here is something else about the boy.

And it looks like Kathleen Sebelius and Michelle Obama want to do something about childhood obesity, too. From USA Today:

"A national focus on childhood obesity is "overdue," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday at a government meeting.
She said the administration, including first lady Michelle Obama, plans to take on the health of children."

For the rest of the article, go here.

The Kansas City Star had a story from on Ellen Goodman that compared unhealthy food to cigarettes:

"Now that two-thirds of Americans are overweight, the lethal effects of fat are catching up to those of cigarette smoke. We regularly hear the cha-ching of obesity costs in the healthcare debate. And we are beginning to see that Overweight America is not some collective collapse of national willpower, but a business plan.
A measure of the moment is “Food Inc.,’’ a documentary chronicling the costs to the land, worker, and customer of a food industry that’s more grim factory than sylvan farm. A system that makes it cheaper to buy fast food than fresh food.
A more personal measure is David Kessler’s bestseller, “The End of Overeating,’’ which is both a thinking person’s diet book and an investigation into an industry that wants us to eat more. The former head of the FDA had crusaded against smoking, but found himself helpless before a chocolate chip cookie. So this yo-yo dieter set out to discover what exactly we’re up against.
Kessler is a scientist, not a conspiracy theorist. He takes you to an industry meeting where a food scientist on a panel called “Simply Irresistible’’ offers tips on “spiking’’ the food to make people keep eating.
We eat more when more is on the plate. We eat more when snacks are ubiquitous, when flavors are layered on and marketed as “eatertainment.’’ As one food executive admitted to Kessler, “Everything that has made us successful as a company is the problem.’’

For the rest of the article, go here.

Uggh. This makes me want to do extra cardio tonight. It's frustrating because all of this is unnecessary. All you have to do is work out and you avoid all this mess!

Tiffiany Moore is a certified personal trainer and NANBF figure competitor. Check out her site at www.trainertiff.blogspot.com. Questions or comments? E-mail trainertiff@hotmail.com.