Go green–with your smoothies and juices!
| 2 min read
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but a healthy green smoothie or juice can do the same! Full of leafy greens like spinach and kale, these drinks are an easy way to get protein, vitamins and minerals on-the-go. They also boost your energy, help hydrate you and fill you up without a lot of calories.
So which option should you go for? Juices are nice because their nutrients are easily absorbed by your body, but smoothies contain more fiber and you can have more fun with the ingredients (think nuts, chia seeds, bananas and protein powders). Try a few of these green juices and green smoothie recipes yourself to see which you like better!
Rather just buy a bottled one at the grocery store? Here’s what you should look for:
- Real fruit and vegetables. Many store-bought smoothies have sugar-sweetened fruit juices in them. Your smoothies should not contain any artificial flavors. So if the label says “apple juice concentrate” on it, that’s not the same as juice from an apple. Look for only fruits and vegetables on the label. The simpler the ingredient list, the better.
- Honey, Stevia or Agave as sweeteners. Your smoothie or juice should not contain sweeteners other than these three.
- Add-ins. Many smoothies also contain chia, hemp or flax seeds, nuts or plant-based protein powders. These are great nutritional boosters, so don’t be afraid of them!
If you’re looking to pick up a freshly made smoothie or juice near you, there are a lot of Michigan-based places worth trying out:
Detroit/Plymouth
DROUGHT Juice makes 100 percent organic, unpasteurized, cold-pressed juice. They serve up thirst-quenching flavors like chard/cabbage/apple/celery/kale/lemon.
DROUGHT Juice makes 100 percent organic, unpasteurized, cold-pressed juice. They serve up thirst-quenching flavors like chard/cabbage/apple/celery/kale/lemon.
Royal Oak
Cacao Tree Café serves up smoothies packed with super foods like hemp seed, bee pollen, spirulina (a green algae) and more.
Cacao Tree Café serves up smoothies packed with super foods like hemp seed, bee pollen, spirulina (a green algae) and more.
Ann Arbor
Glassbox Coffee in Ann Arbor creates drool-worthy raw juices with fun names like the KGB (kale/ginger/basil/pineapple/cantaloupe) or Mean Green (kale/mint/jalapeno/green apple).
Glassbox Coffee in Ann Arbor creates drool-worthy raw juices with fun names like the KGB (kale/ginger/basil/pineapple/cantaloupe) or Mean Green (kale/mint/jalapeno/green apple).
Grand Rapids
Malamiah Juice Bar offers specialty juices like carrot/apple/spinach/strawberry and lets you choose add-ins like chia, hemp and flax seeds.
Malamiah Juice Bar offers specialty juices like carrot/apple/spinach/strawberry and lets you choose add-ins like chia, hemp and flax seeds.
Lansing
Juice Nation offers smoothies, raw juices, shots (wheatgrass and ginger) and the “Reboot,” their version of a juice cleanse.
Juice Nation offers smoothies, raw juices, shots (wheatgrass and ginger) and the “Reboot,” their version of a juice cleanse.
Do you prefer juices or smoothies, or both? Let us know!
This blog post is part of #HealthyMe, a personalized web experience based on your health and wellness goals. To sign up today, visit https://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/healthyme.
Photo credit: Breville USA
