Green Smoothies: Food Fit for an Anthropoid
I am enjoying delicious, alkalinizing green smoothies just about daily now. I discovered these creamy concoctions after reading Victoria Boutenko’s, Green for Life. She and her family had been thriving raw foodists for 7 years, having healed themselves from various ailments, including diabetes. After the years passed however, they felt their health fading once again. 
Victoria decided to stop looking to humans for guidance, seeing as we are by far the sickest species on earth, and instead she turned to our closest genetically related relatives: chimpanzees. We share 99.4% of our genes with these fellow anthropoids.
So then, how do chimps nourish themselves? It turns out they eat lots of fruit and greens. Not only that, but they chew with gusto. Before the produce reaches their tummies it has been masticated to a juicy pulp. This helps with digestion and therefore nutrient absorption.
Victoria realized that to be healthy she had to eat more fruit and greens while consuming far less fat. She started blending up different combinations of fruit, greens and water in her high powered blender. To her pleasure, many of the mixtures tasted delightful. Within weeks her health returned – even more so than expected: wrinkles vanished, grey hair disappeared, nails grew strong, warts peeled away and energy soared. Soon her family was hooked and they were drinking green elixers by the gallon.
So why are greens so awesome?
Protein:
1 lb of kale meets the USDA’s RDA for protein. The few amino acids that it happens to be lower in, exist in higher amounts in other greens. As long as we eat a variety of greens, we are guaranteed to meet our protein needs. (By the way, we need far less than is generally understood – many experts are now saying 10% of total calories is our protein max.)
Fibre:
Fibre rich greens keep things moving along the digestive tract, helping us to expel toxins asap.
Chlorophyll:
Very similar in structure to molecules in human blood, chlorophyll carries oxygen to our cells. This oxygen helps the good bacteria thrive in our guts, thus providing ease of digestion and nutrient absorption.
Stomach Acid and Minerals:
Blended greens deliver an abundance of minerals to the body, in an easily digestible form, regardless of the strength of stomach acid. This allows the body to heal and naturally increase production of stomach acid if necessary.
Omega-3:
This desirable fat amps up our metabolism so we buzz like a hummingbird, rather than hibernate like a bear (hummingbirds are composed of more omega-3s, while bears store omega-6 for the winter). Omega-3 effectively combats all forms of cancer, heart disease, depression, diabetes, and the list goes on. It is found in all greens, especially purslane.
Alkalinity:
Greens increase the body’s pH, making us more alkaline and therefore resistant to disease. Otto Warburg won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931 when he proved that cancer can thrive only in an acidic environment (animal products are very acidifying).
Here’s the (un)beef on fruit:
Carbohydrates:
Fruit is the perfect fuel for humans. The simple carbohydrate sugars in fruit are easy to digest and burn as energy (as long as we haven’t been eating large amounts of animal products). According to various doctors (ex. Dr. Douglas Graham and Dr. T Colin Campbell), we should be getting the bulk of our calories from carbohydrates – around 80%.
Fibre:
The fibre in fruit helps prevent blood sugar levels from fluctuating. This is why it’s important to consume fruit in its whole form.
Phytonutrients:
Plant source nutrients are vital for our well-being, as they repair damaged DNA caused by environmental stressors. This also means they reverse cancer.
Protein and Fat:
Most people are unaware of the fact that all fruit contains both of these nutrients. It is now understood in a growing community of thriving raw foodists, that a diet of approximately 10% protein and 10% fat is our ideal target. Eating a variety of fruits brings us quite close to these numbers.
To create your first green smoothie, you will need a blender – Vita Mix is the best, but use whatever you can get your paws on. Add 1 or 2 different kinds of fresh, ripe fruit, your choice of greens, and water – aim for about 60% fruit and 40% greens, with enough water to achieve a silky, smooth texture. Keeping your ingredients simple will enhance taste and digestion. Note that bananas should have brown spots before consuming, and spinach or chard are good beginner leaves. If your drink is too bitter, add more ripe fruit, dates, or a pinch of stevia (go for the less processed dried green variety).
The following recipe makes a great breakfast for one:
Mango-berry Smoothie
1 cup raspberries
2 soft mangoes, peeled, chopped
1 cup greens (try baby spinach)
2 cups water
Blend well and enjoy!
