Other nutrients it contains include calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, and the B- complex vitamins. It is also a good source of Niacin and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. Spinach, just like other greens that contain chlorophyll and carotene, is a remarkable protector against various diseases, including cancer, anemia, digestive problems, skin problems, as well as acting as a mild laxative. Women who are worried about osteoporosis should consume spinach because it is a rich source of calcium and vitamin K.
In fact, when compared calorie for calorie to other vegetables, some say that nothing is as nutrient dense as spinach, while also being very low in calories. And no, you don’t have to worry about the oxalates in spinach hurting you. Spinach is Super Low In Calories & Super Dense in Nutrients = Great For Weight Loss! Spinach, it’s really low in calories, so it’s an excellent ingredient for all weight loss smoothies, as well as meal replacement smoothies. The great thing is that once you try a spinach smoothie recipe, you’ll be consuming lots of it and it won’t matter anymore if you or your picky- eaters at home don’t enjoy munching on spinach salad! Just adding a few spinach leaves to a your smoothie recipe, is so easy, tastes delicious, and it’s also incredibly good for you! A bunch of spinach has a mere 7. So, how do you prepare a spinach smoothie?
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When preparing spinach smoothie recipes, as in the case in most other greens, feel free to experiment and include a wide variety of other fruits and veggies. By experimenting with different combinations, you will be able to come up with something that you and the whole family will love. You’ll even have an easier time getting your children on board to adopting a healthier diet. The great thing about spinach is that it’s mild tasting, so it’s a perfect starter green for green smoothies.
Even the most picky eaters won’t mind a few leaves of spinach in their fruit smoothie (use some deep colored fruits, such as berries, or colored glass containers to mask the green color for those most green- resistant eaters). Generally speaking, Vitamix or Blendtec blenders will do a great job with any type of greens, including the tougher greens such as kale, collard greens, or celery tops. These smoothie makers will give you smoother liquid, compared with other blenders. However, even if you have an inexpensive blender you can make spinach smoothies without worrying about rough texture – spinach is soft enough, so most blenders will handle spinach well.
First, when buying fresh spinach it should be dark green and free from any evidence of decay. Choose spinach that has vibrant deep green leaves and stems with no signs of yellowing. The leaves should look fresh and tender, and not be wilted or bruised. Avoid those that have a slimy coating as this is a sign of decay. Slightly wilted spinach can be revived to freshness by dipping it in cold water. Do not wash spinach before storing as the exposure to water encourages spoilage. Place spinach in a plastic storage bag and wrap the bag tightly around the spinach, squeezing out as much of the air as possible.
Place in refrigerator where it will keep fresh for up to 5 days. Prior to preparing a smoothie, wash spinach under running water. If using non organic spinach, you may want to soak or spray it with a biodegradable wash, then rinse. Use a salad spinner to dry. The leaves can be used as is.
You don’t need to remove the stalks, as you would for a salad. Put the leaves into your smoothie blender together with your fruits and veggies – bananas, strawberries, apples, celery, etc. That’s basically all there is to it! Spinach Smoothie Recipes. Here are a few green smoothie recipes with spinach for you to try!
I encourage you to experiment mixing spinach with other fruits, greens and vegetables. Also, I’m really not good with exact proportions, so you will need to experiment with quantities, to get that perfect green smoothie for your taste. More Green Smoothie Recipes with Spinach.
Spinach- Mixed- Berries. OR 1 cup of mixed berries from BJ’s)2 bananas (fresh or frozen)1 1/2 cup water (more or less, to desired consistency)For the Mixed Berries Smoothie I usually use frozen organic mixed berries I buy at BJs – a big 3 lbs bag for $9.
Spinach- Blueberry 1 large banana, ripe. Wild Blueberries from BJ’s)1 cup oz spinach, fresh. This is my son’s favorite. For this smoothie, I’m using frozen Wild Blueberries from BJ’s – a big 3 lbs bag for $7. Spinach- Mixed Tropical Fruit. For this smoothie, I’m using frozen mixed fruits from BJ’s – a big 5 lbs bag for $9.
Spinach- Pear- Celery. Spinach- Peach. 6 peaches. Spinach- Kiwi. 1 banana. Spinach- Watermelon- Strawberries.
One half small seeded watermelon, peel and all. Spinach- Mango Green Smoothie. Spinach- Banana- Orange Smoothie Recipe. Spinach and Cantaloupe Melon Smoothie Recipe.
Spinach- Tomato. Here is a savory recipe for a spinach- tomato smoothie: 4 ripe plum tomatoes. One note here on using frozen fruits in your smoothies. Personally, I don’t like smoothies that are really cold, so if I’m using a lot of frozen ingredients, I add some hot water to the mix to make them room (or rather – my stomach) temperature. I know that many people like frozen drinks, but drinking a lot of frozen smoothies is not really that healthy, in my opinion. I admit – I am totally hooked on green smoothies! I never use exact recipes – I constantly experiment by adding different ingredients, depending on what sounds good to my body each day.
Although some smoothies taste more delicious than others, I haven’t been disappointed yet! Note: Because of the high oxalic acid content of spinach, some experts recommend to keep your spinach intake down to once or twice a week. While I don’t subscribe to the view that greens (including those rich in oxalic acid, such as spinach) are dangerous, if you have any health issues such as kidney stones, speak to a qualified doctor or nutritionist about your concerns and any changes to your diet. Now that you know how to make some basic spinach recipes, you can experiment with other variations on this theme. When you are ready, start incorporate other, stronger tasting greens into your smoothies. For all my blending recipes I use Vitamix. If you don’t already own a Vita.