Question about carrot pulp

[bigV]

I'm a total newbie to the raw food diet. I've been raw 90-100% for the past 2 weeks and this week making an effort to stay a 100%. I have a blendtec blender and wanted to start making carrot and or carrot/beet smoothies. I see everyone extracting out the juice and drinking it and using the pulp for other things. Is there any reason why not to just drink the pulp with juice?

[Arky]

No, you can go ahead and consume the pulp in the form of a smoothie; that's just fine.

Some argue (Brian Clement of Hippocrates Inst., for example) that blending foods results in quite severe oxidation of the nutrients, and he has a point, but then that doesn't mean there's not a good deal of worthwhile nutrition left in the smoothie.

Juicing is generally favoured for carrot and beet simply because one can get an increased cleansing effect by removing the need for digestion of pulp, and by increasing the quantity of cleansing juice consumed, due to not needing to consume lots of vegetable pulp.

However, taken in the form of a smoothie, there are benefits to consuming beet and carrot in this manner, since beet and carrot are both high in natural sugars and the pulp will help slow the release of these sugars into the bloodstream.

So there's pros and cons to both approaches; juicing and blending.

Just go ahead and have your carrot and beet in smoothies, if that's your preference. It's all good :)

[Arky]

Do be sure to peel the carrots and beets first, though, as (unless they're organic), carrots and beets tend to be sprayed with pesticides (this would also be a relevant consideration regarding the greens of both vegetables).

Other than that, you're good-to-go.

[bigV]

Thanks for the info. If I was to just strain out the juice, what is the best way of doing that? I'm very new at this having only using a blender for the first time a few months ago. Should I use a strainer, nut milk bag, a cheesecloth, etc? I never heard of a nut milk bag or cheesecloth until coming on this site. Are these reusable and cheap? Also if someone can recommend any and where I can find them.

[Arky]

use whatever you like - I've even experimented with a cafetiere for doing this, in the past! :)

Nut mylk bags are just made from nylon mesh, like the kind people sometimes have hanging up as 'net curtains' (well, here in the UK, anyway).


If you prefer to buy a purpose-made commercial nut mylk bag, Alissa may do them (I'm not sure), or you may find them here:

therawfoodworld.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=1000984&zenid=6uu6f74hu0gokun8qj2punldm6

or perhaps on eBay.


If you attempt to just use a strainer, you're not going to have much luck because you can't get sufficient pressure to squeeeeze the pulp dry.

[Arky]

I'm assuming you're not going to focus exclusively on carrots and beets, are you?

They're very healthy vegetables but do contain a proportion of oxalates, so it's good to vary your veg as the weeks go by, being sure to almost always include something from the dark leafy greens each day.

[MysticTree]

I'm assuming you're not going to focus exclusively on carrots and beets, are you?

They're very healthy vegetables but do contain a proportion of oxalates, so it's good to vary your veg as the weeks go by, being sure to almost always include something from the dark leafy greens each day.

What is your take on the oxalate content of raw food being harmless and the oxalate content of cooked being harmful. I have seen this all over the net but is it true? I eat a variety of foods and whilst it does remain varied, I am sure I am eating an awful lot more oxalate containing foods than I ever did on SAD foods. What's the crack with oxalates Arky?

[bigV]

Thanks. All look into the nut milk bags. As far focusing solely on carrots and beets, no. I have been drinking a lot of green smoothies. I try to drink at least 2 a day. I try to vary the greens with spinach, romaine, dandelion, kale, etc.

[Arky]

Sounds like you're going to have a very healthy liver if you carry on like that (and a healthy liver enormously aids health of the rest of the body).

[maggiesdaddy]

You can also use cheese cloth. It takes a while to strain it all though and sometimes (for me) it burns your hands. For example, every time I do concord grapes my hands burn when I am done.


The cheese cloth is cheap and works better than a strainer IMO as you can squeeze and squeeze to get a lot out. I think that a nut milk bag would work best long term though!

[Arky]

What is your take on the oxalate content of raw food being harmless and the oxalate content of cooked being harmful. I have seen this all over the net but is it true? I eat a variety of foods and whilst it does remain varied, I am sure I am eating an awful lot more oxalate containing foods than I ever did on SAD foods. What's the crack with oxalates Arky?


I'll be honest with you, it's not a topic I've ever dug deeply into, and I don't let it concern me since I vary my food intake quite widely.

If this is of particular interest to you, I highly recommend you check out Ray Mears' series 'Wild Food' (http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/585-Ray-Mears-Wild-Food-DVD/) - since you're in the UK, I'm sure you'll have seen bits of this on BBC. There's a really interesting episode in that series where he asks food scientists to examine some vegetable root or other (it might have been burdock, but don't hold me to that) under a microscope and it's well worth watching!

[MysticTree]

thanks I will have a look. It's not that it is a burning issue for me but one that when it crops up I do wonder what the reality is. I knew a member of the film crew for Ray Mears' series. Interesting.

[Arky]

Just found this:

http://autoimmunethyroid.wordpress.com/2007/02/04/cheeky-yams-and-oxalates/

(read the Reader Comments section, too)

[MysticTree]

I remember watching that episode though I had forgotten that it was oxalates that were the purged substance.

So I suppose it comes down to amounts present in foods and are they stored or do we excrete/eliminate them.

[Arky]

I know what you mean about the episodes - Mears has done so many over the years (and I'm only a casual viewer, when it appears on BBC or Dave). I distinctly recall another episode with natives in one of the jungles and they were mashing and rinsing a starchy tuber of some sort in order to neutralise it's heavy arsenic content!

[Mary Kay]

As usual, great answers Arky!

BigV, if you are in the U.S --heck maybe even other countries -- you can go to a paint store such as Sherwin Williams, or even a hardware store that sells paint, and buy a one-gallon nylon mesh paint strainer with an elastic top for $1.59 each. Now mind you, these aren't quite as fine of a mesh as your $8. nutmilk bags, but for most things they do the trick. I've found the small nylon mesh bags with fine mesh at various garage sales, and I always buy them - for the final strain, if I want it to be really smooth. People get them at weddings and such with little snacks like candied almonds in them, then don't know what to do with them....

HTH, Sounds like you're starting out with a good start.

Arky, I didn't know carrots and beets contained oxalates...Oh man, now I've got to look up one other thing!

Mary Kay

[MysticTree]

Arky, I didn't know carrots and beets contained oxalates...Oh man, now I've got to look up one other thing!

Mary Kay

I knew oxalates were in beets but didn't know about the carrots.

[streetsurfer]

Another option for milk straining bags-go to the pool section of a big box store and get a pool vacuum bag. fine nylon mesh bag with drawstring top.

[MysticTree]

I've used a knee-high stocking before now too!

[Mary Kay]

LOL, we are all so resourceful!

Mary Kay

[Arky]

@ bigV:

I forgot to also mention the importance of thoroughly ensalivating each mouthful of smoothie, regardless of the ingredients used, because this allows enzymes in your saliva (e.g. amylase) to begin the process of digestion. It also stimulates correct release of gastric juices further down your alimentary canal. Failure to properly ensalivate each mouthful can, over time, lead to unnecessary stress being placed upon the pancreas to secrete sufficient enzymes.

I could go on but that's about all the detail anyone needs to know on that. Just remember to 'chew your smoothies', even though they've been blended. Even juices should be 'chewed' / ensalivated for correct digestion and optimal absorption. It's nothing to do with being pedantic; it's genuinely important.

You'll find that if you 'eat' your smoothies using a spoon, the metal of the spoon seems to stimulate plenty of salivation, which helps the process along.