The Simple Green Smoothie

Good gut health requires a regular supply of soluble fibre and plant-based nutrients. Starting your day with this simple green smoothie is a great way to introduce some healthier options or to top up on your fibre intake.

Many of my patients have seen great benefits by adding a Green Smoothie to their daily routine. Here is my simple and tasty recipe, which contains about 220 calories, 6g of protein and three of your “five-a-day”.

The Basic Ingredients

Add the following ingredients to your blender or smoothie maker

A cup of liquid (tap water is fine, but you might like to try a cold cup of your favourite tea)

1 cup of leafy greens (fresh or frozen, good options are spinach or kale)

1 banana or 1 small avocado or ½ a cup of non-dairy yogurt or a tablespoon of unsweetened peanut butter

1 cup of fruits and berries (you’ll find bags of frozen fruits and berries in the freezer aisle of most supermarkets)

If you want a sweeter smoothie, use apple juice instead of water

Blend them according to your appliance’’s instructions

The Optional Extras

Add one or two of these for extra flavour

Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract

A few thin slices of fresh ginger

Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder

One teaspoon of honey or agave syrup

The High-fibre Smoothie

Boost the fibre content of your smoothie by 4g by adding one of the following

Two tablespoons of ground flax seeds or

Two  tablespoons of chia seeds

Both of these ingredients are best soaked overnight. Just put two tablespoons in a cup and cover with water. Alternatively, you might like to blend them up with all of your ingredients and leave your high-fibre smoothie in the fridge overnight, ready to enjoy with your breakfast.

Smoothie Tips:

You don’t have to drink the whole smoothie in one go. You might like to keep half to enjoy later or to have the following morning.

Smoothies are not just for breakfast and can be taken at any time of day.

Smoothie blenders do not need to be expensive. You can get a perfectly decent smoothie blender at a kitchen store, supermarket or on-line for about £20

If you get bored of this simple recipe, search on-line for more Green Smoothie ideas and inspiration!