For low-income Californians learning healthier eating habits, smoothies can be a way to start. That’s what doctors, researchers and patients found in Alameda County. There, as I wrote in a column earlier this month, doctors are prescribing healthy foods to people with chronic diseases. Through a pilot program called Recipe4Health, one of the lessons for patients was that blending leafy greens into a drink helps manage blood sugar.
Blending smoothies got them to appreciate the taste of vegetables, in a form that was easy to prepare. Those who had not been making salads or cooking vegetables became more interested in plant-based eating, and the program provided online cooking lessons and recipes.
