I subscribe to a newsletter called Raw Pleasure because I am such an advocate of the green smoothie. I make and drink a quart's-worth every day. According to the folks at the Raw Pleasure site, there are at least 10 stellar reasons to enjoy a green smoothie daily. All I can add is "Here! Here!" Take a look at these reasons and see if you aren't intrigued:

1. They Taste Fantastic!
Maybe it should be something deeper than that but lets face it, if they didn't taste great folks wouldn't drink them and therefore wouldn't enjoy the other 9 reasons! Now it's true that greens to the untrained palate taste bitter, or bland depending on the green. But by adding fruit the flavor of the green in the smoothie is disguised and that's why it can be said they taste fantastic (and why so many physicians are recommending them as part of a weight loss plan)!

2. Easy To Clean Up After.
This is so important in these busy times. We can make, pour and clean up after a green smoothie in minutes. You never have to miss a meal again! It doesn't matter how much of a rush you are in. Whatever you have to rush to, you can still take a couple minutes to blend up a green smoothie as you run out of the door!

3. Easy To Make.
Greens, fruit and liquid is all you need for a great green smoothie. It's not rocket science and you don't need a diploma or to be a qualified professional chef to make one. Anyone can do it!

4. They Can EASILY Be Healthified.
By adding just a few extra ingredients you end up with a healthy tasty powerhouse drink. Try vanilla powder, coconut oil, cacao powder or nibs, flax and chia seed. A small piece of fresh ginger, a snip of an aloe vera leaf, and so on, all add extra phytonutrients and antioxidants to the smoothie. And an extra bonus - these things fight candida albicans as well!

5. Fiber.
As Victoria Boutenko says in her wonderful book Green For Life, "Without fiber complete elimination is nearly impossible, if possible at all". Green Smoothies contain both soluble (from fruit) and insoluble (from greens) fiber. Fiber is essential for our bodies to cleanse the colon. The elimination of dead blood or bone cells is a good example of the cleansing and filtering work the colon does. And insoluble fiber also acts as a sponge carrying many times it's own weight in toxins from the body.

6. Kids Like Them.
Most children love green smoothies. Smart moms introduce them to their children when very young. Sometimes if children are coming from a McDonalds and junk food diet, they may not appreciate them at first, so these savvy green smoothie mommas suggest serving smoothies in tiny portions - "just a taste, dear." Over a period of time the amount can be increased until full cups of green smoothies are accepted. It works - especially if children see adults imbibing on a regular basis.

7. Improved Digestion
Studies have shown that a significant number of research participants experienced improved digestion after drinking green smoothies daily for a month.

8. They Are Nutritional Powerhouses
Greens are superfoods. In fact they might just be the cheapest and most important superfoods of all! As an example, take carrot greens. They have far more nutrition to them than the actual carrot that they top. The same can be said for beetroot greens, pumpkin greens, sweet potato greens (not regular potato greens though, they are poisonous as are the other nightshade plant's greens), strawberry greens and more.

9. Variety Plus!
It's the spice of life! I don't have to write a list for green smoothies before I go to markets. It doesn't really matter which greens you choose, and there's usually at least 3 - 4 different types of greens to choose from in a typical produce department at the local grocery store. And then there's all the fruit choices. The combinations are endless.

10. They're Inexpensive.
Green smoothies can be as cheap or expensive as you like. And take note: Expired fruits found in the Mark-Down Basket in the produce department do really well in a smoothie. You'd never know anything in your drink was "on its way out."

11. Inexpensive Equipment Required. (bonus reason)
We're firm believers in a good blender. A blender such as the Vita-mix or Vitacrush will pulverise the cells of the greens ensuring that your body gets the nutrients from inside the cells. But a cheap blender will still blend them smoothly, depending on which one you get.

So that's it! I could go on and on but I'm thirsty. I think I'll go make a green smoothie.