Green Smoothies

Green leafy vegetables are incredibly nutritious; they provide more nutrients than any other food group and provide ALL human nutritional needs. Most of us should be eating a lot more greens daily than we do and Green smoothies are one of the best and most delicious ways to consume them. They are made by blending green leafy vegetables with fruit and can be supplemented with freshly ground flax seeds. The flavors combine incredibly well. They have a predominantly fruity flavor, which subdues the taste of the greens. Almost everyone loves the taste of them right away, especially young children.

Fruit and green leafy vegetables make up the biggest part of our natural diet. Chimpanzees are closest to us physiologically and genetically, sharing 94.4% of our DNA genes. Victoria Boutenko and Jane Goodall have studied chimps in the wild and discovered that their natural diet consists of over 45% fruit and 40% green leafy vegetables. The rest of their diet is made up of various things such as other vegetables, bark and insects. We can conclude from this that our natural nutrition is meant to come primarily from greens and fruit. For more info read 'Green for Life' by Victoria Boutenko.

Greens are a complete source of protein for our body. They provide all of the 9 essential amino acids in abundance, which the body then synthesizes into protein molecules. Deficiencies in amino acids, common in our standard American diet, can cause imbalances: physical, mental and emotional health problems, depression, lack of energy and focus and unnatural and unhealthy cravings.

Chlorophyll is the pigment and the blood of plants. It is through chlorophyll that photosynthesis takes place, transferring sun energy into plant energy. When we eat leafy greens this energy is absorbed directly into our blood. Chlorophyll cleans and heals our cells and tissues. It removes toxins, as well as fungus, bad anaerobic bacteria and cancer cells which all thrive in low oxygen environments. Chlorophyll contains lots of oxygen which supports the good aerobic bacteria and promotes our healthy internal flora. It has a great variety of healing properties. Until the advent of antibiotics, doctors used it for hundreds of years to heal most illnesses. Chlorophyll not only detoxifies the body, it soothes inflamed tissues (incl. ulcers, hemorrhoids, acne, etc), improves circulation, and eliminates body odors and bad breath.

Green leafy vegetables are loaded with alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron. These minerals and their high oxygen content make greens one of the most highly alkaline resources available to us. Almost every disease starts and thrives in an acidic environment. Cholesterol levels rise in an acidic environment. It is made by the body to remove acidic waste from unhealthy, fatty foods.

However, chlorophyll's nutrients are stored inside of tough cell walls. The cellulose structure of greens is one of the strongest molecular structures on the planet. Most of us do not chew nearly enough to get the full benefit of these nutrients. By thoroughly blending and breaking down greens in smoothies, we get access to all of its healing properties.

The biggest advantage of drinking green smoothies is that they are filled with fiber. Fiber is crucial for proper elimination and is an amazing detoxifier. It cleans toxins from every part of the body, acting like a sponge and absorbing amounts of toxins many times greater than its own volume.

Flax seeds are added for nutrition also. They contain lots of fiber but also have an excellent ratio of Omega3 and Omega6: essential fatty acids (EFA's). Nearly every person in the Western world is EFA deficient! These healthy oils are crucial to our health and well-being. They are antioxidants. They also insulate the nerves, ease digestion by lubricating our delicate mucous lining, moisturize the skin, detoxify our systems and aid in weight loss by helping to remove the bad fats from our cell walls. Raw fats from greens, fruit and flax seeds contain lots of enzymes which restore the body's metabolism, including the enzyme lipase which helps burn body fat. Healthy fats also increase the electric tension between cells, making them more permeable to oxygen and nutrients.

People who drink green smoothies regularly should expect: