Grain smoothies...good idea or digestive nightmare?

[mattm]

Hi guys, I'm currently on a 100% green smoothie diet, loving it and the health benefits have been immense. I'm looking to bump up the calories of my greeen smoothies (also add some more variety) and thought about incorporating particularly sprouted buckwheat into them to make a sort of 'green oatmeal'. I was wandering if other people had done this and whether it was wise to combine greens, fruit, grains and possibly fat (e.g.flaxseed oil) into one smoothie. I stayed away from grains (though I understand buckwheat is not a true grain) as they're meant to be hard on the digestive system but I don't know if sprouting them and smoothying (another new word!) them out would help?
Thanks for any help.

[Kitty]

I have never put grains in my green smoothies but I often put oils in them! Mostly coconut oil, yum. And I think flax seed oil would be a great addition to get those omega 3's!

[chiefchewy]

I do not know if it is a no no or not, but i put sprouted wheat berries in my green smoothies if I have them lying around and need to use them up... I have never had any digestive problems from it but nothing bothers my stomach anyway...
can't wait to hear if it is a bad thing??
chewy

[mattm]

Hi again, thanks chief chewy...it's encouraging to hear someone else using grains in smoothies...likewise I would be interested in hearing other people's experiences. By the way how much grain do you put into a smoothie or are comfortable with? Oh and before I forget, you've got to love these green smoothies...I'm currently a student at uni and this morning when I woke up and made myself goji berry, apple, maca, pure synergy, baby spinach, cucumber, flaxsed oil and cocoa smoothie (gotta try this one...tastes fab)...had nearly the entire floor of the halls I'm living in trying it and saying it was delicious! These guys eat a SAD diet in the extreme like most guys my age and I probably gave them more nutrition in a second than they would get in a year...there's hope yet!! Made me nearly laugh out loud when one of the guys told me how great the smoothie was but said I would never get him eating vegetables...I then told him what he just had:D.

[LightLover]

mattm, see this "giving away smoothies" as a kind of help similiar
to "giving help to Africa".
You really help people in their developpment, and it is a shame that some people only expericence this in their 40ths. And in this case you are for sure
there is no money (reed: smoothie) disappearing in the pockets of
advisors, intermedia etc...So supply your whole building, even if it is with nipps!

LL

[mattm]

Thanks LightLover that is kind of you. I've just seen a few of the guys I gave the smoothie to and I'm so happy...they've gone to Tesco's (kind of the British equivalent of Walmart) and bought themselves blenders to make smoothies! I thoght it was great and the guy was soooooo happy that for the first time he enjoyed vegetables. I know they will probably continue eating large amounts of SAD food but at least they will be getting some nutrition at last and we all must begin somewhere. This is what I love about having adopted raw food, it's shown me the power proper nutrition has and now I'm in a position to communicate this to other people and hopefully change their lives like mine has. I'm thinking of starting a green smoothie appreciation thread (though I imagine it has been done a million times already) as they're truely miraculous. I started having them a few months back after getting ill and since then I can't stop (and don't want to!), you can vary them so much, they're quick, they're calorie dense if you wish to and they digest wonderfully. I feel lighter, more energetic and radiant than ever. Oh well, just bought myself a pineapple and I'm feeling hungry...bring on the blender:)

[chilove]

Hi there,

Definite digestive nightmare!! :-) The best way to increase your calories in your green smoothies is to add more bananas.

All the best,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[LightLover]

I'm thinking of starting a green smoothie appreciation thread (though I imagine it has been done a million times already) as they're truely miraculous. I started having them a few months back after getting ill and since then I can't stop (and don't want to!), you can vary them so much, they're quick, they're calorie dense if you wish to and they digest wonderfully. I feel lighter, more energetic and radiant than ever. Oh well, just bought myself a pineapple and I'm feeling hungry...bring on the blender:)

** I never herad someone returning from McDonalds saying I feel lighter, more energetic and radiant than ever. :)

ll

[Sunshine9]

All depends on you! I don't think there are universal food combining rules.. just depends on your constitution. I personally wouldn't do a lot of fruit with the grains. Just tastes odd to me. I used to blend up sprouted buckwheat, cinnamon, agave, and add some hemp milk... mmm... apples and bananas and greens would probably taste just fine with it.

[Tirza]

mattm:
You are to be commended on your efforts to reach for the best of health even while under the not-so-ideal circumstances of university.

There have been a few people in the past who have posted on this forum, asking for information, advice and encouragement on this very subject. Perhaps you would take the time to enlarge upon how you are managing the raw diet while there. I am sure that it would be of value to many who are in the same circumstances or hope to be soon and wonder how on earth they can do this. It might even be good to start a new thread with a title indicating that it is about eating raw in uni so people will know it applies to their situation.

Thanks

As to your question about sprouted grains - I once read that after sprouting, a grain is no longer technically a grain, but a "vegetable or green". I do know that once the enzymes are activated in seeds and grains, the nutritional value ramps up to an amazing degree. I have used buckwheat sprouts in smoothies. Ann Wigmore recommended this in her "Energy Soup", along with other sprouts. I would just do a little research on it though, because I also read that buckwheat sprouts too much or too often might be not at all good for some people. I have used sprouted lentils as well. So if it is true that the grain becomes more like a vegetable or green when sprouted, I would say that would lay to rest any concerns regarding food combining. According to the Boutenkos, greens should be categorized as a separate and distinct food group - not as vegetables, which would take them right out of the argument against combining fruits and vegetables. In the case of most smoothies, it is then just a case of combining fruits and greens, which is more than acceptable.

For myself, I have had the chore of dealing with cancer in the last couple of years. Most writing on the subject of diet and cancer does not encourage much fruit or any sweetening for that matter. I make a smoothie every day that is close to the Energy Soup recipe by Ann Wigmore, which includes besides the greens and a half an avocado, an apple, a banana and I often use some pineapple juice as the liquid base. Obviously that is kind of sweet (and oh-so-refreshing!). So even though I love fruit and would happily exist on it alone, I am trying to collect recipes that are more "savory". That includes smoothies. I make one that is more of a cold soup - almost like a cold borscht, with tomatoes, raw beets, garlic, tumeric, cayenne, miso, lemon juice, and of course greens. With summer coming on, I recommend this as a filling, and very satisfying lunch. I also do a creamier soup with warm water, cashews (or sunflower seeds), garlic, tumeric, cayenne, miso, lemon juice and whatever veggies I have around-often just celery or brocolli. Just a couple of suggestions for variety for you.

[Blazin'Jane]

I made some Energy Soup last week. It had sprouted lentils, sunflower seeds, mung beans, and buckwheat sproutsplus an apple and lots of greens. I didn't have any digestive troubles, but I certainly was full all day! I had to force myself to drink some of it at lunch time (rather than not have anything until 5 or so). I thought I might make soem once a month or so...:)

[tglasco4]

I have been using soaked oat groats in my smoothies recently with good success. I have not put the greens in yet though. I plan on trying that but with some alfalfa sprouts:eek: .....we'll see how it goes.

[chiefchewy]

Mattm
I use about a handful of what ever sprouts I have on hand-sometimes lentils, sometimes wheat berries, sometimes radish... again i think it all depends on how your body handles it.

The reason I started adding sprouts is because except for spinach i really do not like much other greens in my smoothie.. so after the spinach goes the sprouts.. once in a while chard. I do use Melissa's green food.. but most of the time a smoothie for me is what ever is going to go bad if I do not eat it that day with my greens!

the biggest laugh I get any day is when I give it to my husband and he has no idea what he is eating and he "hates" vegetables so he thinks!

chewy