Green Smoothies. Oil or no oil.

[sport]

I have read in the past that adding any oil to your green smoothie will inhibit your ability to absorb some nutrients and should be avoided, so I have avoided it.
Today I read in Dr Mercola's newsletter that the lutien that I need to get from my greens to prevent degeneration of my eyesight is fat soluble so I need to add oils to absorb it.
What's a girl to do at all.
Has anyone here researched this matter any further than that and do you add a little oil to your smoothie.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Absolutely no oil. Oil is a pure concentrated fat plus the food combining will have you tooting until the cows come home. :eek:

I used to put flax oil in our smoothies amongst 10 other unnecessary additions. When I removed it nobody felt any different.

I know some people trust Dr. Mercola, but I find that he's a bit of a supplement pusher. He's big on cod liver oil.

[LightLover]

I tought some vitamines are only fat-soluble? (vit A and D)
anyway: a little avocado in your smoothie and the problem is solved

LL

[sport]

Just having my smoothie now and I out some sunflower and pumpkin seeds in it. The problem was not oil specifically but fat in general.

[alex]

Unlike carbohydrates, fats are essential for health. Since we don't eat meat anymore (Hunter-Gatherers), we must obtain fat from somewhere in sufficient quantity - nuts, avocados etc. Personally I don't eat enough of these to get enough fat so I supplement.

Whether or not you add them to your smoothy is up to you - each person is different - try it with and without and see if there is any noticable difference.

The best fats to use are:

1) Udo's Choice oil blend

2) Unrefined organic hemp oil

Our brains are composed of a high concentration of fats.

Every cell in the body contains fats

I could go on...


alex

[solarliving]

What about adding some Chia seeds? I know some people add ground up flax seed to their smoothies. Not only are you getting the extra fiber but the omega's.

[Sharon in Colorado]

You done good. I would use a whole food source for fat before an oil.

[jujube]

If you want some fat in there, you could try some raw nut butter- almond butter, hemp seed butter, etc. I agree with Sharon, go for a whole food rather than the oil. At least the whole foods still have some vitamins and minerals (whereas oil has almost none). Nut butter in a smoothie tastes good, too. The only concern is food combining, if you have fruit in there as well.

[Biff]

I usually add Udo's Oil or Coconut Oil to my green smoothies, and have not found any issues. Although maybe I will try not adding it and see if I feel differently.

One strange thing is that my wife has had a few cholesterol tests since starting the raw lifestyle and her cholesterol went down from 285 to 205. During this time, she was drinking green smoothies with Udo's oil one day and coconut oil the next day. (and would alternate each day.)

She then stopped using the coconut oil, and took another cholesterol test a month later and her cholesterol was at 220. (went up 15 points!) The only thing that was different is she stopped putting coconut oil in her smoothie. (So her cholestorol test was lower when she was using the coconut oil, and was higher when she wasn't using it. Strange I know.) I am not certain that this is definitely linked, but just thought I would mention it.

[Dimond]

I try to add oil most of the time because otherwise I may not get enough EFAs in my diet.

[Blissed]

You might check out Victoria Boutenko's Green for Life book; she's written this specifically on green smoothies

[sport]

My question really was should we add fat or not.
Will it inhibit the ability to absorb some nutrients.

[LightLover]

My question really was should we add fat or not.
Will it inhibit the ability to absorb some nutrients.


I think it is the other way: without fat less absorption.

[Sunshine9]

I would say absolutely YES on a little oil in smoothies
I can't comment on whether it will inhibit nutrient absorbtion
but it WILL allow a pleasant steady release of the sugar into the bloodstream
SO you won't be hungry 10 minutes after your smoothie
you won't NEED 15 bananas in the blender to fill you up
and your blood sugar will stay even steven and you'll be full for hours...

ultimately though, so what
try it and see how you feel