According to the food pyramid the average person should eat 3-5 servings of vegetables per day. Many nutritionists believe that this number should actually be much higher. Unfortunately, the standard American diet is low on vegetables and heavy on starches and processed foods. If you are trying to get more vegetables into your diet, a breakfast smoothie is a surprisingly easy way to do it.

Many people do not realize that a fruit smoothie can have one to two servings of leafy greens blended in without significantly changing the taste of the smoothie. Blending greens into your smoothie makes it easier for your body to break down and digest them. Leafy greens are also high in amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. As an added bonus, the vegetable fiber in a green smoothie will help you to stay full longer than a bowl of cereal or even a simple fruit smoothie.

When you begin blending dark leafy greens into your smoothies, start with a small amount of mildly flavored greens. Try adding just a handful of baby spinach or romaine lettuce. Blend it with your fruits until everything is thoroughly mixed and add bit of honey or fruit to sweeten the smoothie if you need to. Once you are a bit more accustomed to the texture and taste of leafy greens in your smoothies, increase the amount and variety of greens that you use. Try regular spinach instead of baby spinach. Use kale, chard, celery, or a salad mix for some variety. Ultimately you should try to get a ratio of about 60% fruit and 40% vegetables in your smoothie. This will give your smoothies that unusual bright green color but you will find that it is easier than you expect to get used to the taste and texture.

If you are on the go a lot and trying to integrate more dark leafy greens into your diet, don’t discount the idea of drinking your vegetables. Green smoothies are an easy, fast, and healthy way to dramatically increase your vegetable servings each day. If you’re skeptical, commit to drinking a green smoothie every morning for a week or two and see how great you feel.