7 Tips for Boosting Your Immunity With Green Smoothies & a Raw Pina Colada Green Smoothie

My number one tip for boosting immunity is drinking Green Smoothies. Greens give you energy & vitality. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, powerful antioxidants, vital live enzymes, amino acids (protein), natural anti-inflammatory agents, alkalizing buffers which helps combat disease and infection, and are low in calories. Yes, greens really are the perfect food!

They can be delicious, and the flavor combinations are ENDLESS. By mixing a variety of leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and protein powders, you can have fun, whilst at the same time getting a balanced nutritional profile.

Here’s seven quick easy tips for making FABULOUS  green smoothies:

1. Start with Sweet Fruit Green Smoothies and Mild Tasting Leafy Greens

Start with sweet smoothies. Use mild tasting greens such as spinach and romaine lettuce that are easily masked with fruit and other flavors. As your taste buds become accustomed to the taste of greens, start reducing the amount of fruit and increase the amount of greens and vegetable alkaline green smoothies.

2. Use Spices, Nuts, Seeds, and Sweeteners To Make Things Interesting. 

Use raw nuts and seeds, raw nut butters, spices such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, chili peppers, salt and pepper; and sweeteners such as dates, prunes, coconut sugar, maple syrup, raw honey, yacon syrup and stevia to heighten flavours and add an extra kick.

3. Get Creamy!

Use avocado, bananas, fresh coconut meat, and raw nuts to get a delicious creamy texture.

4. Keep your Green Smoothies COLD

For some reason , adding ice and keeping green smoothies really cold just makes them taste better!

5. Get Affordable or FREE Greens at your local Farmer’s Market

Here’s a great tip to make your smoothies more affordable! Most people ask to have the greens cut off of their beets, turnips and carrots etc at market stalls. Ask your local vendor for any tops they have cut off for other customers. These beet greens, carrot greens etc are loaded with nutrients and are free!

6. Rotate Your Greens! 

The key to avoiding any possible toxic influences of excessive alkaloid intake is to use different greens every day. Rotate greens such as Spinach, Kale, Romaine lettuce, Silver Beet, Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, Beet Greens, Turnip Greens, Parsnip Greens, Carrot Greens, and Mustard Greens.

7. Go Wild!

Wild edibles such as grasses, dandelion greens, pigweed, lambsquarter, hibiscus, & nasturtiams, give us a wonderful opportunity to expand our food resources and bring incredible variety to our diet. You can easily harvest your own wild edibles in your backyard, a balcony, or window sill. Check out Seeds of Change.

I talk in more detail about Wild Edibles and Green Smoothies on my Make Green Smoothies Page and there are tons of Green Smoothie Recipes on my site.

Here’s one of my favorite green smoothies using Dandelion Greens. Typically dandelions are bitter, but this Virgin Pina Colada Green Smoothie takes advantage of this, and make this smoothie taste like there is a nip of rum! ENJOY!

Raw Vegan Pina Colada Green Smoothie

• 4 cups fresh or frozen ripe sweet pineapple
• 2 cups raw coconut water
• 2 cups ice (if using fresh pineapple)
• 1 cup chopped washed dandelion greens
• ½ cup dried shredded unsweetened coconut
• ¼ cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup dried chopped pitted dates or more to taste

1. Place all the ingredients in your blender (I use a Vitamix) and puree until smooth and creamy.
2. Tweak flavors to taste and enjoy.
3. Makes four 8-ounce glasses

What’s YOUR favorite Green Smoothie recipe?

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