We hear all about the importance of eating fruits and veggies and for most people the fruit part of it is a no-brainer—it's the vegetables that are a struggle. But if you throw some veggies into a blender with some fruit (which will mask the taste of the veggie), then getting your daily greens can be downright tasty.

Why does it seem that green leafy veggies are more important than other veggies? Well, they are and they aren't. All veggies are important, and consuming a wide range of colorful veggies every day will give your body a larger variety of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants. Each color group is dominant in a certain type of antioxidants; for example, tomatoes are a great source of lycopene and butternut squash is rich in beta-carotene. Blueberries are full of anthocyanins and greens are good sources of carotenoids and flavonoids. A diet that's as colorful as the rainbow will help reduce inflammation, blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of cancer, as well as give you energy and make you more successful at achieving your weight goals.

Green Smoothies 101

We have a pretty simple formula for making green smoothies: leafy greens + liquid base + fruit + superfood. Make sure to blend up the greens with the liquid first and then add the rest of your ingredients and blend until smooth. If you are looking to make a complete meal in a cup, add a source of protein and a healthy fat (avocado, coconut oil/butter or nut butter).

Lean and Green Smoothie

From our book No Excuses! 50 Healthy Ways to ROCK Breakfast

Makes 1 serving 

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 banana, frozen
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
• ice

DIRECTIONS:

Place everything except ice into a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes, a few at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Anti-inflammatory Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

• 6 ounces coconut water
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 pear
• 1 apple
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger
• ¼ tsp. ground turmeric
• Juice of half a lemon
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• ice

DIRECTIONS:

Place everything except ice into a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes, a few at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Hydrating Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

• 8 ounces coconut water
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 cup de-stemmed kale
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 cup frozen mango
• Juice of half a lime
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds

DIRECTIONS:

Blend ingredients in order listed until smooth. 

Energizing Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 15 frozen green grapes
• 1 tsp. chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp. matcha (green tea powder)

DIRECTIONS:

Blend ingredients until smooth.