“It will work if the change will motivate your tastes buds.” This is a very interesting quote from Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, the documentary about the value of juicing.  and explains how the smoothie must intrigue your sense of taste for your lifestyle changes to be permanent.  Since bypass, I’ve been able to explore new foods and be as daring as ever, keeping me motivated but also satisfied! For example, never in my life would I sit down to a bowl of kale. But now, I can eat a kale chip and be delighted for half a day. What a gift this bypass has become!

Adding any citrus fruit to a smoothie containing raw spinach increases your body’s ability to absorb many of the beneficial nutrients in spinach, including iron. Raw spinach also contains higher proportions of vitamin C and the antioxidant gluathione than cooked spinach. Masking the bitter flavor with fruits not only makes this smoothie taste delicious, but also adds vitamin C which works like your stomach acid used to when absorbing the micronutrients that you are feeding it.

In addition to the iron and C, one cup of fresh spinach leaves blended into a smoothie provides almost 200 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin K. Vitamin K prevents osteoclast activation, an activity that breaks down bones leading to osteoporosis. Factor C0-Q10, another antioxidant in spinach, strengthens muscles, especially your heart muscle, preventing and treating many cardiovascular diseases. Add in the avocado, and you have a healthy balance of fats, carbs, and fibers to round out your metabolic process for absorption. Finally, the allspice will nudge the flavor of all the ingredients and tickle your senses. Be bold and try this!  Post your comments and let us know how it worked for you.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach leaves, packed (0.9 g protein,7c,  fat  0.1 g, Carbohydrate 1.1 g,  fiber 0.7 g)
• 1 cup mixed berries, (70c, fiber 5g, protein 0, fat 0, carbs 17g)
• 2 cups tomato juice (2g,100c, Fat 0, carbs 20, fiber 2g)
• 3 ounces baby carrots, or 1 snack pack (1g,35c, 0 fat, 7 carbs, fiber 2.5g )
• 1 apple, cored  (.6g, 95c, Carbohydrate 25 g, fiber 4.4 g,  Fat 0.3 g)
• 1 avocado (4 g, 322c, Carbs 17 g, Fat 29 g, Fiber 14 g)
• 1 teaspoon Allspice

Directions: Blend all ingredients until finely blended.

Yields: 4 cups, at 2 grams protein, 157 calories per cup per cup.  Recommended one cup daily after gastric bypass surgery.

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