The benefits of green smoothies are many and varied - they're easy to digest, keep you hydrated, increase your energy, get your skin glowing, and more. They can include spinach, lettuce, kale, and collard greens.

For the more advanced green smoothie drinker, you can also add parsley, dandelion greens, watercress - really, any leafy green veggie your palate can handle, and enjoy. Bananas, apples, pears, avocado, and mango are great companions in these beverages. Here's a brief introduction to the many advantages of drinking green smoothies on a daily basis.

First, here's a sampling of VegKitchen's recipes for green smoothies. See the entire range in our Green Smoothies category.

• Spinach and Apple Smoothie
• Kale, Cucumber, and Pineapple Smoothie
• Mint Chip Smoothie
• Chia Green Super Smoothie
• Green Velvet Smoothie
• Power Smoothie (Romaine and Superfood Seeds)

1. Green smoothies offer pure nutrition. The amount of vitamins you'll get depends on the fruits and vegetables you choose for the smoothie. However, most fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins A and C. Guava is also high in folate, while avocados provide high amounts of potassium and magnesium.

2. Green smoothies are much healthier than fruit or vegetable juices. When juices are extracted, you get vitamins and minerals but no fiber. However, smoothies are made using the whole fruit/vegetable, so you get all the fiber in your drink.

3. Green smoothies are a great way to eat your veggies easily. Although most people like fruit, many have trouble getting their daily requirement of veggies. When you make a green smoothie, the taste of the greens is hidden by the taste of the fruit, so you don't even notice the veggies are there.

4. Green smoothies are easy and quick to make. The only equipment you need is a blender (and a pitcher if you make large amounts and need to store some in the fridge).

5. Homemade green smoothies are cheap. Buying smoothies at a juice bar can set you back quite a few bucks. At home, combining fruits and vegetables won't cost you more than a few cents. Drinking a glass every day will provide you with all the vitamins you need, a much cheaper (and more natural) option than buying multivitamins.

6. Green smoothies can be a good way to get kids to "eat" their vegetables. You might need to start with a higher proportion of fruit vs. vegetables (for example, 70/30 instead of the standard 60/40) until they get used to the flavor.

7. Green smoothies will provide you with a lasting source of energy. Fruits are a good source of energy, but eaten alone will only provide short bursts of energy (they contain lots of sugars, which are quickly metabolized). Because of their high content of veggies, green smoothies have a balanced sugar content.

8. Green smoothies are low in calories but very filling. Because they contain high amounts of water and fiber, they'll make you feel as if you just ate a full meal. If you're trying to lose weight, green smoothies will help fight hunger and cravings while helping the pounds melt off easier.

9. Green smoothies are easy to digest. Because they're already blended and liquefied, smoothies are quicker to digest. After all, your body no longer needs to work so hard to "break down" the food in order to extract the nutrients. People who suffer from indigestion after eating a heavy meal will also benefit, as smoothies are filling but light.

10. Green smoothies will keep you hydrated. Although one should drink at least eight glasses of water a day, experts believe most people don't drink even half that amount. One of the reasons for that is that many people simply don't like the taste of plain water. If that describes you, simply add more water to the mix as you prepare your smoothie. You'll be drinking more liquids without even noticing it.

This article was excerpted with permission from The New Green Smoothie Diet: Going Green Never Tasted so Good,* by Hilary Greenleaf.

For lots more features on healthy lifestyle, please explore VegKitchen's Healthy Vegan Kitchen page.