Green Smoothie-what changes have you noticed?

[faith4u]

I am just starting to have a Green Smoothie everyday in place of my usual salad for a week. I am curious what you have all noticed since adding a Green smoothie into your daily diet.

[langelbleu]

I've been consuming at least a quart of green smoothie every morning for breakfast for the last few weeks or so, and I am really enjoying the benefits. I really feel like my body is becoming more alkaline.
My whole body feels more relaxed, my shoulder muscles which like to live bunched up above my ears have been unwinding and actually seem to be where they belong.
I feel great even energy through-out the day, I am feeling satified both physically and emotionally.
I am really starting to look forward to the greens and know that my body is loving them.

An example of a few of my green smoothie recipes...

In vitamix I blend
1 bunch parsley (the whole bunch as purchased)
2-3 stalks of celery
1 lemon (peeled and seeded)
10 oz bag frozen og strawberries (or fresh)
2-4 navel oranges
(optional add the flesh of 2 ripe mangos)
12 oz filtered water (or more)

Yummm

or
1 bunch kale
2 bosc pears
2 bananas
1 lemon (peeled and seeded)
filtered water to blend to desired consistancy

These make about a blenderful which I either share with my husband giving us both a quart or I keep to myself and drink the second smoothie over the day.
--L'Angel Bleu

[langelbleu]

Also,
Victoria Boutenko who just wrote Green for Life all about green smoothies will be offering a conference call in conjuction with the Master Cleanse/Raw Food Site next weekend.
I heard her a few weeks ago on a teleseminar that Frederic Patenaude was hosting and she was fabulous!

https://123webmagic.com/themastercleanse/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=84

[prana]

After eating a green smoothie each morning (1 qt) for about a month now and this is what I have noticed...

My diet is more balanced, I don't get the munchies as much towards the end of the day.

I don't seem as confused as to what my body wants to eat.

The green smoothies leave me satisfied and calm and they don't sit in my stomach. Very refreshing.


My favorite recipe is as follows...

1 banana (sometimes two if they are smaller or need to be eaten)
1/4 pineapple
1 bunch of cilantro (sometimes Italian parsley)
1 large bunch of either mixed greens or spinach
8oz. or less of water


I am not trying to loose weight, don't have any illnesses and my digestive system is in working order so I can't help you out with any concrete observations.

But I love green smoothies.

[eachpeachpearplum]

Ditto the above and added to that I need less sleep. I used to have to go to bed at 9ish, or earlier but I am now averaging midnight to 1am. Bright eyed and bushy tailed as my mum would say.

Another item is in early Jan I was very ill (pnumonia) and had only green smoothies for 5 days. I recovered (quickly) to find a sharp increase in libido and no need for eye glasses! :p

Have a look at my green smoothie at:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10680

[jenna rose]

My diet is more balanced, I don't get the munchies as much towards the end of the day.

I don't seem as confused as to what my body wants to eat.

The green smoothies leave me satisfied and calm and they don't sit in my stomach. Very refreshing.


I wasn't sure until I read the above and all of those ring true for me, as well. I've noticed that it's easier for me to stay raw-er throughout the day now that I am drinking a lot of green smoothie everyday. Before I was having SAD munchies all the time and it was making it hard to stay even 90-99% raw. I am having some brown rice and/or some steamed veggies once a day or every other day. So, I'm doing really well, I think.


Usually, as far as greens, I've just been adding some baby spinach. But I have been adding a bunch of alfalfa sprouts and I also have started adding in some Kale, too.

The past few smoothies that I have made, I have put in:

2 oranges (usually small to medium size)
3 small bananas
2 strawberries
1 small peeled apple (they've only had small ones lately)
a little water
Then I blend that all up and then add:
a BIg handful of baby spinach
lots of alfalfa sprouts
a small handful of kale
then i whirl that around for a bit, then add:
a little bit of ice
some agave

It makes 48-50 ounces. Takes me a while to drink the whole thing. Most of the time I only drink half and then save the rest for later that night or the next morning.

I don't always add the apple, though. But it has been really tasty. Hm. Now that I typed down all that I put in it, it seems like a lot. lol

[Raw Jewelrylady]

Ditto to what everyone said...plus...I had a really bad habit of not eating breakfast & the green smoothie has changed that. I make a "Vita-mix" full of green smoothie & then share w/my husband & save the rest for later.

The other thing I noticed is the coconut oil in the smoothie helps my skin & energy level. Hope that helps... :)
LANA

[leeleelocs]

no acid reflux anymore. off all medications, no constipation, no munchies in the evening.

2c water, handful spinach, slice pineapple, 1-apple, 1 Tbsp ginger, 1-date, 1/4 c aqvae nectar, 1-lemon juice

[divaitalia]

I am curious about some of the green smoothies that people are drinkiing. I drink about a blender full myself every morning with an added 2 tbsp ground flax seed. My question is this: how do you afford all the produce that goes into these things? According to Victoria Boutenko you should be putting a whole head of lettuce amongst other things. Is this saying that I am not getting the green smoothie benefits if I am not putting in all those greens and fruits?

Please help!!!
Divaitalia

[pdx kris]

i haven't tried green smoothies and instead opt for green juices everyday and also full fruit smoothies often because i am concerned about improperly combined fruits and vegetables in the smoothies.

does anyone else who otherwise practices food combining make fruit/vegetable smoothies with no ill effect? maybe because it's blended to a puree it all leaves the stomach together without fermenting? :confused:

[langelbleu]

i haven't tried green smoothies and instead opt for green juices everyday and also full fruit smoothies often because i am concerned about improperly combined fruits and vegetables in the smoothies.

There is a distinction between leafy greens and other vegetables. Leafy greens can be safely combined with fruits while starchy veges can not.
So for example mixing a carrot into the blend with fruit and greens would be way more taxing on your digestion than greens and fruit.

[Smoothie]

i haven't tried green smoothies and instead opt for green juices everyday and also full fruit smoothies often because i am concerned about improperly combined fruits and vegetables in the smoothies.

does anyone else who otherwise practices food combining make fruit/vegetable smoothies with no ill effect? maybe because it's blended to a puree it all leaves the stomach together without fermenting? :confused:

Ditto what langelleu said...greens can safely be with mixed with any fruit. It's an alkaline balance thing and works. Just keep the starchy veggies out. No need to worry......You have to try it. They are the BEST!!!!

[Purl]

I have been having a green smoothie everyday for 1-2 weeks. It's so awesome. I have SOOOO much more energy, I am not hungry for HOURS, and I feel more...balanced, all around. Like another poster said, my shoulders are more relaxed-I do not get overwhelemed as easily as I did before. Here's my recipe:

juice of 4 oranges
1 banana
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
1 TBSP spirulina
1 TBSP of coconut oil
2 c water (or more if desired)

and occasionally I add some random fruit if I have any (mango, grapes, apples, grapefruit, etc) I also add flaz meal, if I feel like it.

YUMMY!!

FWIW-I jogged 1.5 miles this morning after my breakfast smoothie. I haven't been able to jog to my MAILBOX in almost 10 years, let alone a mile and a half!!! (I know it's not that far, but it is a HUGE milestone for me-I used to be an avid runner and ran 10 miles a day, then I got injured and then I got FAT-up to 207 lbs!!! But I'm makin' a come-back baby!!! LOL!!)

[pdx kris]

awesome guys, thanks for the info! i'll give one a try!

[tammy85]

The first thing I tried when I started raw was a green smoothie and I loved it. I have been hooked ever since. My two year old son loves them...my five year old and husband just turn away!! They do look kind of yuk but they do taste good! I like the feeling I have in the morning when I drink them. I am not weighed down by greasy bacon and eggs and bloated up by lard biscuits. After you eat all that stuff you just want to go back to bed. This is my version of the green smoothie

1 - 2 ripe bananas (I keep mine frozen in freezer they blend up great)
1 ripe pear
1/2 apple or other fruit like mango
1 or 2 handfuls of kale
1 or 2 handfuls of spinach or parsley
handful of almonds or 1 tbsp flax seeds
1 tbsp raw coconut oli
water or juice from pineapple
sometimes I add ice if the fruit is not frozen.

This is so good!

[Guydiane]

For my green drink I use
1 bunch of swiss chard
1 bunch of callard green
1 bunch os spinach
1 cucumber
1 apple
then I put in a tablespoon of ground flaw seed

[faith4u]

Thanks everybody!!

I am almost a week into trying the Green Smoothies and they finally taste good to me. ;)

I have hardly eaten today because of my two Green Smoothies. I have been craving them all of a sudden.

I can't wait to try some of the combinations that you guys shared.

Thanks again

[faith4u]

Purl,

Does spirulina give off a flavor in your smoothie? I bought some last week but am afraid to use it because it stinks.




I have been having a green smoothie everyday for 1-2 weeks. It's so awesome. I have SOOOO much more energy, I am not hungry for HOURS, and I feel more...balanced, all around. Like another poster said, my shoulders are more relaxed-I do not get overwhelemed as easily as I did before. Here's my recipe:

juice of 4 oranges
1 banana
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
1 TBSP spirulina
1 TBSP of coconut oil
2 c water (or more if desired)

and occasionally I add some random fruit if I have any (mango, grapes, apples, grapefruit, etc) I also add flaz meal, if I feel like it.

YUMMY!!

FWIW-I jogged 1.5 miles this morning after my breakfast smoothie. I haven't been able to jog to my MAILBOX in almost 10 years, let alone a mile and a half!!! (I know it's not that far, but it is a HUGE milestone for me-I used to be an avid runner and ran 10 miles a day, then I got injured and then I got FAT-up to 207 lbs!!! But I'm makin' a come-back baby!!! LOL!!)

[RowanC]

So basically, what I'm reading is that in addition to the bananas, pineapple, blueberries I always put into my morning smoothie, if I add a bunch of kale or spinach or parsley, it will become a "green smoothie?"

[RawTruth]

RowanC, go to www.rawfamily.com (http://www.rawfamily.com) for Victoria Boutenko's original Ode to a Green Smoothie (description, suggested ingredients, rationale) and a bit of her research that started her advising Green Smoothies.

[jorjeni]

after meeting with the rawfood group in my area yesterday and learning from there about the difference of juicing my greens and blending them in the blender to make a smootie I had my first one tody. Now it wasn't the taste but the texture I was not happy with.

So my question is do you all juice your fruits and then add it to the blender with the veggies or are you even putting your fruits in your blender along with the veggies? My smoothie was more of a thick soup. I had to add a lot of water so I could drink it. I dont' have a vita mix and can't afford one right now so I don't know if that will make a difference in texture.

[joy]

This one tastes a bit like a creamsicle:

2-3 handfulls baby spinach (I sometimes vary the greens)
1 banana, frozen
1 orange, peeled; just toss all the insides in
zest of about 1/2 orange--make sure it's organic if you do this
1/2-1 cup water, and a few ice cubes

jorgeni, I just toss it in together. I don't have a vitamix either, and this blends up incredibly smooth. Using frozen banana helps, as does tossing in the greens first. Keep in mind that some greens, like Kale, are often difficult to blend smooth. I also don't add flax, or coconut oil, or any superfood stuff, which might make a difference in the texture.

Best,

Joy

[langelbleu]

I had to add a lot of water so I could drink it. I dont' have a vita mix and can't afford one right now so I don't know if that will make a difference in texture.
I think that the vitamix does make a significant difference in the smoothness of a blend. I can even blend celery, collards and pears together in the vitamix and come out with a pretty smooth mix. I wouldn't say that one in particular was creamy, but it was drinkable.

IMHO the vitamix is really worth saving your pennies for. I love mine I've had it for almost 2 years now and it is running as well as the day I got it, the only time the motor overheated and shut down to cool off was when a date pit got loose in the mix. I use it everyday at least once a day, way way way more than either my food processor or juicer. And now that I am doing green smoothies I am not really juicing at all.

I also find that using water to get the consistancy for your own preference will vary, for example my DH likes his smoothies much colder and thinner than I do, so I often blend a big batch, pour mine off and then add some ice and more water for him.

For a smoother mix, use creamier fruits (like mangos, bananas, etc), remove the spines from heartier greens like kale and collards, pre-chop your fruit and greens, peel apples, pears, plums, peaches etc.

[Kimbato50]

Great solution found here - I've always liked the dark lettuces but have trouble getting enough of the powerhouse greens like kale, collards, and mustard greens. Can't wait to try your recipes. Many thanks.

Kimba