Reaping the Benefits of Green Drinks

Green drinks in the form of juice, powders, and smoothies are an extremely popular way to increase your vegetable intake and supply essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. As with many other health trends, there is a lot of advice online about how and when to drink them to maximize the benefits. However, not all of these claims are supported by actual research. Let’s take a look at what green drinks are best, when to take them, and how to pair them with food.

Juice, Powder, or Smoothie?

There are three popular ways to drink your greens: juice, powder, or smoothie. Juicing removes the liquids from greens, leaving the fiber behind. Powders are dried blends of greens that you can add to other drinks, smoothies, or food. Smoothies are blends of whole fruits and vegetables mixed with a liquid like water, juice, or coconut water. If you purchase prepared juice, powder, or smoothies, make sure you get ones without added sugar.

Juicing greens or using powders gives you the nutrients from the greens, but none of the fiber. However, fiber is a vitally important part of a healthy diet, and most Americans do not get enough fiber. It is much healthier to eat whole fruits, vegetables, and greens. Choosing a smoothie for your green drink will give you the most health benefits.

Does Timing Matter?

You’ll often see advice on popular fitness websites that you should drink greens in the morning before eating any other food to enhance nutrient absorption. Occasionally, you will also see advice saying you should drink them after a light meal to enhance nutrient absorption. Neither of these claims is supported by medical or scientific research. 

It does not matter whether you drink your green drink in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Green drinks can give you an energy boost, so it might make the most sense to drink them in the morning or afternoon, but you don’t have to drink them at a specific time. 

Should You Pair Them With Food?

While the timing of your green drink doesn’t matter very much, there are some benefits to being intentional with the order in which you eat your food. It’s best to start a meal with high-fiber, low-calorie foods like greens, veggies, and fruits. Lean proteins are good to eat next, saving any high-fat foods and refined carbohydrates for last. 

With that in mind, it can be good to start your meal with a green smoothie. Just make sure that you’re replacing all or part of your meal with the smoothie, not just replacing your drink, so you don’t end up over-eating.