Green "smoothies"... What's the down-lo?

[Atom Smasher]

I've recently been viewing videos on YouTube and elsewhere about blending "smoothies" made mostly of dark green vegetables, ginger, carrots, spinach, swiss chard, and other dark leafy vegetables.

I have found that spinach causes major stomach pain for me, so that's out. Has anyone else found this? I understand that spinach has something in it that causes the smooth muscles to tighten up. If anyone has knowledge of this, are you aware of the same phenomenon happening with other vegetables?

I have ulcerative colitis so I'm pretty sensitive to that kind of thing.

Second question: If you are in the habit of making smoothies (dumb name but that seems to be what they're universally called on the web), what ingredients do you use, and why? What are the observed results?

Thanks!

 

[marmel75]

They are excellent ways to get nutrients and minerals into your body in forms that are more bio-available than taking pills. They also contain something called "food factors" which researchers still are not sure how, but seemingly make the nutrients more effective when combined together.

Eat or drink as many green vegetables as you can. They are among the most healthy things you can put in your body. They also contain very high levels of anti-oxidants that fight free radical damage. Just know that virtually anytime they find new ways to combat diseases or sicknesses the comment "found in green, leafy vegetables" is almost always in there, almost to the point of being comical. Fact is our diet is so devoid of vegetables and healthy foods in most cases that simply adding these in would do wonders for a lot of people.

Broccoli, spinach, asparagus, kale, brussel sprouts, and wheatgrass are all great sources of these. I try and eat at least 2 servings of one of the above with each meal.

 

[Quiksilver]

I posted a little while back ...

1 banana, sliced into pieces
1 apple, diced
1 orange, cut in 4 pieces
handful of spinach
3 broccoli "branches"
250mL milk (or just a little water if your dieting down)

Put the milk in the blender ... Then put the spinach, then the banana, then orange then apple, then broccoli. (softest at bottom, hardest at top).

Blend it up.

Then, add a handful of ice cubes, and a few scoops of whey isolate.

Blend it up again for about 4-8 seconds.

......

I haven't calculated, but I think its around 70g starchy carbs without milk or whey, so around 300 calories.

I add two scoops of whey, so it brings it up to around 50g protein, 70g carbs = 500 calories or a little less.

You can add raw egg as well, but I'd suggest cleaning the blender immediately after if you do.

I blend it up in the morning and put it in a thermos. Stays ice-cold all day at work.

Also works for post-workout shake.

 

[Atom Smasher]

Thanks guys. That gives me enough into to get going.