Green Smoothies Help Kids Eat Fruits, Veggies
 NewsUSA) – Americans simply aren’t eating their fruits and vegetables, and that spells poor health for the next generation.The government recommends that adults eat a minimum of four fruit and five vegetable servings every day. And yet, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 32.6 percent of adults eat enough fruits and only 27.2 percent consume enough vegetables. And because parents aren’t eating fruits and vegetables, neither are their children. The really bad news? Fruits and vegetables have proven health benefits. The less you eat, the more likely you are to develop obesity, diabetes and cancer. If American children eat donuts and french fries instead of apples and spinach, they will likely develop health problems. Even now, more children are becoming obese, which sets them up for asthma, sleep apnea and type-2 diabetes. Americans need to eat more fruits and vegetables, but few want to sit down to a plate of raw greens. The solution? Make meals that are delicious and easy — and that just happen to contain fruits and vegetables. Take green smoothies, which blend fruit and green vegetables like lettuce, kale, parsley, collards, spinach or chard. The smoothies, while bright green in color, taste light and sweet — the fruit completely masks the vegetables’ taste. For best results, make smoothies about 60 percent fruit and 40 percent greens. If a smoothie tastes too bitter, simply add more fruit. Green smoothies are best when completely smooth, so choose the top blender available to pulverize completely. The Vita-Mix 5200, for example, uses a two-plus peak horsepower motor and stainless steel blades to break down whole foods, including skins, peels and seeds, giving smoothies extra fiber and antioxidants. Vita-Mix provides the following recipe for a delicious, healthy green smoothie: Green Smoothie Serves 3-4 1 cup green grapes 1/2 cup pineapple 2 cups fresh spinach 1/2 cup cold water 1 cup ice Place all ingredients in Vita-Mix container in order listed. Secure two-part lid. Select variable, speed No. 1. Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to No. 10; then to high. Run for one minute or until smooth. In another type of blender, add all ingredients in the order listed, then blend on the highest setting. Serve immediately. For more information, visit www.vitamix.com. |
