Ode to Green Smoothie

[Sharon in Colorado]

"Ode to Green Smoothie"
By Victoria Boutenko

As the Russian proverb says: New- is something old that has been long forgotten. This summer I re-discovered green smoothies. What do I mean by green smoothie? Here is one of my favorite recipes: 4 ripe pears, 1 bunch of parsley and 1 big cup of water. Blended well. This smoothie looks very green, but it tastes like fruit. I like green smoothies so much that I bought an extra blender and placed it in my office, so that I could make green smoothies throughout the day. More than half of all the food I've had in last several months have been green smoothies. I have so much more energy and clarity that I have removed green juices from my diet. (Juicing has been something that I've been doing regularly for years.) Green smoothies have numerous benefits for human health.

1. Green smoothies are very nutritious. I believe that the ratio in them is optimal for human consumption: about 60% - ripe organic fruit mixed with about 40% - organic green vegetables.

2. Green smoothies are easy to digest. When blended well, all the valuable nutrients in these fruits and veggies become homogenized, or divided into such small particles that it becomes easy for the body to assimilate these nutrients; the green smoothies literally start to get absorbed in your mouth.

3. Green smoothies, as a posed to juices, are a complete food because they still have fiber.

4. Green smoothies belong to the most palatable dishes for all humans of all ages. With a ratio of fruits to veggies as 60:40 the fruit taste dominates the flavor, yet at the same time the green vegetables balance out the sweetness of the fruit, adding nice zest to it. Green smoothies are simply the best tasting dishes for the majority of adults and children. I always make extra smoothie and offer it to my friends and customers. Some of them eat a standard American diet. They all finished their big cup of green smoothies with complements. They were quite surprised that something so green could taste so nice and sweet.

5. By consuming two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough of greens for the day to nourish your body, and they will be well assimilated. Many people do not consume enough of greens, even those who stay on a raw food diet. The molecule of chlorophyll has only one atom that makes it different from a molecule of human blood. According to teachings of Dr. Ann Wigmore, to consume chlorophyll is like receiving a healthy blood transfusion.

6. Green smoothies are easy to make, and quick to clean up after. Many people told me that they do not consume green juices on a regular basis because it is time consuming to prepare green juices and clean the equipment after ' juicing, or to drive to the juice bar.

7. Green smoothies are perfect food for children of all ages, including babies of six or more months old when introducing new food to them after mother's milk. Of course you have to be careful and slowly increase the amount of smoothies to avoid food allergies.

8. When you consume your greens in the form of green smoothies, you can greatly reduce the consumption of oils and salt in your diet.

9. Regular consumption of Green smoothies forms a good habit of eating greens. Several people told me that after a couple of weeks of drinking green smoothies, they started to crave and enjoy eating more greens. Eating enough of green vegetable is often a problem with many people, especially in children.

10. Green smoothies can easily be freshly made at any juice bar, restaurant or health food store for the great convenience of health-oriented customers.

I encourage the readers of this article to start playing with green smoothies, and to discover the many joys and benefits of this wonderful delicious and nutritious addition to the menu.

Here are more ideas for your green creations. Some of my favorite greens to add to green smoothies: parsley, spinach, celery, kale and romaine. My favorite fruits for green smoothies are: pears, peaches, nectarines, bananas, mangoes and apples. Strawberries and raspberries taste superb in green smoothies, when combined with ripe bananas.

Delicious combinations.

Mango-parsley= 2 large mangos, 1 bunch parsley, Water

Strawberry-banana- romaine= 1-cup strawberries ,2 bananas ,1/2 bunch romaine, Water

Pear-kale-mint= 4 ripe pears, 4-5 leaves of kale, 1/2 bunch of mint, Water

Peach-spinach= 6 peaches, 2 handfuls of spinach leaves, Water

Apple-kale-lemon= 4 apples, 1⁄2 lemon juice ,4-5 leaves of kale, Water

Finger banana-spinach= 10 finger-bananas, 2 handfuls of spinach leaves, Water

Mango-weeds= 2 mangos, 1 handful of lambs quarters, stinging nettles, purslane & etc, Water

Kiwi-banana-celery= 4 very ripe kiwis, 1 ripe banana ,3 stalks of celery, Water

Bosc pear-raspberry-kale= 3 Bosc pears, 1 handful of raspberries, 4-5 leaves of kale, Water

[tracyinfo]

I love your ode! The last week or so, I have been adding spinach and parsley to my juices in the morning. Your post, inspires me to try different greens. I love them too.

-Tracy

[Pailani]

I love green smoothies! With me watching my fruit because of candida issues, I can't eat fruit-only meals, and green smoothies have become a staple. I use one granny smith apple, one pineapple slice, and 4 or 5 large dark green leaves of lettuce, and throw in cucumber, celery, anything else I can think of. Mine are more veg than fruit and they still taste pretty good.

But a lot of the examples given don't look 60/40 to me, they look more like 80 percent fruit.

[yeahbethany]

The author is Victoria Boutenko!

[heather]

mmmmmmm....makes me want to BLEND ;)

[Sharon in Colorado]

The author is Victoria Boutenko!

Thank you Bethany, it was passed on to me along with her 7 mistakes article and I split them up & forgot who the author was. I'm going to change it now.

[swingbolder]

Thank you for posting this. I did a 3-week juice fast awhile back and towards the end of it, the veggie juices started to make me feel nauseous. I would drink them and gag. I'm not sure I ever want to drink veggie juices again (at least not for awhile). But I need my greens, and don't always feel like making/having a salad, so I will have to try some of these smoothie combos. Thanks again.

[coffeesquirrel]

i for one have been having a prob with my salads as i am not finding any good dressings but now i won't have to worry about it and since i love fruit i won't have to feel guilty there either. whooo ho ho ho ho.. thx :p

I think i'' try one tonight,
coffeesquirrel

[caramba]

I have printed this out to stick on my fridge! Am off to blend right now!

[coffeesquirrel]

ok i tried one this morning and not bad .. although i think i put too much green in it. Between yesterday and today i'm now out of green :eek: well back to the store ,,, again. :D i tried the peach, bananna , spinach one. anyone have a fav?

[caramba]

Pear & parsley has become my standby - pears are cheap and parsley is one thing that actually grows in my "herb garden"...

[RawTruth]

Victoria Boutenko also said -- at the talk I attended in January where she handed out this Ode to Green Smoothies -- that she is using kale much more than parsley now. In fact, she believes that kale and other greens like it are crucial to a raw diet -- more than wheatgrass, actually. But, that you have to start with a small amount and build up to more as your taste buds adjust. Otherwise, it tastes too "green" like coffeesquirrel mentioned.

[SouthpawShelly]

I am going to make a green smoothie now! I'm hoping my daughter will like them. She used to love carrot/apple/spinach juice but hasn't wanted anything I prepare lately.
Do you cut off the stems when you blend? Do you add any water? Last time I made smoothies, I was vegan and used soy or rice milk.
Thanks for the Ode! ;)

[SouthpawShelly]

:eek: Duh, I for some reason missed WATER at the end of each sentence! I'm still tired & going through some detox myself. I am so embarrassed! :o

[Advid]

I've tried apples mixed with kale and a banana mixed with celery and I'm not very excited. The kale with apples made me feel very full and tasted as aplle+water mixture. The banana+celery mix was tasteful, but not more than banana with water itself. I think that a lot of advantages of green smoothies can be gotten form consumption separate fruit and separate greens. And the taste is IMO better either.

I've been on raw for a short time. So maybe after some time I'll be fed up with salads and olive oil. But now I'm not now.

Sorry for an opposite post. :D

[Rawkinlocs]

Advid,

Have you ever made just a plain smoothie with fruit only that you liked or loved? If so, make that and then to it, add maybe a leaf or two of kale or a handful of baby leaf spinach or other mild green (even green leaf or romaine lettuce). Blend WELL (until there are no green chunks)!

To date, I don't think I've ever made my green smoothies according to the recipes posted in the aforementioned article...I do my own thing...what I like and it works out deliciously! :D

Whip up YOUR favorite fruit smoothie, add a little bit of greens to it and don't be afraid to taste-test. If it tastes "too green" then add more fruit (berries work well to mask the flavor as do bananas) and maybe after a week, step it up with more greens and just work your way up that way!

Right now, I'm enjoying a banana-apple-strawberry-kale smoothie! YUM!

[Advid]

Hi Rawkinlocs,

I don't think that I'll go into green smoothies right now. I can have almost the same salad every day and I'm happy about it. I think I have enough greens these days. I just wanted to try green smoothies and establish my own opinion. Thanks for your effort. As soon as I'll fed up with salads I'll be back. :-)

[wyjoz]

Here is a delicious one to try:

1 celery stalk
2 pears
2 bananas
3 Kale leaves
3 Chard leaves
1 c water

[wyjoz]

Advid: Ah, invitation to try! my 3 y/o granddaughter asks for them! Everyone that has tasted them is in love with 'green smoothies" !

1 Bunch Kale 1/2 bunch other greens
2 ripe mangos
2 ripe bananas
2-3 c water

I guarantee that you will like it. otherwise tell me to come over and I'll drink them up for you. Joz

[jaurequi]

Oh, wow, advid, you've got to try better fruit than that! Pineapple is wonderful as well as mango and orange. You need stronger-flavored fruit, I think.

[Sharon in Colorado]

I think the addition of water makes the greens and pulpy apple flavor stand out too much, so I don't add water generally (maybe some ice though).

This is one that even my kids will drink:

8-10 oz. orange juice
3-4 bananas
handful spinach
1-2 cups frozen strawberries (or fresh)
2 cups frozen peaches or mangoes (or fresh)
honey or agave if you want it sweet, to taste

I don't really follow those recipes either, but I did try the pear one and it tasted great.

[RawTruth]

I've tried apples mixed with kale and a banana mixed with celery and I'm not very excited. The kale with apples made me feel very full and tasted as aplle+water mixture. The banana+celery mix was tasteful, but not more than banana with water itself. I think that a lot of advantages of green smoothies can be gotten form consumption separate fruit and separate greens. And the taste is IMO better either.

I've been on raw for a short time. So maybe after some time I'll be fed up with salads and olive oil. But now I'm not now.

Sorry for an opposite post. :DI wouldn't be able to drink these either!! Ugh!!

I am hoping that the enormous benefit of drinking these will lure you into trying again. Our bodies need FAR MORE greens than we're able to eat in salads even if we ate huge ones for every meal. Our mouths and teeth have changed over the many years humans have been eating cooked and processed foods so that we can no longer chew/grind the greens like we should. At the same time, our stomach acid is usually compromised and we're not able to digest properly the food we eat. That's why Victoria Boutenko "invented" the concept of green smoothies. It wasn't for people bored with salads.

Truly, I wouldn't be able to stomach the ones you've mentioned.

60% fruit to 40% greens is the best way to start. It should taste sweet and just a teensy bit of the greens.

It needn't be complicated.

Just a few pears and a mango (or banana) a cup (small amount!) of water and then pack in a bunch of greens - spinach is mild-tasting and add some parsley for the health benefits (kale should be introduced in teensy little amounts!) - for instance.

The blend should not be thin. I don't like the apple-tasting ones, nor the texture of those, so, if I throw in an apple, I make sure it's with other fruit, too and blend the heck out of it.

Best of luck with your raw path in your part of the world!

[JMD]

REading this makes me want to get a blender and bring it to work!!! I green smoothie every weekend...when i am home...

Insert me missing my blender :( lol

Seriously i love them too.....but ususally only at breakfast time...not into them at dinner i still love my salads...

I also agree that kale needs some "building up" to like. I juice mine as well as blend. I started with 2-3 leaves and now can do a small bunch or 3/4th of a large head. I love the laciento kale--sp?? very nice blending ability.

:)JMD

[Mina]

I just read her latest book " Green for life" very interesting .

[Advid]

Ok Ok, I'll gave it one more try. :p

The next aspect is that for example this recipe:

1 Bunch Kale 1/2 bunch other greens
2 ripe mangos
2 ripe bananas
2-3 c water

would cost me all day budget. So I will divide it by 2. :)

wyjoz: I warn you, the airplane ticket is not cheap. :D

[Arky]

I personally make smoothies with the emphasis, BY FAR, on the dark greens, NOT on the fruit. You can eat fruit just fine without blending it - IMHO, the main purpose of the smoothie is to enable the easy consumption of bitter, fribrous greens. So often, I see people making 'green smoothies' which are little more than 'green-tinted', given that they pile in the fruit and render the proportion of greens in the mix quite minimal. These people are only fooling themselves, not their bodies... I'm not suggesting that one shouldn't add fruit to a green smoothie, I'm simply pointing out that it is a matter of proportion - to increase one's consumption of greens, you need to do just that, not increase consumption of blended fruit with a little green colouring added as a minority ingredient and an afterthought.

Bitterness is not something to be afraid of - you simply have to allow your tastebuds time to acclimatise, which they will never do if one insists on drowning dark green leafies with fructose-laden fruit every time.

Just a thought...

Also see here:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11376


J.

[wyjoz]

Advid you'r on! I just hope you'r someplace warm!

[wyjoz]

Advid you did not warn me that I would need a Passport! anyways are you close to Polish border?

[misslinda]

I personally make smoothies with the emphasis, BY FAR, on the dark greens, NOT on the fruit. You can eat fruit just fine without blending it - IMHO, the main purpose of the smoothie is to enable the easy consumption of bitter, fribrous greens. So often, I see people making 'green smoothies' which are little more than 'green-tinted', given that they pile in the fruit and render the proportion of greens in the mix quite minimal. These people are only fooling themselves, not their bodies... I'm not suggesting that one shouldn't add fruit to a green smoothie, I'm simply pointing out that it is a matter of proportion - to increase one's consumption of greens, you need to do just that, not increase consumption of blended fruit with a little green colouring added as a minority ingredient and an afterthought.

Bitterness is not something to be afraid of - you simply have to allow your tastebuds time to acclimatise, which they will never do if one insists on drowning dark green leafies with fructose-laden fruit every time.

Just a thought...

Also see here:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11376


J.



I agree with you on this Arky. That is why I refrained from buying VB book b/c the fruit ratio to greens was way to high at least in my opinion. I do mine from scratch but I put about 3 times more greens against my fruits. I do feel a difference and have experienced amazing results lately. :)

[RawTruth]

Victoria Boutenko suggests 60% fruit to 40% greens AT THE BEGINNING, gradually increasing the greens and decreasing the fruit as one's taste buds adapt. She herself has stated (in an email shared on this forum) that her smoothies are almost entirely greens. People have to start somewhere ... and, when drinking greens at all is a foreign concept, I don't think it's a crime for them to add enough fruit to make it sweet and palatable for them.

I don't personally add any powders or pollen or maca or hemp or anything to mine. But I sure know people who do. And a few who add dates or agave because, even with really sweet fruit, they still can "taste" the greens. This isn't me, for sure. But -- I figure that whatever they choose to do is fine for them. It's not really my business how they get their greens in their bodies. If that means they have "green-tinted" smoothies, so be it. It's better than not getting any greens at all.

The main purpose of green smoothies for me is to get as many greens as possible -- and more easily digest my food. Compromised stomach acid is a major issue with many and this is a great way to work around that.

[Advid]

Advid you'r on! I just hope you'r someplace warm!
No. :-) There is a lot of snow im my country.


Advid you did not warn me that I would need a Passport! anyways are you close to Polish border?
If you are from European Union, you won't need the passport. I live approximately 50 kilometres from Polish borders.

Back to the topic. :-)

When I wrote "kale", I meant this http://images.google.com/images?q=kapusta&hl=cs&btnG=Hledat+obr%C3%A1zky

But you all mean this: http://images.google.com/images?q=kale&hl=cs&btnG=Hledat+obr%C3%A1zky

So it looks like a language misunderstanding. :p

What about "my" kale? Can I use it as "your" kale or not? Maybe it'll explain why it didn't tasted well.

[wyjoz]

Advid: you write: When I wrote "kale", I meant this http://images.google.com/images?q=k...at+obr%C3%A1zky

But you all mean this: http://images.google.com/images?q=k...at+obr%C3%A1zky

So it looks like a language misunderstanding.

What about "my" kale? Can I use it as "your" kale or not?

***** Your 'kale' Kapusta is Cabbage and our Kale is JARMUZ z kropka nad "Z".

Kale is a member of the cabbage "KAPUSTA" family with large loose leaves. ... However, there are 16 differences between them,
Kale is an ancient plant, believed to have been first cultivated in the Mediterranean area. Kale is a member of the cabbage family with large loose leaves. It was many varieties, some of which are brightly colored, making them useful as ornamental plantings for rock gardens and the like. Kale is very high in vitamin B. One ½ cup will provide 100% of a person's daily requirements. It is also a good source of vitamin C and manganese. It contains lutein which effective in preventing and treating visual diseases such as night blindness and macular degeneration.

Kale provides many times more beta-carotene and Vitamin K than broccoli. Kale is available in the market and at its best during the winter and early spring.

It is an excellent addition to other dishes, such as a stir fry, and it also stands alone. Kale is made sweeter by having a light frost before it is harvested.
Hope this helps you.
Are you able to get mangos? bananas? I would say use cabbage leaves but mabe like 4-5 and give it a try? Joz
p.s. I live in Oregon USA

[JMD]

Arky..

I agree with you but also strongly feel people transitioning need to find raw foods appetizing and a little time is beneficial to adjust to a high green smoothie. I needed time to gradually increase the greens versus try it hate it and never have it again.

I know people who have had GREAT results with the 40-60 smoothies.

JMD

[wyjoz]

Advid: If you'r going to try cabbage (Kapusta) leaves make sure you take the thick stems (veins)out, as cabbage is lot tougher than Kale (Jarmuz)

You can try any other 'green's that you can find for now and in the spring start looking for eddible 'weeds' in the gardens and fields. Joz

[misslinda]

Thank you for the clarifacation RawTruth and Jen, I basically skimmed thrut hese recipes here and in the book and freaked out about how much fruit there was............ ;) MY BAD, I assumed that :eek: :D

PS I DON"T AGREE WITH ARKY :p


filling air back in head,
ml :p

[wyjoz]

If you read Green For Life look at the color charts inside the front cover that will give you indication of what portion of fruits to eat. Also chapter 3 explains it in more detail.
Many of us don't consume enough fruits and greens. Joz

[misslinda]

Wyjoz, thank your for the reference as I will go back and read it :)

[wyjoz]

misslinda; You'r Welcome. When re-reading this book again I was suprised how much information is in there that I missed the first and second time I read it.

[rawpriestess]

I eat my fruit and I eat salads, I love them, but I don't think I'd care to eat my salad out of a blender, it just isn't natural, so IF I wanted to drink my greens, they would have to have something on them, like fruit or some other flavor, it just doesn't sond palatable to me at all.

I understand that you want to get alot of it in you, and you want to have it allready masticated, hense the blending instead of chewing, although now Victoria Boutenko is selling a mouth exerciser on her sight and explains that since she drinks smoothies all day, and hardly ever eats anything anymore that her jaw needs exercise,

I'd think it more natural to simply eat more greens and blend less than to exercise your jaw,

just doesn't fit somehow, normally I love everything she has to say.

So, if you are drinking your food, and you can still chew, I'd say chew at least SOME of it, and if you like it with fruit, why not?

I mean so waht if you eat 2 peaches and have a salad, or you have a green smoothie with two peaches in it? I mean really what is the difference here?

[misslinda]

RP, I'm so gald you posted this b/c I was thinking that too as I was about to hurdle over and buy a vita-mix. Well I thought about it and realized I was getting carried away neglected to acknowledge the naturalness of greens fruits without blending.....so I negoiated and maintained with the FP keeping my smoothies on the chunky/chutney consistency for some of the "grazing" action. ;)

I didn't know that about VB,,,,,,,,hardly eats solid food now :confused: interesting.

[Advid]

wyjoz: Thanks for translation. ;) I can buy mangos or bananas whenever I want to. I just have to wait few days till mango go "ready".

Be awaiting my reply and get ready to travel. :D

David

[wyjoz]

Advid: good luck in making the Green Smoothies taste good. Remember to remove the 'hard' veins from the leaves. You might need to add an extra mango or extra bananna. There are a lot of recipes posted here, so you can have a different one each day.

Try my most favorite? 4 green apples (must be green)Juiced
bunch green grapes
bunch parsley

and one more thing; check this link out to see if you can benefit from it? it's in Polish! if not just deleate it. http://www.surawka.republika.pl/ Joz

[Advid]

Joz: It's in Polish, but I'm not Polish. If I try hard I could understand it because Polish and Czech were very similar languages in medieval.

[wyjoz]

I sent it to you to check it out as Polish and Czech are very similar well accents are ---well you know----there are a lot of recipes there: RAW! so yes go ahead play with it, if not deleate it.

Also, I have used Boc Choy in my Green Smoothies they have a much milder taste than the cabbage(Kapusta). Can you get some in your country? Especially the baby ones! here are some pictures as I don't know what they would be in Polish or Czech.

We ALL want to help you go RAW and stay RAW, so if this helps you?

http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Boc-Choi.cfm

or

http://www.store.yahoo.com/evergreenseeds/chinesecabbage.html

[wyjoz]

Advid you write """" Polish and Czech were very similar languages in medieval."""" Polish has remained the same I'm just curious has has Czech changed from medieval to what are you guys speaking now? Joz

[Blissed]

These days, I'm really enjoying using young coconut water instead of water in green smoothie recipes; not only does it add flavor, but also lots of other good things [minerals, etc.]. It's a nice alternative to enhance the taste.

[TP]

i have been 99% raw for about 6 weeks and drinking green smoothies for 2 weeks now. i love them and have been reaping huge returns from them in the form of better sleep, better elimination, better energy, vision improvement (and I've lost about 15 pounds over the 6 weeks)... One of the things I am dealing with is due to the increased energy, i have been exercising a Lot more. This has felt great, and another benefit is that is seems I am recovering a lot faster from workouts. But I have been struggling with the increased hunger I have had by increasing my exercising. I have also seen that my weight loss has plateau'd (sp?) since the increase in exercise.. I went from walking a few times a week to exercising daily doing trail running and working out at the gym twice a week and playing Ultimate Frisbee..

So far one thing I have done is replace the water in my green smoothies with homemade almond milk. I am also not shy with the fruit, because smoothies are one of my main meals now and greens dont have many calories. I am still working on how to get more calories without using too much fat though.. tough one..

I read Green for Life in one sitting a couple nights ago and really enjoyed it. I definitely see the point that we don't chew well enough to get our greens right.. I have been a green smoothie groupie lately but so far I haven't been able to convert my wife and children. :D

[RawTruth]

But I have been struggling with the increased hunger I have had by increasing my exercising. I have also seen that my weight loss has plateau'd (sp?) since the increase in exercise ... I am still working on how to get more calories without using too much fat though.. tough one.Hey Todd -- if you're hungry, eat more. I know this seems contradictory, but, when you first start raw, you do need to do this. This will be how you lose weight also.

Really, truly, I've seen it succeed time after time.

Alissa explains this really well in her book. She herself was/is very athletic and active and has counseled and worked with athletes and for high weight losses and it works every time.

If you don't have Alissa's book, Robin at The Living Temple in Huntington Beach carries it. If he's out, which he often is, I have it also. Just contact me.

What a marvelous testimony you are to the power of living foods!!

[TP]

Thanks ;)

What do you say about eating more but also eating more often? I have read that it's not good to eat more often, and that we should really be eating two meals a day, but for me, I have a hard time eating a lot of fruits at one time, and I only have time for a big salad once a day at dinner, and I can only eat so much salad before i need a break lol.. So I like to eat more often, like a couple pieces of fruit at work every couple hours..

(The green smoothies really help here too because I drink a big morning smoothie and then use my converted Starbucks mug to take another smoothie with me to work for a mid morning snack :D)

[Advid]

Joz:

Hi joz,

I simplified the sentence about languages because I didn't want to write long complicated article since this is not language phorum and I'm not a languagist. :-)) I'll copy a piece of Czech text so you can compare.

Alchemistovi ambice zahrnujÃ* stejné zkusenosti jako mèl Mahatma Dhandhi v dobè, kdyz byl prezidentem, kdy se stále dodzovalo tradicnÃ* rozdèlovanÃ* lÃ*dÃ* podle kasty. Ghandhi tuto dlouhou tradici kastovánÃ* zrusil a napr. kostým, který nosil, si usil sám. Vsechny záchody, kde prezidentoval, myl sám!

The vegetable you gave me a link on is called "fenykl" here. I know it and can buy it. But I don't like it.

Tadaaaa: Yesterday I tried you recipe (1/2 Bunch Kale 1/4 bunch other greens, 1 ripe mangos, 1 ripe bananas, 1-1,5 c water) and I have to admitt that is quite tasty. But not as tasty as cabbage, banan or mango itself.

And don't worry, I have not craving/sliding problems so I'm not going to stop or end raw food eating. ;) BTW, I have plenty recipes from plenty pages and I need more lifes to try them all. :-)

Thanks
David

[wyjoz]

I'm glad the Green Smoothies are working out for you. You said that the 'boc choy' or your 'fenykl' you don't like. I don't like it either. In smoothie though you can't pick out the taste. But what good things those unlikable 'greens' become after transitioning. And then our body rewards us with good health!

As for your language I got a lot of it. Na Zdrowie Joz

[lily]

I struggle with green smoothies. I find them like blue mashed potatoes -- the colour is wrong for the flavour. I'd rather eat a mega-bowl of bitter greens with vinaigrette for my lunch any day, and do, most days... but you've inspired me to have another try.

Can you tell me, wyjoz, and Raw Truth, how many people those suggestions of yours would serve? I mean, 'two ripe mangoes and 2 ripe bananas' plus a bunch of kale or 1/2 bunch of other greens? You see, I would find it easier to eat the bunch of kale or greens with some vinaigrette dressing than to eat that amount of fruit --or was this serve several people?

Thanks --

lily

[wyjoz]

lilly: I admire people who can eat salads so many times a day. I do eat salads, we have different ones. Kale salad, beets salad, cabbage salads, other salads. But never so many times a day.

I do drink 3 Green Smoothies a day and thoroughly enjoy them. The emphasis is on consumming enough greens and fruits.

Victoria in her research came up with a sort of Food Pyramid 60% fruits and 40% greens. Little seeds/nuts. The smoothies provide me with part of this.

If you can eat that many salads and kales and chards go ahead and enjoy them and don't get 'stressed' or worried over smoothies. This is about RAW Health Life Style or if you preffer RAW Diet' Eat it or drink it; enjoy it, and your body will reward you with health.

The question you have about how much the recipe provides. Three glasses. And you don't have to consume 3 glasses if you'r satisfied with eating fruits and salads/greens as you do.

In post #1 here there are several combinations, play with them and find some that you like. And if you preferr salads, go for it.

[wyjoz]

P.S. you write: I struggle with green smoothies. I find them like blue mashed potatoes -- the colour is wrong for the flavour.

My smoothies come out such beautiful bright 'green' and are very tasty. Joz

[lily]

I have a query about green smoothies -- i thought I'd already sent it but it seems to have got lost, so apologies if I sent it to the wrong question or board by mistake.

In it I explained that I struggle rather with green smoothies -- my palate finds it confusing to have a green drink that tastes of fruit -- rather like eating blue mashed potato.

What I want to know, to give me some idea, is how many people, Advid, and Raw Truth, would your recipe suggestions above serve? Is it for one, two or four? It just seems like you have to drink such a lot of fruit to get the kind of amount of greens that I'd normally eat in one go in a big salad with a nice vinaigrette dressing. Maybe my tastebuds are just too set in their ways... (or else their owner is!)

Thanks --

lily

[Advid]

Hi lily,

the amount I prepare = the amnount I have to consume. If I stick to green smoothies, I woud have found the optimal amount of ingredients.

I share your view on amount of greens in smoothies vs. in salad. I'm not going into green smoothies right now. I prefer salads like you. I'm losing weight these days, but it's normal because I'm a newbie to raw. Fortunatelly I'm losing only fat. :) If this won't stop, I'll consider consuming something more nutritious, eg. green smoothies.

See ya
David

[lily]

Thank you, David. Maybe we need an Ode to the Big, big Green Salad?!

lily

[Advid]

Lily:

Definitely. :p

[lily]

Thanks, wyjoz, for your helpful reply ... my computer did a blip and I lost you, and my original posting, hence the duplication ... but it's all fallen into place now.

lily

[Maria]

I've made some green smoothies that I enjoy. Yesterday I made one with three Bosc pears, the juice and flesh of a young coconut, and 5 red kale leaves, plus some water. Gave me awful lot of gas! Bad mixture, or too much kale? I'm used to juicing kale and it doesn't give me gas that way.
Thanks.
Maria

[BDraw]

Hi! As I finish off my green smoothie and read this, I thought I'd put my two cents worth in.

My original goal was to grow my own sprouts and use that (ie. energy soup), but I hated the taste and had to gag it down. While attempting that, I had a very knowledgable person suggest that instead of sprouting to use organic baby greens.

So today, frest start. . . I had one pear, one banana, a small slice of lemon with peel, about 1 cup of water and a very large handful of baby greens. When I took the lid off the blender, I thought, "Whew, gonna have to gag this one down too." But once I got it in my glass it was rather enjoyable. I love the lemon in it.

My goal is one green smoothie a day. I am anxious to see what a difference it will make.

[wyjoz]

to post #38 & #39

Sent: Friday, March 17, 2006 7:52 PM
To: WyJozU2@aol.com
Subject: Joz, would you please post this?

Dear Raw Priestess,

I would like to address a couple of your comments about my practices with green smoothies and the jaw exerciser.

First of all I would like to thank you for moderating this forum. I believe these forums help a lot of people to communicate, especially

those who live far away from raw food communities.

I would like to clarify a couple of things.

I became concerned with the lack of chewing a long time before I started to make and promote green smoothies. It started when I first read a book

Written by Dr. Weston Price several years ago. In his book, he describes an abrupt change in dental health that occurred about 150 years ago,

when processed food first started to be manufactured commercially and became easily available to the majority of people. He even has pictures in

his books of brothers and sisters from the same family, who have vast differences in their jaw appearance and teeth strength. Children who were

born after the mother started eating processed foods had smaller and weaker jaws. Dr. Weston Price justly connected this condition with the change in the diet.

However, other researchers much later discovered that the second biggest reason for that condition was the lack of chewing that was caused by eating

processed (softened) foods. I would like to point out that just eating two or three salads a day and even two pounds of carrots a day does not provide adequate chewing,

because carrots as we grow them are juicy, crunchy and easy to bite; compared to dandelion root—that was the original carrot.

In addition to this, we in our modern life do not have time to chew enough. Compare chimpanzees, who chew for six hours every single day.

This is a topic of my new book that I am working on right now. I have found groundbreaking research information that has shocking conclusions about how the lack of

chewing causes multiple (not just dental) health problems.

In my classes I tell people that they should start chewing whatever they can find handy: baby teething toys, rubber toys wrapped in safe materials, or anything that will

create the sufficient resistance for the jaws, comparable to natural fibers. I want to emphasize that our ancestors did not even have knives nor graters nor forks nor grinders, just

nails and teeth, which underwent many hours of hard chewing. Please do not overlook the benefits of exercising your jawbone, just like you exercise your legs by walking or jogging,

and you will see dramatic improvement in your gums and teeth, in a matter of days and weeks.

About blending greens: As I explain in my book, Green for Life, greens are loaded with many nutrients essential for our health. But in order to absorb these nutrients,

Every single cell of the leaves has to be ruptured. It is almost impossible to do by just chewing, for many different reasons, such as, many people donÂ’t have their wisdom teeth,

the most important molars for this purpose. Others have missing teeth or jaws that are not properly aligned. Yet others donÂ’t have time or simply undermine the importance of

chewing. Dr. Ann Wigmore also knew about this and she insisted that all of her patients consume blended greens.

That doesnÂ’t mean that we cannot enjoy solid food any more, like salad or fruit. I never promote eating only blended foods because I consider that eating whole foods is

natural and enjoyable. I rather consider green smoothies to be a valuable addition to any diet, including the raw food diet, because most people do not consume enough greens.

According to my research, every one of us needs to consume one to two great big bunches of dark leafy greens per day, plus they have to be not gobbled but properly chewed to a creamy consistency to ensure complete assimilation.

I hope that my comments will eliminate further confusion on this matter. Thank you for listening.

Sincerely, Victoria

[lily]

My old gran used to tell me to chew each mouthful 40 times, until it turned to water in my mouth... I realise the wisdom of this now.

lily

[wyjoz]

http://chidiet.com/news/LivingFoodsNews20060408.htm
Chew Your Food

Unchewed food is one of the biggest culprits in the loss of nutrients supplied to the body. Whole living foods that are not completely chewed cannot be adequately broken down and assimilated by the body. Although the nutrient density and quality of whole foods is much greater in a raw vegetable versus a cooked vegetable of the same kind, the nutrients of the raw vegetable are relatively more difficult to access unless the food is adequately chewed.

All raw food naturally contains the proper types and proportions of enzymes necessary to assist in the process of digestion. In addition, when raw food is eaten, chewing ruptures the cell membranes and releases these indigenous food enzymes, many of which survive and contribute to the digestive process.

Retrain yourself to chew your food. Spend some time at it. The rewards are numerous. If you are still having difficulty, process or blend your raw foods for easier assimilation.

"Chew every mouthful until it is liquefied in your mouth."
- Dr. Robert Hoas, President of The American College of Sports Nutrition

"Chew your drink and drink your food."
- Gandhi
"One should not swallow any food without masticating it well."
- The Code of Jewish Law
"Chewing is most important. You have no teeth in your stomach nor in your intestines. The more you chew, the quicker you will master the principles of longevity and rejuvenation."
- George Ohsawa
"Nature will castigate those who don't masticate."
- Horace Fletcher, author and professor
- and favorite admonition of my great-grandmother

[wyjoz]

We are picking 'miners lettuce' for our 'green smoothies' WOW! who would have known I would be picking weeds and consuming them?
Dendelions are so lively and big and so yummy, we'v been picking them also. Joz

[rawpriestess]

Dear Wyjoz


thanks for posting Victorias letter, it all makes sense now,
I mis understood her newsletter.

Isn't she great?

she was my first raw teacher, and I just love her.

[wyjoz]

You are welcome: and

She is great, in a different way from Alissa who is 'great' also.

and I feel priviledged; I see her in store shopping to get 'hugs' from her as we chat.

[Cinnamon]

I am a big green smoothie fan and have at least one large smoothie each day. This morning in a rush as I grabbed for the cinnamon I accidently got ahold of chili powder and dumped some in before I realized what it was! Since everything else was already in the blender I just decided to blend it and try it out, not wanting to waste it. Well, it wasn't bad... not the greatest either but the other flavors helped to cover the chili powder! Lesson learned... slow down when making morning smoothie! Ha!

[Vandy]

My teeth react funny to green smoothies... it makes my teeth somewhat sensitive... or at least they "ping" or "tingle" a lot when I drink them.... This does NOT happen when I eat my food.

Does this happen to anyone else?

[Shivananda]

http://chidiet.com/news/LivingFoodsNews20060408.htmChew Your Food

Unchewed food is one of the biggest culprits in the loss of nutrients supplied to the body. ... etc.Yes, yes, yes... I know, I know... but this here mouth is made more for talkin' and smilin' than for chewin' so this particular advice doesn't really do me any good. And that's been a problem for me in the past.

But fortunately high speed blenders like the K-Tec, the Vita Mix, and the L'equip allow breaking food down very efficiently, even tough leafy greens, to make highly nutritious smoothies and other raw beverages. And it gives a good raw equivalent to "fast food" as well, when you need something quick on the run.