How a green smoothie changed my life
Afew months bago, during my 20-day trip to India, I was constantly gorging on rich food. By the time I came back, I vowed never to consume cooked or processed food again. Reason. My mind is strong but my body is weak (pun intended) and it is constantly on the lookout for food. As humans, we all succumb to hunger. I realised where the real problem lies and decided to address it. I hence went to the supermarket and loaded my trolley with green leafy vegetables, carrots, beetroots and whatever fruits were in sight. For the first two days, believe me, the experience was exhilarating. Somehow, I felt that my mind, soul and body were in agreement with raw food. I started researching more on the subject. I stumbled upon the story of Boutenko family who went on a radical, raw food diet. Their doctors apparently could not find a cure for their illnesses. Green smoothies helped them. I decided to follow their method.
A green smoothie is made of fresh fruits and dark, leafy greens such as spinach, kale, lettuce, mint, coriander etc. It is dairy-free; using creamy fruits like bananas, mangoes or avocados can give it a smooth texture. You can also add super foods like ground flax seeds and chia seeds to the smoothie. All these items are easily available at your nearest grocery store or supermarket. It is extremely easy to make smoothies at home — just choose your favourite fruit and vegetables, throw them in a blender, and drink to good health.
I went to my regular diet of simple breakfast,
In my personal journey, I want to become the best version of myself — physically, emotionally and mentally
lunch and dinner but I continued with the green smoothie every day. I noticed that I was not craving for desserts or junk food anymore. After researching more I learnt that since I was replacing empty calories with the nutrient-packed ones, I stopped craving for unhealthy food. Going on a green smoothie diet or any kind of a diet is never a good idea. Including green smoothie — in addition to your daily food — will reward you with many longterm benefits. The magical green drink helps in natural weight loss besides preventing the growth of cancer. It also helps in mental clarity, increased energy and focus, clearer skin and healthy hair. I always carry a bottle of green smoothie with me, no matter where I go. It is green fuel for my body. I also learnt that it is so much cheaper to buy these ingredients from grocery stores. You get a bundle of spinach for 0.95 fils. It is not a good feeling when you order a salad from outside which is never big or fresh enough and you pay around 25 dirhams for the same and it hardly fills you up. I also cringe every time I end up eating calorie rich food from the hotel when I go out with friends or family. I do occasionally indulge in junk food, but not as much as before I started having the green drink.
I have reached that point in my life where I want every meal to nourish my body. In my personal journey, I want to become the best version of myself — physically, emotionally and mentally. I am pretty sure embracing green smoothie was the one the best decisions that I have taken in my life.
—arti@khaleejtimes.com