Green Smoothie Questions

Green Smoothie Questions

The links on this page will take you to articles previously written by Victoria Boutenko to answer common green smoothie questions. Many of these articles have been published on the Green Smoothies Blog or in our newsletters.

QUESTION: How Do I make a Green Smoothie?

In this short video Sergei Boutenko demonstrates how to make a green smoothie and shares the top 4 guidelines to follow for green smoothie consumption. View here

QUESTION: I make my green smoothies with a lot of sweet fruit and even dates, raisins, figs, prunes, etc. I’m worried that I consume too many sweets. Should I use less?

Most people are not yet accustomed to the taste of chlorophyll and simply will not drink it if it will taste too “green” to them. I think it is very important to prepare smoothies that are so delicious that everyone will look forward to them. Read article.

QUESTION: What are the health benefits of green smoothies?

A molecule of chlorophyll closely resembles a molecule of human blood. According to teachings of Dr. Ann Wigmore, consuming chlorophyll is like receiving a healthy blood transfusion. Many people do not consume enough greens, even those who stay on a raw food diet. By drinking two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough greens for the day to nourish your body, and all of the beneficial nutrients will be well assimilated. Read article.

QUESTION: Why should I add wild edibles to my green smoothie?

Sergei Boutenko’s article says ‘This summer I discovered heavenly scrumptious and nutritious “new” foods such as: pumpkin leaves, grape leaves, chicory greens, young and tender borage leaves and flowers, tightly curled fists of young ferns, clover leaves and flowers, plantain, sorrel, and even lemon grass. Next year I plan to fill my garden a large variety of weeds. Read article.

QUESTION: What is the difference between blending and juicing?

After I published my first book about green smoothies, I have received many inquiries from my readers asking whether blending was preferable to juicing. I also heard that some nutritionists were concerned that blending might accelerate the oxidation of the food. I was very curious to find the answer for myself and decided to seriously research this question.Read article.

QUESTION: If I’m on a plant based diet, where do I get my vitamin B12 from?

There is a lot of confusion and conflicting information about this rather important issue. At the same time, vitamin B12 deficiency may be dangerous for human health. I have my own theory about vitamin B12, based on my experience of eating raw food for over 15 years, and observing other people on vegan and vegetarian diets. Read article.

QUESTION: How will I get enough protein if I’m on a raw, green smoothie diet?

Being aware of the confusion around vegetables, I understand why this became a popular question. Since most people were not aware that greens have an abundance of readily available essential amino acids, they were trying to eat from the other food groups known for their rich protein content. However, let me explain the difference between complex proteins found in meat, dairy, fish, etc. and individual amino acids, found in fruits, vegetables, and especially in greens. Read article.

QUESTION: I cant afford to buy organic, why is organic produce so important?

The problem is not that non-organic has pesticides, but rather that it doesn’t have any nutrition. My main message is that we are malnourished and have deficiencies. Commercial produce doesn’t have any nutrition. Read article.

QUESTION: Can I add wheatgrass to my green smoothie?

Wheatgrass is a wonderful addition to green smoothies, however we have to constantly rotate our greens. We cannot just eat kale, kale, kale or spinach, spinach, spinach or wheatgrass, wheatgrass, wheatgrass. We have to rotate. Read article.

QUESTION: How do you wash your fruits and vegetables to make sure that there are no harmful parasites or bacteria on them? Do you use hydrogen peroxide or apple cider vinegar?

Buying organic food is important and I buy my produce from a farmer’s market five months of the year, where I know the growers personally. I don’t even rinse them in tap water first because I understand that chlorine often destroys bacteria and other things that are good for us. Read article.

QUESTION: I only make my green smoothies with kale and spinach. I’ve heard its important to rotate the greens we consume, can you please explain why?

Plants depend on moving creatures for many different reasons, like pollination, fertilizing the soil, and hanging around to help eat the ripe fruit. For this reason, plants accumulate a lot of highly nutritious elements in their leaves, but mix these nourishing ingredients with either bitterness or very small amounts of alkaloids (poisons). Read article.

QUESTION: I’ve heard that its bad to eat raw spinach, for example, because it has oxalic acid. Is this true?

The oxalic acid in food is considered harmful because it can combine with calcium and may leach the body of this important mineral. For some reason everyone knows of the oxalic acid in spinach, but is not aware of the oxalic acid content in many other commonly eaten foods such as grains, beans, and especially coffee and tea. Read article.

QUESTION: When greens are broken up in the blender, do they oxidize and lose most of their nutrients?

When I was juicing my greens on a daily basis, I noticed how quickly the green juice turned brown and began to taste bitter. This doesn’t appear to happen with blended greens, probably because of the large quantities of antioxidants in the fiber. Read article.

QUESTION: Where can I buy a Vitamix?

Follow this link to purchase a Vitamix free of shipping.