Green smoothies are wonderful because they provide a tasty way to get the delicious, nutritious qualities of greens, fruits, and nut milk. You’ve heard about the benefits of eating those coveted greens. They’re powerhouse foods packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as nutrients and vitamins like calcium, folate, and iron.

The key to getting the nutritional benefits of greens without tasting them is to make a delicious, naturally sweet mixture. Here are five tips to making your green smoothie taste less green:

1. Choose sweet ripe fruit for sweetness

In this beginner green smoothie, sweetness comes from grapes, apples, and bananas. Pick fruits like pineapple, apples, papaya, mangoes, and strawberries for sweetness.

2. Make it thick with banana

Non-vegan smoothies may include yogurt to add thickness, but for vegan, dairy-free smoothies, try using banana, which will thicken the mixture. Put banana in this strawberry kale smoothie to thicken it up. Also, use the fruit in this chai-chocolate green smoothie and tropical green spirulina smoothie.

3. Use spices

Spices can add a nice punch of flavor that can help mask the bitter taste of greens. Many of these spices, such as cinnamon and vanilla, taste great when mixed with nut milk and greens. Try putting coconut flakes and vanilla extract in this best green smoothie ever. Also, try adding other spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

4. Add nut milk

Adding a cup of nutmilk per person will give you a quick burst of vitamin B 12 and vitamin D. The creamy, smooth taste of almond or cashew milk will help hide the leafy green taste of spinach and kale. Try making your own almond milk or picking up a bottle of coconut milk the next time you go grocery shopping. Try this power smoothie with fresh almond milk and chia, lucuma, and coconut smoothie.

5. Add the unique taste of superfoods.

Smoothies can get a unique taste and a boost of more vitamins with superfoods. Powders from goji berry or acai, for example, are tart and will give much taste to help mask the taste of the greens. Try adding cacao and mesquite powder with almond milk. Try this recipe with maca powder, acai powder, and mixed berries and this recipe for superfood green smoothie.

By adding these items, you’ll be able to make a delicious, nutritionally packed smoothie that will taste great while also hiding the bitter, sometimes unpleasant taste of greens. Now, bust out the blender: it’s smoothie time!

Image source: How to Make a Green Smoothie that Rocks