The Ultimate Green Smoothie

If you’ve been watching me track my diet on MyFitnessPal or been following my Instagram you’ll notice I’ve been starting my day with a green smoothie.

I’ve been doing this for a couple of reasons...

1. I need to increase my dietary fibre. I have a daily target of 38g. The combination of kale, spinach, frozen berries and an apple gives 13g. 
2. Nitrates.

I’m not fond of nutritionism (the over analysis of food) because I think in a hectic stressful world with disrupted sleep, etc. focusing on individual micronutrients to the exclusion of others is a little short sighted. And looking at the bigger picture can often be a more important.

However, if the examine.com guide to exercise performance is to be believed increasing you nitrates by consuming leafy green vegetables can improve anaerobic (repeated short bursts of intense efforts) and aerobic (longer durations) endurance.

In short, nitrates break down in to nitrites which circulate in the body and are turned into nitric oxide. Elevated nitric oxide improve blood flow and work output.

By improving energy production in cells this is very important for exercise performance.

Whilst examine.com is an independent company set up to scientifically analyze the supplement industry it seems you cannot supplement nitrates due to regulation surrounding sodium nitrate, a food additive frequently added to meat products.

Therefore you’re encouraged to hit your target by consuming leafy greens by incorporating them in your pre workout meal in liquid form 60-120 minutes before exercise.

The research states 500g is enough to seek performance benefits, but I’m afraid I fall a little short. Even with my commitment to improved exercise performance and health I can only squeeze in 200g of green leafy vegetables without it being too disgusting to consume and being too expensive to bother.

But undeterred, I feel the lesser dose will serve me well, and comes with other fringe benefits because green leafy vegetables are a great source of calcium and can aid with liver detoxification.

On a little aside, if you’re taking blood thinning medication warfarin you must consult your doctor due to high levels of vitamin k in green leafy vegetables.

Lately I’ve noticed a renaissance in smoothie making mainly due to the popularity of the nutribullet which by all accounts is the latest ultimate kitchen gadget.

If you’re joining the trend I encourage you to be careful with what you use. Too much of a good thing can do the opposite. For example too much fruit can disrupt blood sugar balance (relevant for weight loss / fat loss & health) and leave you hungry. 

Use sugary fruits sparingly and veer towards berries and apples for best results. And get some vegetables in. Some people also like to add flax seed of something similar for added fibre. But again beware, some of the benefits of flax seed are overstated.

If you want to see to see what’s in my smoothie head over to Instagram.