We sprouted lentils, mung beans, alfalfa and chick peas. While sprouting was pretty easy and straightforward, we don’t do it anymore. I eat them on occasion, but I don’t consider sprouting a necessity for a healthy lifestyle.

You’re probably wondering why that is since sprouts have been praised for their amazing health benefits. While it’s true that sprouts are generally healthy, they have some disadvantages and the benefits often do not outweigh the time spent sprouting.

Is Sprouting Worth The Health Benefits?

In order to get the health benefits from sprouting that so many health experts praise, you’d have to eat a lot of sprouts everyday.

To put it in perspective, one cup of alfalfa sprouts only has 7 calories, 1.3 grams of protein, 0.6 grams of fiber and 1% recommended daily value of calcium. In order to get 5.3 grams of protein from sprouts (not a whole lot), you would have to eat at least 4 cups of alfalfa sprouts.

Okay, so that’s alfalfa. What about a more nutritionally-dense sprout? An entire cup of lentil sprouts only provides about 80 calories and 6 grams of protein. Try to eat an entire cup of lentil sprouts, though. It’s not pleasant.

While it’s possible to eat a lot of sprouts, there are easier ways to get your protein, vitamins and minerals in a much more palatable package.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-sprouts. I absolutely love sunflower sprouts, and the occasional pinch of sprouted lentils or mung beans in a recipe. Alfalfa sprouts are wonderful in sandwiches and they accent salads nicely. I consider them healthy, tasty “condiments” but not a major part of a meal.

Digestibility Of Sprouts

Lentils, beans, quinoa and other commonly sprouted foods are not digestible in their raw form unless they are sprouted. Even though they are sprouted, some people might find them problematic to digest. If you were to eat an entire cup of lentil sprouts, you might not like the gas and bloating that would result.

Of course, you’ll never be served an entire plate of lentil sprouts at a raw food restaurant for this very reason (not to mention the palatability issue of eating so many of them).

Sprouts make an interesting garnish to raw dishes. You can sprinkle them in raw soups, on salads, or have them on sandwiches but they’re not a nutritional powerhouse in a typical serving.

Contamination Of Sprouts

Another problem I have with sprouts is that they are easily contaminated. Sprouts are often recalled in supermarkets and restaurants due to e. coli or salmonella contamination. While sprouting at home is less risky, contamination from bacteria, molds and other pathogens are still a possibility if they are handled improperly.

If you are going to eat sprouts, however, I recommend that you grow your own, but do so carefully and in the most sanitary condition possible.

How To Sprout

Sprouting is really easy to do. Basically, you need:

• A glass mason jar (I use the quart-sized containers, but you’ll need a jar that is at least 3 times larger than the amount of dry seeds/legumes you put in it to accommodate swelling and growing roots),
• A mesh screen or breathable cloth material (cheese cloth),
• Rubber band (or mason jar lid without the insert).

Sprouting Lentils: Lentils are very easy to sprout. Simply soak them overnight in a glass mason jar. The next morning, drain the soak water, rinse and drain again. Then attach a screen lid to the jar and place it on its side out of direct sunlight. Two to three times each day, rinse and drain the lentils. You should see them start to sprout after one day. By day two, they are coming along nicely and by day three, you should have inch-long roots and your jar will be very full! I eat them once the roots are longer than a half inch.

Sprouting Mung Beans: Follow the same process you used for lentils for mung beans, which may be ready to eat after two days.

Chick peas take a bit longer to sprout and I usually eat them by day 3 or 4 of the sprouting process, or depending on when their roots show. Chick peas also double in size when they soak, so keep that in mind when selecting a sprouting container for them.

Sprouting Alfalfa: Alfalfa is easy to sprout. Simply add 2-3 tablespoons of alfalfa to one cup filtered water. Be sure to removed any damaged or withered seeds before adding the water. Soak the seeds for about 10 hours in a glass mason jar with the screen mesh or cheese cloth fastened to the top.

After soaking for 10 hours, drain the water. Roll the container around to distribute the seeds around the sides of the jar. Place the jar on its side in a warm area, but not in direct sunlight. Rinse the seeds twice per day in cool water. The easiest way to do this is to pour the water in through the mesh at the top, then gently strain it back out. You do not need to remove the seeds, but don’t leave them too saturated in water or else they will rot quickly.

Repeat the twice per day rinsing process over the course of four or five days. Once the sprouts are 1-2 inches long, they are ready to be eaten. Remove them from the jar and place them on a tray in the sunlight for about 15 minutes to help dry them off a bit. Then place them in a container in the refrigerator where they should keep for up to a week.

What To Do With Sprouts

I use sprouts in raw collard wraps or tossed in green salads. I use them in blended soups and stir them in to add texture and crunch. They make a fun garnish atop many raw vegan dinners. Sunflower sprouts are wonderful eaten by the handful.

Here are ten reasons you should use dandelion greens in your next smoothie.

#1 – High in Calcium: Dandelion greens are loaded with calcium. Just one cup of chopped dandelion greens has 103 milligrams (10% of the recommended daily value) of calcium! That’s slightly more than kale! Add two to three cups of dandelion to a smoothie with calcium-rich fruits like orange, kiwi, fig or papaya and you’ll have a green smoothie that has more calcium than any dairy product!

#2 – Rich in Iron: Next to fresh parsley, dandelion greens have a high iron content. One cup contains 1.7 milligrams of iron.

#3 – Low Calories: Like all leafy greens, dandelions are low in calories. One cup of chopped dandelion greens has only 25 calories. While leafy greens are a low calorie food, I actually prefer to use dandelions because they have more calories than other greens. Since I try to get as many calories as I can into my morning smoothies, I add up to 4 cups of dandelion which adds 100 calories of nutrient-rich food!

#4 – Loaded With Antioxidants: Dandelion greens are high in vitamin A in the form of antioxidant carotenoid (beta-carotene) and vitamin C. Vitamin C also helps facilitate iron absorption.

#5 – The Ultimate Detox & Cleansing Green: If your goal is detoxification and cleansing, dandelion greens should be the ones you use in green smoothies! They are said to help cleanse the liver and many detox recipes call for them.

#6 – Lots Of Minerals: Dandelion greens are rich in minerals. Besides calcium and iron, they are a good source of copper (10% RDA), manganese (8% RDA), phosphorus (5% RDA), potassium (5% RDA) and magnesium (5% RDA).

#7 – 14% Protein: Dandelion greens have more protein per serving than spinach. The greens themselves are 14% protein and contain all essential amino acids so it’s a complete protein. One chopped cup contains 1.5 grams of protein.

#8 – Multivitamin Green: Besides vitamin A as beta-carotene (186% RDA) and vitamin C (21% RDA), each cup of chopped dandelion greens are also good sources of vitamins B1 (9% RDA), B2 (11% RDA) and B6 (11% RDA), vitamin E (13% RDA) and especially abundant in vitamin K (357% RDA).

#10 – Health Benefits of Dandelion Greens: The nutrients in dandelion greens may help reduce the risk of cancer, multiple sclerosis, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and stroke. Dandelion contains anti-inflammatory properties which may provide benefit to those with asthma and other inflammatory diseases.

How To Select And Store Dandelion Greens

While dandelion greens can be found at health food stores, co-ops and farmers markets, they are probably widely available during the spring and early summer months in your own backyard.

Select unblemished, dark green leaves or bunches when purchasing them in the store. When foraging, young greens that are harvested before the flower head appears will be less bitter.

Commercially cultivated dandelion greens may have whitish/green or red stems. The leaves are highly perishable. I store them in the fridge in a large plastic tub with a piece of paper towel to absorb excess moisture and condensation. They will keep for 2-4 days this way. If you store wet leaves in a produce bag, they will likely only last a couple days.

The dandelion greens that you find in the store are typically organic. If you forage for dandelion, be sure to harvest them from land that has not been treated with pesticides, herbicides or other contaminants. Avoid harvesting dandelion greens from urban or industrial waste lots as heavy metals (lead, mercury) and other pollutants in the soil might be absorbed into the plant.

How To Use Dandelion Greens In A Green Smoothie

Dandelions are bitter, so it makes sense to blend them with fruit to mask the flavor. I recommend blending dandelion greens with sweet, flavorful fruit like banana, strawberries, mango, citrus and pineapple.

I use up to 4 cups of chopped greens in a single smoothie recipe. If you are trying dandelion for the first time, start with a small handful or 1 cup of chopped leaves.

Browse green smoothie recipes that contain dandelion greens!

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While dandelion greens are quite bitter compared to spinach, the flavor can be masked effectively with citrus and sweetened by bananas.

This recipe makes about 16 ounces and with 18 grams of protein, it is a great post-workout smoothie. It also has 43% of your daily recommend value of fiber.

Cherry-Citrus with Dandelion Greens Smoothie Recipe

• 2 cups dandelion greens, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen cherries, pitted
• 1 orange, peeled and deseeded
• 2 small bananas, peeled
• 1 scoop (heaping tablespoon) of rice protein powder
• 4 to 6 ounces of filtered water

Add all the ingredients except for the greens to your blender (I use a Blendtec) and hit the “pulse” button a few times. Next, add the greens and blend on high for 30 seconds or until the smoothie is creamy.

Nutrition Information

NOTE: We use NutriBiotic rice protein powder and highly recommend it.

Calories: 382
Fat: 1g
Protein: 18g
Carbohydrates: 81g
Fiber: 13g (43% RDA)
Calcium: 23% RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance)
Iron: 6.3mg
Vitamin A: 389% RDA
Vitamin C: 157% RDA

This smoothie is also a rich source of folate, vitamin B1 – B6, vitamin K, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and potassium.

Browse more green smoothie recipes.

You can find hibiscus and jamaica at health food stores in parts of the United States. You can buy the dried flowers and brew them like you would tea.

Jamaica (pronounced “ha-my-kah” in Mexico), are flowers of the hibiscus plant. Several medical studies have shown that drinking hibiscus/jamaica tea can help lower blood pressure. The Journal of Human Hypertension published a study that showed the effects of hibiscus in reducing blood pressure in those with type 2 diabetes.

This smoothie is also an excellent source of calcium and iron!

Mango-Jamaica (Hibiscus) Green Smoothie Recipe

• 2 cups mango, cubed
• 1 medium carrot, peeled
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 8 ounces of unsweetened jamaica or hibiscus tea, chilled

Add all the ingredients except for the greens to your blender and hit the “pulse” button a few times until everything is roughly mixed. Next, add the greens and blend on high for 30 seconds or until the smoothie is creamy.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 361
Fat: 3g
Protein: 10g
Carbohydrates: 87g
Fiber: 28g
Calcium: 33% RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance)
Iron: 7mg
Vitamin A: 2241% RDA
Vitamin C: 273% RDA

This smoothie is also a rich source of folate, vitamin B6, vitamin K, copper, manganese, phosphorus and potassium.

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Oats are extremely good for you and loaded with protein. Six of the eight grams of protein in this smoothie come from the oats.

Strawberry Muffin Smoothie Recipe

• 1 cup whole strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 small banana, peeled
• 1/4 cup raw, rolled oats
• 4 ounces of filtered water or almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 inch of grated vanilla bean

Add all the ingredients to your blender and blend on high for 30 seconds or until the smoothie is creamy.

Note: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you’ll want to grind the oats in a coffee grinder before adding them to your blender.

Nutrition Information

(NOTE: Nutritional information is going to vary based on the almond milk you use and is not included in the information below.)

Calories: 299
Fat: 3g
Protein: 8g
Carbohydrates: 60g
Fiber: 9.6g ( 32% RDA)
Calcium: 4% RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance)
Iron: 2.7mg
Vitamin A: 3% RDA
Vitamin C: 104% RDA

This smoothie is also a rich source of folate, vitamin B6, copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

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“My husband and I drink green smoothies everyday, and he recently asked me what the best ingredients would be to make a green smoothie most optimal for muscle gain and fitness. Although I usually add marine phytoplankton and freshly ground flaxseeds, what do you recommend? Is there any way to incorporate raw flesh foods (salmon, egg, etc.)?” – Daylan

A lot of people ask me what to put in a green smoothie to build muscle. The thing is, food doesn’t build muscle.

Adding protein powder, protein-rich fruits and vegetables as well as protein-packed nuts and seeds won’t add muscle unless you are actively doing strength training. Your body does not store protein like it does with fat. If you want to build muscle, then you’ve got to give your body a reason to utilize dietary protein for muscle growth.

(By the way, the same goes for calcium and bone strength. Calcium supplements and calcium-rich foods are not automatic bone strengtheners. It takes exercise to “tell” your body to strengthen bone.)

Now, in conjunction with strength training, protein-rich fruits, vegetables, raw oats and seeds like chia or flax can make a green smoothie meal that contains up to 12-16 grams of complete protein. A quality hemp or rice protein powder can double this amount, which might give you better results if you are bodybuilding.

We’ve got some delicious, protein-rich green smoothie recipes right here! These recipes average about 10 or more grams of protein per recipe without a powder.

I don’t believe it is necessary to include raw flesh foods, eggs or dairy in the diet to have a toned, muscular physique. There are plenty of vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists who have enviable biceps and six-pack abs.

If you do choose to consume raw dairy, eggs and flesh, I would caution against adding them to a green smoothie. The reason is that green smoothies are carbohydrate foods while most animal foods contain high amounts of fat (30-40% of calories on average). Mixing too much fat with fruit sugar in green smoothies can be problematic for digestion and can cause blood sugar imbalance.

My recommendations are vegan recommendations, and that is to use plenty of protein-rich leafy greens like kale and dandelion greens as well as high-calorie fruit and chia seeds and rely on your workouts to build muscle. Add a quality protein supplement if there is a demonstrated need for it or if you are not getting the results you want from your diet alone.

Do you have a question about green smoothies, raw foods, health and nutrition? Just ask using our contact form!

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Sapotes are not regularly available throughout the USA, but can be found in southern Florida, Texas, California and Hawaii.

Sapote Nutrition and Health Benefits

There are several different types of sapotes and each one has a different nutrition profile. In the Yucatan, we’ve had the pleasure of enjoying sapodilla (pictured above, right), mamey and black sapotes, which are sold in local markets and fruit stands along the sides of streets.

The sapodilla sapote is a good source of vitamin C, copper and iron and only about 141 calories per fruit. They are rich in antioxidants.

The mamey is much larger and averages about 300 calories per fruit and 5 grams of protein with 9% RDA of calcium, 2.2 milligrams of iron and a good source of magnesium and potassium. One fruit contains 50% RDA of vitamin C, 25% RDA of vitamin B3 (niacin) and 31% RDA of vitamin A (as beta-carotene). Mamey is said to be an aphrodisiac.

How To Use Sapote In A Green Smoothie

Each variety of sapote is different in both flavor and texture so so they can be used in different ways.

Sapodilla - This small sapote is very soft and has a rich, caramel and brown sugar flavor that makes it hard not to just eat it as-is before you put it in your blender. The flesh of the fruit simply melts in your mouth! I blend one or two sapodillas with one or two bananas and mix with tangerine or pineapple. To preserve the rich flavor of the sapodilla, simply blend with banana. Sapodillas do not have as thick of a texture (sort of like a watery pear), so blend with fruits that are not water rich or add a banana to thicken.

Mamey - Mamey sapotes (pictured left) are much larger and perfect for using with a meal replacement smoothie recipe as they pack a lot of calories and nutrition. Mameys have a reddish-orange flesh with a flavor that is reminiscent of pumpkin. They are not as sweet as sapodillas and I usually blend one with a banana and other flavor fruit to accent the flavor.

You can certainly use mamey in place of banana. Use one mamey for two small-medium bananas.

Black Sapote (Sapote Negro) - The black sapote has a very thick, pudding-like texture with a mild chocolate flavor. You can blend black sapote with water rich fruit without losing the smoothie consistency. If you blend with banana or other base fruits, add a little additional water to help it blend as it could turn your whole smoothie into a pudding if it’s too thick.

Sapote Smoothie Recipes

Basic Sapodilla Sapote Smoothie
2 sapodillas, peeled and deseeded
1 banana, peeled
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
4 ounces of water

Calories: 401 | Fat: 4.4g (gram) | Protein: 4.5g | Carbs: 97g | Calcium: 14% | Iron: 4.7 mg | Vitamin A: 197% | Vitamin C: 86%

Tropical Sapote Smoothie
2 sapodilla, peeled and deseeded
1 mango, peeled and pitted
1/2 cup pineapple, cubed
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
4 ounces of water or coconut water

Calories: 472 | Fat: 4.6g (grams) | Protein: 4.7g | Carbs: 116.1g | Calcium: 16% | Iron: 4.9 mg | Vitamin A: 249% | Vitamin C: 182%

Mamey Meal-Replacement
1 mamey, peeled and pitted
1 banana, peeled
2 tangerines, peeled and deseeded
2 teaspoons of chia seeds, ground
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
4-6 ounces of coconut water

Calories: 560 | Fat: 5.4g (grams) | Protein: 10.7g | Carbs: 132.7g | Calcium: 28% | Iron: 4.4 mg | Vitamin A: 261% | Vitamin C: 132% | Excellent source of Omega-3s!

Mamey-PinaCoco
1 mamey, peeled and pitted
1 cup fresh pineapple, cubed
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
1 young green or Thai coconut (meat and 8 ounces of coconut water)

Calories: 577 | Fat: 5.2g (grams) | Protein: 10.5g | Carbs: 134.7g | Calcium: 16% | Iron: 3.5 mg | Vitamin A: 128% | Vitamin C: 147%

Black Sapote Pie Smoothie
1/3 cup black sapote, mashed
1 banana, peeled
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 dash cinnamon
1/4 vanilla bean
6-8 ounces of water or coconut water

Calories: 236 | Fat: 1.3g (grams) | Protein: 3.3g | Carbs: 62.3g | Calcium: 1% | Iron: 0.3 mg | Vitamin A: 16% | Vitamin C: 34%

Browse even more sapote smoothie recipes!

How To Select Sapotes

Sapodillas: Ripe sapodillas are soft and heavy for their size. They should give slightly to pressure. If they have a flat stop of the bottom, you’ll know they are ready to eat. Sapodillas are soft and fragile, so be extra vigilant in carefully transporting them to your home. Unripe sapodillas will ripen up at room temperature in a few days or you can leave them in the sun and they will ripen in a day.

Mamey: Mamey has a thick skin but should give slightly to pressure when ripe. The skin texture is somewhere between sandpaper and a kiwifruit. Avoid fruits that are too soft, shriveled or cracked. The fruit can be dented as the skin is tough but the fruit inside is soft. Check carefully for any cracks in the skin before purchasing or consuming fruit that has dents.

Black Sapote: Ripe black sapote looks like it’s rotting. The skin will be a dark green and the fruit will look shriveled. Cut it open and you’ll see unappetizing, black flesh that looks like it should be tossed onto the compost heap. But take a bite and you’ll be in for a treat!