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Green Smoothie of Justice

Writer's picture: Nicholas PatenaudeNicholas Patenaude

The Green Smoothie of Justice is no kryptonite but rather a power food. Learn below how to make my fave go to green smoothie.

Supplements have their place but it's always better if we can get the whole foods version of it. I have a different smoothie for different training weeks some for extended athletic performance and other to sustain. However, the smoothie I'm sharing with you is my go to. In fact, it's the smoothie that I use on a daily and after workout basis. 

The smoothie ingredients are easy to come by at most grocery stores. Furthermore, I dislike using powders and prefer using whole foods instead. However, I like using black maca and finding the whole bulb is hard to come by in Canada.

Ginger and turmeric are actually easy to come by and can be found at stores such as Wholefoods or local holistic markets like Lifestyles in Victoria BC or Mother Nature Markets.

https://youtu.be/teJ9QHCdN2Q

Veg Buddies

Just by throwing a veg into your smoothie doesn't necessarily mean it will benefit you. Most of the time, to increase the health benefits the veggie need a buddy to properly be absorbed by the body. In fact, Turmeric likes to be with black pepper or sour apple. This is what helps make it the Green Smoothie of Justice.

There’s a plant in South Asia called Adhatoda (from adu meaning “goat,” and thoda meaning “not touch” because it’s so bitter even the goats won’t eat it). It has compounds that help open one’s airways and as such, Adhatoda tea has been used traditionally to treat asthma, where the leaves are steeped with black peppercorns. Leaves steeped with black peppercorns? That sounds gross to me—why would they do that? Because they’re smart. Back in 1928, scientists discovered what the people evidently already knew, that adding pepper increased the anti-asthmatic properties of the leaves. Black pepper alone didn’t work: it was the combination. And now we know why. Just like approximately 5% of the spice turmeric is composed of an active compound called curcumin, about 5% of black pepper by weight is comprised of this compound called piperine. Curcumin is responsible for the yellow color of turmeric and piperine for the pungent flavor of pepper. Piperine is a potent inhibitor of drug metabolism. One of the ways our liver gets rid of foreign substances is making them water soluble so they can be more easily excreted. But this black pepper molecule inhibits that process. And it doesn’t take much. If people are given a bunch of turmeric curcumin, within an hour there’s a little bump in the level in their blood stream. We don’t see a large increase because our liver is actively trying to get rid of it. But what if the process is suppressed by taking just a quarter teaspoon’s worth of black pepper? Then you see curcumin levels skyrocket (See Boosting the Bioavailability of Curcumin). The same amount of curcumin consumed, but the bioavailability shoots up 2000%. Even just a little pinch of pepper—1/20th of a teaspoon—can significantly boost levels. And guess what a common ingredient in curry powder is besides turmeric? Black pepper. Another way to boost the absorption of curcumin is to consume it in the whole food, turmeric root (fresh or dried as a powder) because natural oils found in turmeric root and turmeric powder can enhance the bioavailability of curcumin seven to eight fold. When eaten with fat, curcumin can be directly absorbed into the bloodstream through the lymphatic system thereby in part bypassing the liver. How is it prepared in India? With fat and black pepper. Amazing how they could figure that out without double blind trials. (Though maybe it just tastes good, and it’s merely coincidence?) Their traditional knowledge certainly failed them with ghee, however, which is practically pure butter fat, which may explain India’s relatively high rates of heart disease despite all their turmeric. ~NutritionFacts.org Thanks to NutritionFacts.org for this information. Click the link above to read the whole article.

Green Smoothie of Justice Recipe


Time needed: 10 minutes.

Green Smoothie of Justice 

  1. Green Smoothie of Justice Recipe

  1. Ginger

1 nub

  1. Turmeric Raw

2 nub

  1. Bananas

x 3

  1. Kale or Collard Greens

5 leaves

  1. Maca

1 tsp

  1. Mix it up Yo!

Take all your ingredients and place the solids at the bottom of the blender. I like Vitamix but any will do just make sure you get that shit smooth Yo.  Next fill the blender up half full of water. The cleaner the better but you got to do what you got to do. Now make sure that cap is on...or you may have a crime scene. blend till smooth. My Vitamix has a smoothie setting so it does it for me. However, back in the day when I had garage sale specials I would pulse the blender until chopped up. Then I would let those blades spin for a good minute until those nasty chunks were gone.

  1. Add Maca

Now that your goods are smooth add your 1 tsp of maca.Now, mix it in.

  1. Top Up the Water

I always top it up with cold water. The blended goods slightly warms after the initial chop.

  1. Drink up Yo!

Save half the sucka for later or chug that shit down. Words of warning, if you drink it all you may feel like you have to pee like a twelve year old boy. 

The Green Smoothie of Justice

Look don't take my word for it but I've been hitting the Green Smoothie of Justice for over five years. It's in fact the smoothie I go to after an Ironman triathlon. However, I believe food is a science and a fuel but I'm no doctor to prescribe any shit to a sista or a brotha. 

I can honestly say that I can hit the athletics hard and this shit makes me feel good. Give it a shot but once ain't good enough.

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