This has become my go-to smoothie as I am trying to eat healthily, shed some weight and also need to do something about my hair (it’s thinning and the hair fall is bad). It’s also a great smoothie for those times when we are deprived of raw green food and need a lot of nutrition with minimum fuss. It has detoxifying benefits (excellent after travel fix) and perfect when we need to balance an earlier indulgent meal. This smoothie is alkalizing, hydrating, helps in cleansing, aids in weight-loss, antioxidant-rich and easy to digest – all this with minimal prep time.
I’ve moved to a new office and have very little time sometimes when I am running around for meetings. This green smoothie makes a convenient meal on days when I don’t have much time to sit and chew and have to work long hours. It gives me all the nutrients I need and is packed with immunity boosting ingredients like ginger.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 big ripe tomato
- 80g spinach or kale (stalks removed)
- Half bottlegourd (200g) (you can find it at most supermarkets in the Indian food section. If you can’t find this, you can add 2 large cucumbers or half zucchini instead)
- 10-12 curry leaves (you can find it at the Indian veggie section of supermarket or Indian food stores)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (add after blending)
- Small piece of fresh peeled ginger
- Half glass of coconut or plain water (or as per desired consistency)
- Sea salt or rock salt as per taste
(Serves 2)
This green smoothie is packed with healthy ingredients that combined together are great for weight loss, help promote healthy hair and prevent hairfall, work wonders for your skin, build immunity, and promote overall health:
- Bottle gourd is regarded as one of the healthiest vegetables. It is high in water and is a rich source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals like vitamin C, K, iron, and even calcium. It is widely used for weight loss because it has very few calories and no fats. It is also known to lower blood cholesterol and relieve stress.
- Ginger adds a nice spicy flavor to the smoothie and has a lot of medicinal properties to keep you healthy and strong. It also aids weight loss, increases immunity and fixes stomach troubles.
- Curry leaves give a nice kick to the green smoothie with its distinct flavor and nice taste. They are great for the digestive system and are a rich source of beta-carotene, protein, amino acids and antioxidants, making them great for your hair health. In India, it is widely used in hair care products (masks, oils) and on its own for promoting hair growth, get rid of dandruff and prevent hair fall.
- Tomato is a nutrition powerhouse and adds a nice texture and flavor to the green smoothie. It is rich in beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, Vitamin C, K, biotin, potassium (Source). Its great for skin and hair.
- Spinach is one of the most commonly used ingredients in my green smoothies and I even have it raw with just lemon and salt added to it. Its well-known for its health benefits and is loaded with nutrients – high in niacin, zinc, protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E and K, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium – the list goes on!
I drink this green smoothie a few hours after my lunch and keep my dinner light with a bowl of salad and soup. If you don’t have time for lunch, this smoothie is a great option that you can have even on-the-move. Takes only 10-15 minutes prep time.
