Questions about Green Smoothies

[Heathermic]

Can we live on green smoothies alone? And if so, what ingredients need to go into them daily for optimum health?

I have been sticking to spinach, banana, strawberry, with a little cylium husk.
But can you eat spinach every day?

Anyone have any good green smoothies ideas?

[Veganforlife]

Hey Heathermic - welcome. One can live on green smoothies alone, but you would have to exercise your jaw (chew). Do a search for Douglas in California remember me's post and vwinters (do a member search). Both have done very well living on green smoothies.
It is very important to "change up" the greens. Do not do just spinach or kale or collards.
Here's a link to some recipes:
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23906&highlight=green+smoothie+recipes

Also - read Victoria Boutenko's book, "Green for Life" - excellent! Talks all about the benefits of green smoothies!

[Veganforlife]

Here's the links for Doug and vwinters:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/member.php?u=2493

http://greensmoothieexperiment.blogspot.com/

[Eva]

I toss in beets, beet leaves, spinach, chard, celery, kale, apples, oranges, bananas, berries, watermelon (only with a banana and greens, not mixed with lots of stuff), various nuts (not as often) regularly. I can't imagine it would do your body justice to have the same stuff all the time, although I almost always do put a banana or two in the mix for the sweetness and texture.

It's great that you're doing them! They have been immensely helpful in my journey. I feel like I discovered gold or something!

[Veganforlife]

Victoria (in her DVD) states that when she studied animals and their eating habits, how they would eat a little leaf from this tree, then move on the next, eat a little, then move on to the next. The reason being all leafy greens contain (minute) amounts of toxins which help keep the plants alive. By the animals varying their greens, they, no. 1 - saved the plants so that they could regenerate and no. 2 - did not consume all the toxins and either made them sick or tire of that particular green. It makes sense.

[tisha]

Yes, you should include a variety of greens, just as you would with veggies. You wouldn't eat just carrots every day. I add flax seeds to my smoothies. Sometimes I add sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, etc. Each offers different elements that my body needs. I use almond milk as my base. Almonds have loads of calcium. So do sesame seeds, btw.

[catdeveer]

You not only could live on green smoothies, the possibilities are endless! I just made one for lunch (it's technically not green because it's got beets in it, but it's "green" due to the greens, you know?) and WOW!

handful of lentil and mung bean sprouts
one plum tomato
2 stalks celery
one carrot
1/2 english cucumber
about 1/3 of a medium beet
1/4 avocado
about 8 or 10 leaves of red leaf lettuce
1/2 clove garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
water
whiz it up (I have a VitaMix - a must have!)

you are only limited by your imagination. The more "green" smoothies I make, the braver I get in combinations to try and have yet to be dissapointed. I just don't put in anything I wouldn't eat anyway. For example, I'm not a huge fan of parsnips, so would not use them in a smoothie.

blessings!

cat