I have started my vegetable smoothie regime last week and find it satisfying and filling. The easiest contraption to use is the NutriBullet which makes one serving. Due to time constraints, I’ve decided to have this green elixir to reduce bad cholesterol levels (LDL) on alternate days. Here’s how to prepare it.
Ingredients
1 apple, diced
half avocado
handful of spinach
260ml unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp chia seeds
Method
- Place the apples, avocado and spinach in the NutriBullet.
- Pour in the almond milk and add chia seeds.
- Blend till smooth.
Vegetable goodness
The result is a thick, smooth concoction which fills you up. I find the serving too much for breakfast so I leave half for an afternoon drink. Apples contains pectin which are e a type of water-soluble fiber that can bind cholesterol in the gut, preventing its absorption into the bloodstream. Avocados contribute towards lowering bad cholesterol while spinach is high in folic acid which helps your body produce and maintain new cells, and also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer. Folic acid is also used to treat folic acid deficiency and certain types of anemia (lack of red blood cells) caused by folic acid deficiency. Oleic acid, the fatty acid in almond oil and Vitamin E in almond are believed to be responsible for changes in blood lipids. They also protect lipids against oxidation, reducing the levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol, which is a risk factor for heart disease.
I use 2 cartons of unsweetened almond milk a week. In fact one serving can be shared between 2 people as it is thick and filling. If you’re determined to lower your LDL,try including this smoothie in your diet regime.