Green Drinks

My green drink inspiration was twofold--the delectable green drinks my dear friend and yoga teacher Dorit served plus the book I received for my birthday: Julia’s Guide to Edible Weeds and Wild Green Smoothies (by Julia Sich). Though I’ve written and taught classes about Alaska’s wild edible plants for years, Julia’s guide introduced me to some of ‘new-to-me weeds’ in my New Zealand garden. 

My personal green drinks always include edible weeds (chickweed, lamb’s quarter, gallant soldier, etc.), cultivated greens (like kale) and herbs (mint, gotu cola, etc.).

Green drink or green smoothie? Some people use the words green smoothie and green drinks interchangeably. My preference is to class smoothies as drinks containing milk or nut-milk (or seed-milk) and green drinks being water or juice-based.

GREEN DRINK ESSENTIALS are water, edible leafy greens of choice, and (typically) fruit of choice. Add other nutritional extras as desired. 

Note that some individuals prefer not to mix fruits and greens together, but in my household, a green-only drink wouldn’t be drunk. Thus our green brews combine both in-season fruits and greens. As all become more accustomed to green drinks, decrease fruit content, and increase the greens. 

In the video, I am using my Ninja Auto IQ, available from your local shop or Amazon. It’s my current favorite for making green drinks, smoothies, pesto, bullet coffee, and more. There are numbers of varieties of blenders and similar machines available.

My Green Drink of the Day 

1 small banana

1 apple (core removed)

1/2 cup blueberries

1 kiwi (gold or green)

1-2 cups water

2 teaspoons oil (coconut or hemp seed or avocado oil)

2 cups greens, herbs, and edible flowers of choice. Today’s demo uses kale, parsley, lamb’s quarter, amaranth, plantain, dandelion leaves, gotu kola, chocolate mint, violet flowers, and borage flowers. 

Optional extras (choose as many as you wish): 

1 teaspoon chia seeds (can be soaked in 1 tablespoon water)

1 teaspoon maca powder

1 teaspoon spirulina or ground dry stinging nettle powder

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon bee pollen

1/4 teaspoon green-lipped mussel powder

1 teaspoon hemp hearts

Nutritional Benefits of the extras:

Note: This page contains affiliate links to supplements used in the green drinks. If you choose to use these links, I may earn a small commission from Amazon. These links are a convenience for you and entail no surcharge, and help keep the farm running.

CHIA SEEDS are available in natural food stores, grocery chains, mail-order via Amazon, etc. Seeds are harvested from Salvia hispanica, a species of sage native to Mexico and Central America (and commercially grown in North and South America). When soaked in water, the seeds form a mucilaginous gel and serve as a binding agent in gluten-free recipes. The plant has been used as food for over 5500 years; It was popular with Aztecs and renowned for giving strength on long journeys. Seeds are a good source of protein, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acid and dietary fiber. A study published in the Journal of Food Science Technology notes that chia benefits the digestive system and assists in the control of diabetes. It is antioxidant, antidepressant, anti-anxiety, and immune system enhancing. source

MACA POWDER aka Peruvian ginseng is obtained from the root of a Peruvian mustard species Lepidium meyenii. The herb has been in cultivation for over two thousand years. Like chia, maca is available in natural food stores as well as grocery chains, Amazon, etc. In clinical studies published in the International Journal of Biomedical Science, maca has been shown to help relieve hot flashes and night sweats in menopausal women and noticeably increase bone density. source “Experimental scientific evidence, “notes Peruvian researcher Gonzales, “showed that maca has nutritional, energizer, and fertility-enhancer properties, and it acts on sexual dysfunctions, osteoporosis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, memory and learning, and protects skin against ultraviolet radiation.source

SPIRULINA POWDER is from the blue-green algae and Arthrospira platensis and A. maxima . Spirulina became renowned after being used as a dietary supplement for astronauts in NASA space missions. An abstract published in Evident-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine notes that spirulina is both anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing and shows promise in anticancer, antiviral and antiallergic effects. It has been demonstrate to increase healthy lactobacillus in the intestine and to significantly reduce LDL (colloquially called ‘bad’ cholesterol) and an increase in HDL (‘good’) cholesterol. A Turkish study showed that patients with hayfever who consumed spirulina significantly reduced itching, sneezing, watery eyes, and nasal congestion and discharge. Some concerns exist regarding some spirulina on the market containing contaminants from heavy metals or pollutants. Buy from a reputable source. Check your natural food store or an organic supplier on Amazon.

STINGING NETTLE POWDER is a free-to-harvest alternative to spirulina. Nettle contains every nutrient from A to Z. I harvest and dry young nettles from my backyard patch in the spring and grind as a smoothie supplement. (They are also available from natural food stores.) Additional information on nettles is available in my books Discovering Wild Plants and the newly revised Alaska’s Wild Plants (available on Amazon). Nettles are a common worldwide weed that is one of the superfoods of the planet.

HONEY AND BEE POLLEN. As reported in Pharmacognosy Research, honey has “…antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antidiabetic, respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and nervous system protective effects.” Polish researchers note that bee pollen has immuno-protective, antifungal, antiviral, and anticancer effects. Honey and bee pollen contain cell-protective antioxidants that clean up free radicals (unstable molecules that damage cell membranes). Pesticides, environmental pollutants, and dietary indulgences (alcohol, fried foods, etc). all contribute to oxidative stress and ageing, ulcers, cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, atherosclerosis and other chronic diseases. Early signs of oxidative stress include headaches, fatigue, forgetfulness, aches and pains in muscles and joints, and vision. Whether your own health issues are minor or major, adding bee pollen and honey to your daily green drink could give you a boost.

GREEN LIPPED MUSSEL EXTRACT.  In New Zealand clinical trials, the extract from green lipped mussel Perna canaliculus was demonstrated to have significant anti-inflammatory properties. It is marketed as an aid in rebuilding joints and reducing pain. The product I use is Mobicosa, the ‘for humans” formulated counterpart to Technyflex Canine, Feline, and Equine extracts. My labrador Kai, at age 10, was experiencing crippling arthritic pain and due to be euthanised, but Technyflex was instrumental in reversing his death sentence and restoring joint mobility for four more years (thus far).  

Green-lipped mussel powder or capsules can be found on Amazon or directly from Mobicosa.

HEMP HEARTS are a good source of vitamin E, zinc, calcium, iron, and essential fatty acids 3-6-9. Hemp hearts are available at your natural food store or Amazon.

GREENS for including in green drinks will be detailed in future posts. 

Choose your favorite combo of fruits, greens, and extras and begin nutritiously kick-starting each day.

TIP: “Chew your drink and drink your food.” 

Rather than ‘slurp’ your green drink, do as Mahatma Gandhi is said to have advised. Chew each mouthful thoroughly before swallowing. Thorough chewing triggers the release of digestive enzymes and assists digestion of the nutrient-dense brew.

To your health.