Best Green Smoothie for Anxiety (15+ List)
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In this blog, we’re going to mention important ingredients you can use to make the best green smoothies for anxiety. First, readers will learn about green smoothies and what makes them good for us. Then, we’ll describe sixteen such ingredients in more detail.
What are the Best Green Smoothies for Anxiety?
Here is a quick list of some effective and natural ingredients you can use to make delicious smoothies that calm anxiety:
- Spinach
- Maca Root
- Turmeric
- Yoghurt
- Blueberries
- Flax seeds
- Walnuts
- Arugula
- Oatmeal
- Ashwagandha
- Asparagus
- Brazilian Nuts
- Goji Berry
- Saffron
- Orange
- Chamomile
What is a Green Smoothie?
Smoothies are beverages made by blending various fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, and milk-based products. They’re great for health because they provide us with all sorts of rich nutrients in a quick-and-easy form.
They take very little time to gulp down so you can access the nutritional benefits of various food items, which may not taste so well if cooked and served together as a meal. While most smoothies are high on sugar, green smoothies use only healthy ingredients that have some physiological benefit.
There are several plant-based ingredients that have adaptogenic or anxiolytic properties that can be used in making such smoothies.
16 Best Ingredients for Green Smoothies that Smash Your Anxiety
In this section, we’re going to explore sixteen options of healthy ingredients that you can make to use anxiety-busting green smoothies.
Spinach
Green and leafy, spinach is the best source of iron in the world of edible plants. It has a unique taste that goes well with many smoothie ingredients. If you don’t like eating spinach, why not try it in liquid-form!
Spinach also contains vitamin K, fiber, phosphorus, and thiamine. These are all nutrients that not only benefit physical health but also act as shield against mental health issues like anxiety.
Maca Root
Lepidium meyenii (Maca) comes from the highlands of Peru. Maca root is an important ingredient in traditional medicine in the Andes. The country exports maca in the form of powder, capsules, pills, flour, liquor, and extracts.
Evidence from experimental studies reveal it’s positive impact on nutrition, fertility, memory, and mood. A review on randomised clinical trials reported that maca powder improved mood and reduced anxiety in people.
Turmeric
Similar effects on cortisol levels can be induced using turmeric, report these Indian nutritionists. Turmeric is a close relative of the ginger plant and is often confused for it. But once cut open, the turmeric’s distinct bright yellow colour reclaims its identity.
Indian culture celebrates the nutritional benefits of turmeric as can be seen from its generous use in cooking. Besides lowering stress hormones, turmeric can also help with pain, inflammation, rashes, and healing injuries.
Yoghurt
Yoghurt comes packed with probiotics that improve your gut bacteria. A 2016 systematic review of randomized controlled trials concluded that probiotic supplementation can positively affect anxiety and depressive symptoms.
It’s an excellent replacement for milk when it comes to smoothies. A yoghurt base for your smoothie gives it a delicious thickness and viscosity. It even tastes better as it doesn’t leave that milky aftertaste many people don’t particularly like.
Blueberries
The blueberry is a very popular berry. It is low in calories but high in fibre, vitamin C and vitamin K. When we are anxious and stressed, our bodies crave vitamin C to help repair and protect our cells.
Lucky for us, blueberries are packed full of it! Small but mighty, blueberries are bursting with antioxidants, as well, which have been shown to provide anxiety relief. Blueberry bushes pop up all over the West, especially in the northern hemisphere.
Flax seeds
Flax seeds are famous for being loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. These are polyunsaturated fats that play an important role in the human diet.
Flax seeds have health benefits for conditions like cancer, heart disease, inflammation, mental health, and aging. They also contain high quality protein that is needed for healthy development. Munch on some of these seeds to keep your hands busy when anxiety has you all jittery.
Walnuts
Much like the previous items, walnuts too supply us with antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. Kiecolt-Glaser et al demonstrated that Omega-3 reduced up to 20% of anxiety symptoms in subjects.
These nutritional properties also make walnuts great for overall health. Eating walnuts on a daily basis prevents undesirable health conditions like inflammation, diabetes, obesity, and even cancer.
Arugula
Also known as Rocket, Arugula is another leafy green vegetable you can use in your anxiety-smashing green smoothies. Consuming arugula regularly improves heart health, eye health, digestion, blood pressure, and more!
It adds years to your life by delivering Vitamin K, which is good for your bones and skin. Vitamin K also goes a long way in fighting anxiety disorders.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a other slow-burning complex carbohydrates that is good for anxiety as it impacts serotonin levels. Usually, when you suffer from chronic anxiety and similar mental health issues, your neurotransmitters like serotonin get impacted.
A good way to reverse that effect is to add oatmeal to your diet. It’s perfect for smoothies as it makes them nice and thick and filling. An oatmeal smoothie is enough for a healthy and stress-free breakfast.
Ashwagandha
Withania somnifera, known commonly as ashwagandha, is a plant native to India and North Africa. The Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine published that ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress.
The 2012 study was conducted to assess the anxiolytic effects of ashwagandha. By measuring the serum cortisol levels of subjects, the authors confirmed this hypothesis.
Asparagus
Asparagus stems are known for being rich in potassium, fiber, vitamins A, C, E and K, and the beneficial trace element chromium. This nutritional composition makes it excellent for fighting anxiety and stress.
You can have asparagus with eggs, cheese, grilled, or simply as a salad with dressing. Mix and match recipes to add variation to your breakfast menu.
Brazilian Nuts
Brazil nuts, as the name suggests, come from the Amazon and are packed with nutrients that help with overall health. They reduce inflammation, support brain function, improve your thyroid function, and increase heart health.
This recent study also found that eating Brazil nuts can decrease anxiety. This happened because the buts stabilised glucose and insulin production in the body. When we’re anxious, we produce too much of the former and not enough of the latter. Add these tropical nuts to your diet to live a calmer, healthier life.
Goji Berry
The goji berry is native to Asia. People in Asia have been using this brightly coloured fruit for more than 2,000 years. Especially as a medicinal herb and food supplement. Goji berries are widely available for purchase in health food stores and online.
A study found that drinking goji berry juice could improve energy, mood, and digestive health. Goji berries have also shown improvement in depression and anxiety-like behaviours. Goji berries are generally imported to the West from Asian countries.
Orange
Oranges are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, thiamine, folate, and potassium. They also are a good source of fibre and potassium, both of which can support heart health. Chronic anxiety can affect heart health.
Fruits rich in vitamin C, like oranges, have antioxidant properties that may help reduce inflammation. It also prevents damage to cells that may promote anxiety. Oranges are available in the markets all throughout the year, varying the country of origin and the varieties.
Holy Basil
Penny Pettman did a review of literature on the natural ways to relieve anxiety and stress. One of the methods discussed was the use of holy basil to reduce stress hormones. Anxiety is correlated with high production of cortisol and adrenaline.
Therapy for anxiety disorders primarily consists of training the client to learn how to slow down this production. Holy basil products as an adaptogen may be of assistance here.
Chamomile
Chamomile is a type of flower commonly used to brew tea. It is considered an effective relaxant and is used for numerous health conditions like inflammation, menstrual disorders, insomnia, and pain.
Long-term oral administration of chamomile has been found to be safe and can significantly reduce moderate-to-severe GAD symptoms.
Conclusion
In this blog, we mentioned important ingredients you can use to make the best green smoothies for anxiety. First, readers learned about green smoothies and what makes them good for us. Then, we described sixteen such ingredients in more detail.
The ingredients for green smoothies that help with anxiety listed here were Spinach, Maca Root, Turmeric, Yoghurt, Blueberries, Flax seeds, Walnuts, Arugula, Oatmeal, Ashwagandha, Asparagus, Brazilian Nuts, Goji Berry, Orange, Holy Basil, and Chamomile.
FAQs (Best Green Smoothie for Anxiety)
What food reduces anxiety?
Here is a list of foods that are good for reducing anxiety levels:
- Yoghurt
- Dark chocolate
- Citrus fruits
- Salmon
- Whole-grains
- Quinoa
- Green leafy vegetables
- Eggs
- Oatmeal
- Brazillian nuts
Is there any herbal medicine for anxiety?
There are plenty of herbal medicines available for anxiety. These are much safer than traditional prescription drugs used for treating anxiety disorders.
That’s because they don’t lead to dependency, have no serious side effects, and can be bought without a prescription. Some examples are chamomile, amino acids, vitamins, Bacopa monnieri, Bach flower, and St. John’s wort.
What calms anxiety naturally?
Anxiety can be calmed naturally either using a cognitive approach, a body-based approach, aromatherapy, or through natural supplements. The cognitive approach entails challenging negative thoughts and identifying patterns in them.
In a body-based approach, one focuses on reducing cortisol levels and increasing relaxation to come out of ‘fight-or-flight’. Aromatherapy uses the fragrance of certain essential oils known to calm and induce sleep. Finally, natural supplements can help in similar ways by changing our biochemistry.
References
Take Control of Your Anxiety Today: Personalized Counseling with BetterHelp
