Green smoothies, the hearty drink with a health halo

Green smoothies can vary widely in ingredients, but the core component is usually a leafy green vegetable. It’s usually spinach or kale, but it could also include the fleshy leaves of the aloe vera plant or other nutrient-dense greens. Those are puréed with fruits, nut butter, dairy or their plant-based analogs, and a variety of sweeteners.

These drinks tend to be high in fiber and other key nutrients, and tend to be significantly lower in sugar than traditional smoothies. They often are boosted with additional vitamins and minerals as well as protein supplements.

They are consumed as both meal replacements and as snacks.

Market research firm Datassential reports that green smoothies are found on 0.7% of menus in the United States, up 31% over the past four years.

Click through the gallery to learn more about this Flavor of the Week and see how one restaurant is using green smoothies on its menu.