With summer in full swing, I am thinking about drinking green drinks. I’ve turned to juicing expert and founder of Juice Generation in NYC and Cooler Cleanse, Eric Helms, for the best ways to drink your greens and have them taste great. Packed with essential vitamins, nutrients, incorporating “green drinks” into your diet will keep you feeling and looking great this summer.
The Benefits of Drinking Green Drinks
Drinking Green Drinks
Dark green vegetables contain a rainbow of vitamins and minerals essential for the cleansing functions of the kidneys and liver. Dark, leafy greens also give the system loads of water-soluble fiber to sweep toxins out. These greens are highly alkalizing to your cells—countering the damage done by the corrosive acidic waste products from meat, sugar, dairy and other common foods.
Helms says, “Customers are typically intimidated by the idea of a green drink” and that he and his team are constantly thinking of new ways to encourage customers to give green a chance.
Green Drink Recipes
Hale To Kale– from the menu at Juice Generation’s new Equinox location in NYC
Ingredients of Hale to Kale
- 2 handfuls of kale
- 1 apple
- 1/4 lemon
- 8oz watermelon juice
Instructions for Hale to Kale
Bunch up kale and push through juicer with apple. Follow with watermelon and lemon. Scrape off the foam and serve over ice. Makes 12oz serving.
Supa Dupa Greens
- Handful (3 oz) spinach
- 2 medium stalks (3 oz) of celery
- Small handful (1/2 oz) parsley, long stems removed
- 3 medium stalks (3 oz) green kale
- 2 Bartlett pears, cored and quartered
- 1 lemon, cut and peeled
- 1 cucumber, cut into pieces small enough to fit through a juicer
Instructions for Supa Dupa Greens
Process all the ingredients through the juicer. Run any wet pulp back through the juicer. Scrape off the foam and serve over ice. For variation, add dandelion greens or watercress.
Drinking green drinks this summer is a great way to supplement your diet with lots of micronutrients.