RECIPES Do you still eat your salad with feta, olives, oil and vinegar? Then you missed the latest diet trend. Because half of Hollywood is now putting their vegetables in the blender and slurping up lamb’s lettuce, spinach and parsley from paper cups. Green smoothies are now also conquering local kitchens.

The colorful little bottles have been bustling about in the refrigerated shelves of supermarkets for a number of years: yellow, red and orange, the Vitamins-To-Go promise us a daily portion of fruit with a sip. We are talking about smoothies , so-called whole-fruit drinks, for which the entire fruit is processed. Unlike fruit juice, where apples, pears and the like are pressed, everything goes into the blender with a smoothie. Full power for full vitamins!

For some time now, however, another color has crept into the refrigerated section: green. Green smoothies are currently en vogue and the nutritional trend par excellence. Because the apple is now joined by spinach and the pineapple is accompanied by fresh lamb’s lettuce. At first glance, it sounds like you need to get used to it and it probably is when you take the first sip. Nevertheless, more and more women in the USA swear by the green magic potion. And in this country, too, people drink green. Reason enough to put green smoothies to the test.

Green smoothies: lettuce to drink

The American Victoria Boutenko is considered the mother of green smoothies . After her family suffered from various illnesses, the diet was switched to raw food – according to Boutenko the first step towards more vitality. The second came in 2004, when she came up with the idea of ​​putting green lettuce in the blender, mixing it with a little fruit and water and making it drinkable – green smoothies were born!

Slimming and health miracle?

The classic fruit smoothie is colorful and supposedly healthy, but it also has its pitfalls. In 250ml amounts of fruit are processed, which are healthy per se, but also contain a high proportion of fructose and carbohydrates. This causes the blood sugar level to rise and fall again quickly – as a result, we suffer from ravenous hunger.

An effect that vegetables do not trigger, on the contrary, they even slow down fructose absorption. The craving for sweets is limited and we stay full longer. For this reason, green smoothies are often used as a miracle cure for slimming measures. But they are also suitable as a healthy snack between meals when the afternoon craving for chocolate overcomes you.

Another argument for green smoothies is supposedly the way they are prepared. The purpose of the mixing is to break up the cell structure of the vegetables, which means that the substances they contain can be better absorbed and digested by the body. In addition, larger quantities of lettuce can be consumed.

Which vegetables are suitable for green smoothies?

The following are particularly suitable for the 60% vegetable content:

• spinach
• chard
• nut salad
• avocado
• cucumber
• Leafy greens from carrots or beets
• Parsley, cress, dandelion, nettle

Starchy vegetables such as kohlrabi, carrots or beetroot have no place in green smoothies – but their leafy greens do. So what often ended up on the compost can now go into the blender.

… and which fruits are allowed in the blender?

The 40% fruit may be taken from apples, pears, bananas, kiwis, mangoes, berries or pineapples. There are hardly any restrictions here, you can mix whatever tastes good!

Green smoothie recipes

For the following recipes, cut all ingredients into large or small pieces – depending on the power of your blender. Then put the fruit and vegetables in the blender. Finally, fill up the smoothie with water and mix everything until you get a creamy and not too thick consistency.

Green smoothie with avocado, pineapple, cucumber and lamb’s lettuce

For the avocado and pineapple smoothie, chop all the ingredients (except the lamb’s lettuce) and put them in the blender. Pour in some water until you get the desired consistency.

Green smoothie with zucchini and parsley

For the Zucchini Parsley Smoothie, chop the zucchini and add to the blender with the parsley, agave syrup and lime juice. Then add some water until you get the consistency you want.

Green smoothie with spinach and apple

For the Spinach Apple Smoothie, chop the apple and add to the blender with the spinach and lime juice. Then add some water until you get the consistency you want.

Green smoothie with spinach, cucumber and kiwi

For the Spinach Cucumber Kiwi Smoothie, chop the cucumber and zucchini and add to the blender with the spinach. Then add some water until you get the consistency you want.

Green smoothie with mango and coconut

For the mango coconut smoothie, chop the mango and add to the blender along with the spinach. Then pour in some coconut water until you get the desired consistency.