I love mangoes and I buy whole boxes of them when they are in season. I usually just have them on their own – they are just so delicious!

But, why not experiment a little on a hot day and make a bowl of delicious mango salsa, mango smoothie, or soup.

Mangoes are refreshingly cool, sweet and tart at the same time that makes them perfect for hot weather dishes.

Here are some recipes for you to start with. Use them for inspiration and be bold!

Fresh mango salsa is easy to make and a perfect side dish.  Why not expand on this recipe a bit and transform it into a stand-alone dish – a delicious mango gazpacho soup.  Here are two versions for you to try.

Both are fantastic!

Mango http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarol/2402728217/sizes/z/in/photostream/

For all my blending recipes I use Vitamix. If you don’t already own a VitaMix, I strongly encourage you to check out what this machine is capable of! For more information about VitaMix you can go directly to the VitaMix website. You may also want to read my post about the Best Blender.

I LOVE my VitaMix and highly recommend investing in one if you are ready to make serious changes to your diet. I have had mine for almost 5 years and use it daily!

If you decide to purchase Vitamix – be sure to use Promotional Code 06-004554 to get free shipping.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!

I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!

I just recently attended the Food Revolution Summit. It was a great event, with great speakers and informative presentations, including Jeffrey Smith who is the leading spokesperson on the dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

Right now the GMO battle is heating up, big time.

It’s time to educate yourself and start taking action.

Now you can listen to Jeffrey Smith’s Presentation at the Food Revolution Summit on the truth about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). He explains the health and environmental dangers of GMOs, and the politics behind it.
 
 

Take Genetically Engineered Foods Out Of Your Diet!

A majority of Americans say they would choose not to purchase a genetically modified product if given the choice, and yet more than 70% of the foods in US supermarkets and restaurants contain genetically modified ingredients.

FDA scientists warned that GM foods could create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. Yet despite their recommendations, there have never been any long-term studies conducted on humans.

Meanwhile, Monsanto-patented GM seeds are now planted on more than 90% of the US corn, soy, canola and sugar beet cropland. The company is making billions.

Approximately 90% of the American public supports mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods. And yet last week, when two states, Vermont and Connecticut, attempted to pass legislation to require extremely popular GMO labeling, it was legal threats from Monsanto that ultimately killed the legislation.

Knowing full-well that a GM label would have a profound impact on consumer choice and therefore on Monsanto’s profits, the company is threatening to hold states liable for any resultant loss in business.

Some of us, however, think that we should have a right to know what’s in our food. We want the opportunity to make informed choices about whether or not we consume GMOs.

A ballot initiative to require labeling in California, which is the world’s 8th largest economy, would effect packaging and ingredient decisions nationwide and even internationally.

The biotech industry is expected to spend $60 to $100 million trying to defeat the California initiative. They’ll say that it would raise prices, be bad for farmers, and subvert efforts to end world hunger. None of which is true.

But with 80% of Californians currently supporting the labeling initiative, Monsanto and its allies may have a tough time convincing a majority of the state’s voters that they should stay in the dark about what they’re eating.

California’s voters will go to the polls in November for what might be a watershed moment in the struggle. To stay informed, or to contribute time, talent, or treasure to the cause, visit labelgmos.org.

Two of the organizations at the forefront the GMO struggle worldwide are led by Summit speakers Ronnie Cummins (Organic Consumers Association) and Jeffrey Smith (Institute for Responsible Technology).

“The arc of the moral universe is long”, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., told us, “but I believe it bends towards justice.”

It doesn’t bend all by itself.

“Canary in a coal mine” is allusion to caged canaries mining workers would carry down into the tunnels with them. If toxic gases such as methane or carbon monoxide were present into the mine-shaft, the gases would kill the canary before affecting the miners. Signs of distress from the bird indicated to the miners that conditions were unsafe.

Hence, the phrase “canary in a coal mine” is frequently used to refer to a person or thing which serves as an early warning of a coming crisis.

Our environment contains a growing list of chemicals, many of which are known causes of human illnesses.

From the water we drink, to the air we breathe, to the food we eat, we are being exposed to hundreds to synthetic chemical compounds that are brand new to our planet that did not even exist 20 years ago.

Are our children like “canaries in a coal mine” in the increasingly toxic world we live in?

One thing that we can all do is to get educated and start taking action.
Just like canaries, our children are significantly more vulnerable than adults, as these chemicals affect their developing bodies in more ways that are still difficult to fathom.

So, our children are growing up as a part of a giant experiment with potentially devastating consequences.

How will these chemicals affect their development, their health, their ability to achieve their full potential? Will our children end up paying the price for our negligence for the rest of their lives?

And is there anything that we do about it?

Step 1: Ignorance Is NOT Bliss

Step one is to get educated about the problem.

Ignorance is NOT bliss when it comes to our health. Not knowing about a disturbing issue will NOT cause it to go away!

Did you know that of 60,000+ chemicals that were grandfathered by TSCA law only about 200 were ever tested for safety directly by the EPA? 

The Toxic Substances Control Act (ToSCA) of 1976 mandated the EPA to protect the public from “unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment” by regulating the manufacture and sale of chemicals. One might think that Environmental Protection Agency exists to protect the public from dangerous and potentially carcinogenic substances, but thousands of chemicals were never tested by the EPA because they were not considered an “unreasonable risk.”

So, contrary to what the name implies, TSCA does not separate chemicals into categories of toxic and non-toxic. Rather it prohibits the manufacture or importation of new chemicals that are not on the TSCA 60,000+ Inventory grandfathered when the law was passed!

As a parent I find it deeply disturbing, not to say scary.

Of course, there is huge money at stake for the manufacturers. The titans of the cosmetics industry are hard at work fighting common sense laws that would keep toxic chemicals out of everything from bubble bath, mattresses, clothing to lipstick.

But the costs to the society and the environment that we are all paying can no longer be ignored.

Step 2: Start Taking Action

Starting with the smallest action – “voting with your purse” and not buying the products that contain toxic ingredients. Many of the toxic cleaning products can be easily substituted with safer alternatives, for example, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice are great for household cleaning needs.

But ultimately we can’t shop our way out of this problem.

Help spread the message – tell others about what you learned.

Write to the companies that are using toxic products to let them know your concerns.

Write to your elected officials demanding their support for the bills that promote positive change.

Join or support an organization working to increase public awareness and change the laws.

Our children are completely dependent on us to take action and make the right decisions for them!

More Resources:

Tell Congress to Stop Industry’s Trojan Horse Bill  “The Cosmetic Safety Amendments Act of 2012” was recently introduced by Representative Leonard Lance (R-NJ). According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics organization “This is a classic Trojan horse – it may sound like a step forward on the surface but the “fine print” inside the bill would allow industry to continue placing profits over public health.  This bill would put into law the current system that allows the industry to “self-regulate” the safety of cosmetics which has resulted in carcinogens in baby shampoo, lead in lipstick, formaldehyde in hair products, hormone disruptors in fragrance and mercury in face creams. It would also handcuff states from taking action to pass locally tailored policies to protect the health of their own state residents. ”

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics – The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a coalition effort launched in 2004 to protect the health of consumers and workers by securing the corporate, regulatory and legislative reforms necessary to eliminate dangerous chemicals from cosmetics and personal care products.

EWG’s Skin Deep database: EWG’s Skin Deep database gives you practical solutions to protect yourself and your family from everyday exposures to chemicals.

Toxic Chemicals in the Enviroment : How do they affect our kids and what can we do about it?

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!

I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!

Labeling of genetically modified foods is a hot topic and for a good reason.

Genetically modified foods are everywhere, causing health and environmental problems without us even knowing it, as formal safety testing or food labeling is not required for these organisms.

In Europe Monsanto’s practices have been banned. I have read about people with severe allergic reactions who go to Europe, where they do not indulge GMO food, and they have no problems. I’ve also heard about Europeans who do well eating in their country, who come here and suffer with terrible gastric disturbances eating our food, until they return home.

If you think you are safe, think again.

What foods are GM?

GM crops in the U.S. include soy (94%), cotton (90%), canola (90%), sugar beets (95%), corn (88%), Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%), zucchini and yellow squash (over 24,000 acres).

Products derived from the above, include oils, soy protein, soy lecithin, cornstarch, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup among others. Also:

• meat, eggs, and dairy products from animals that have eaten GM feed (and the majority of the GM corn and soy is used for feed);
• dairy products from cows injected with rbGH (a GM hormone);
• food additives, enzymes, flavorings, and processing agents, including the sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet®) and rennet used to make hard cheeses;
• honey and bee pollen that may have GM sources of pollen.

Non-food items that may contain GM ingredients include cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoo and bubble bath. Pharmaceutical companies use Aspartame in some laxatives, supplements and children’s vitamins.

Processed foods often contain hidden GM ingredients. Even the “natural” term be used products containing GMOs.

Unless they are organic or explicitly declared non-GMO, the following ingredients that may be made from GMOs:

Source: http://nongmoshoppingguide.com/

What are Genetically Modified Organisms?

A GMO is any organism in which the genetic material has been altered or shuffled around in a way that does not occur naturally. This technology allows individual genes to be transferred from one organism to another. This science is used to cultivate GM plants, which are then used to grow GM food crops. GMOs on the market have been given genetic traits to provide protection from pests and diseases or resistance to pesticides, or to improve the quality of the crop.

The most prevalent GM crops were designed to resist harsh chemicals; these crops have DNA traits from bacteria, fungi or other plants that create this resistance. Farmers who use GM crops can spray their fields to kill everything growing in the area except the food crop. Imagine what is being killed in our bodies when we eat these foods.

Big biotech claims that genetic engineering is a necessary step towards feeding the world’s growing population. And yet debate still rages as to whether GM crops actually increase yields at all. Furthermore, the UN recently stated that 30,000 people a day were starving to death, but not because of underproduction of crops. It’s simply through lack of access.

Are Genetically Modified Foods Safe?

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine reviewed the animal feeding studies that have been published in peer reviewed journals and found that the animals that were fed the same GMOs that are in our diet had reproductive disorders, immune system problems, gastrointestinal problems, accelerated aging, organ damage and dysfunctional regulation of cholesterol and insulin.

On top of that there is story after story of animals; livestock as well as pets that have been taken from a GMO diet and put onto a non-GMO diet and their behavior improves. The death rate goes down. The stillborn rate goes down, litter size goes up. The use of medication goes down and now we have many doctors and their patients saying that when the patients avoid GMOs a lot of their symptoms go away as well.

The AAEM concludes “there is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects” and that “GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health.”**(read more).

Genetically engineered franken-foods are already required to be labeled in the European Union nations, Russia, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries around the world.

The FDA says such labels aren’t needed because GM foods are “substantially equivalent” to conventional foods. Yet biotechnology companies say their GM seeds are unique and should be patented. So in the twisted logic of the FDA and USDA we have GM seeds that are unique and patented and GM foods that are the same as normal foods. The result is that the biotech companies have it both ways. Oh and the FDA doesn’t require safety testing of GM foods. It’s voluntary.

So we are all participating in a massive feeding experiment.

What You Can Do?

Unless specifically labeled organic or verified non-GMO, avoid products made with ingredients that might be derived from GMOs.

* Avoid at-risk ingredients including soybeans, canola, cottonseed, corn, and sugar from sugar beets.

* Buy Organic—Certified organic products cannot intentionally include any GMO ingredients.

* Look for “Non-GMO Project” verified seals.

* Buy only products listed in the NON-GMO Shopping Guide…http://nongmoshoppingguide.com/

* There is also a growing movement for buying local and supporting local farmers.

Take these actions to protect yourself and your family, but that is not enough.

I encourage everyone to get behind any movement to label GMO foods, especially to support the effort in California. A lot of money is at stake and the companies that benefit the most – especially Monsanto – are fighting hard to keep the public in the dark.

Tell the FDA: Label my Food!

A petition (Docket #FDA-2011-P-0723-0001/CP) has been filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calling for labeling genetically engineered foods. More than 500,000 Americans have already submitted comments in support of the petition, but we are not done yet! Let your voice be heard. Contact your representatives. Take a moment to submit your support for the petition.
Petition Link

Let’s flood the FDA with comments so they know that the public wants labeling of GE foods!

Please sign this petition against Monsanto. Small farmers just lost against the powerful giant company.

Solutions are available, and decisions are being made now. Let’s all get involved!

More resources:

http://justlabelit.org/

http://www.labelgmos.org/

http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/

http://farmwars.info/?p=5376

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/204610-The-Big-GMO-Cover-Up

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!

I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!

A chilled variation of a basic tomato soup originating in Spain, gazpacho is a refreshing soup that’s perfect for hot weather-months.

Frequently described as a “liquid salad,” gazpacho descends from ancient Roman concoction based on a combination of stale bread, garlic, olive oil, salt, and vinegar. Some versions feature chopped veggies, some feature minced, and some are pureed completely.

There are many different versions of it. You don’t even need a blender to prepare it, as the most basic version is almost like a tasty ice cold water with lots of pieces of vegetables and stale bread on top. There is also a version in which whole red grapes are added in the end. In fact it’s a perfect recipe for experimentation with raw, ripe ingredients and your blender.

This adaptation of the classic Spanish cold tomato soup deliciously combines some of the best of summer vegetables. Make sure you use the freshest, highest quality, organically grown ingredients for this soup.

During the hot weather, do what the Spaniards do: Prepare a batch of gazpacho and keep it in a glass pitcher in the refrigerator for whenever you get hungry.

Don’t be discouraged by the long list of ingredients for this recipe. I usually don’t like recipes that have 5+ ingredients, because there is always something that I’m missing in my kitchen. Just skip the ingredient or try to substitute with something else (e.g., fresh garlic with garlic powder). Except for tomatoes, probably you can skip pretty much any ingredient without sacrificing the taste too much. Plus, you may discover your own, superior version, of this recipe.

Low glycemic load, dairy-free, gluten free recipe.

If you don’t already own a VitaMix, I strongly encourage you to check out what this machine is capable of! For more information about VitaMix you can go directly to the VitaMix website. You may also want to read my post about the Best Blender.

I LOVE my VitaMix and highly recommend investing in one if you are ready to make serious changes to your diet. I have had mine for almost 5 years and use it daily!

If you decide to purchase Vitamix – be sure to use Promotional Code 06-004554 to get free shipping.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!

I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!

I love tomato soup, but not the variety that you find canned in stores that is loaded with sodium, and other not-so-desirable ingredients.

It’s easy enough to make your own tomato soup from scratch using fresh ingredients or from diced tomatoes that you can buy canned. However, who has the time to be chopping and cooking and blending and pouring and washing.

What most people fail to realize is that healthy food can also be FAST FOOD, like 5 minutes fast!

So – since this is a site for smoothie and blending fanatics (;-)) – why not live a little and experiment with a raw – and living – version of a good old tomato soup.

This recipe for a cold tomato basil soup is similar to a gazpacho soup, but with little extra flavoring of garden-fresh basil (or other fresh herbs).

This delicious soup is incredibly healthy low-fat, low-calorie, GMO-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan and takes only 5 mins to prepare.

You may use heated water to make the soup warm. Even if the water has just been boiling, the water will not warm the blender full of cold ingredients to over 118 degrees, so the precious enzymes will stay alive!

You may also blend all ingredients on high in a high-powered (Vita-Mix or Blendtec) blender for a minute or two, until it’s warmed and creamy.  If you’re using a VitaMix, the longer you blend in the first step, the warmer your soup will be. You may also heat your soup in a pot over stove top – just don’t heat too much – or you destroy some precious nutrients!

I LOVE my VitaMix and highly recommend investing in one if you are ready to make serious changes to your diet.  I have had mine for almost 5 years and use it daily!

If you decide to purchase Vitamix – be sure to use Promotional Code 06-004554 to get free shipping.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!

I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!

In order to prepare delicious-tasting green smoothies and other raw dishes with ease, you need to have a good quality smoothie blender at your disposal.

By that I mean a powerful, heavy-duty blender that can withstand years of daily use (and abuse):-).

Most blenders that you can buy online and in department stores are mediocre and will only partially blend green smoothies. They don’t fully blend tough greens, their containers are usually very small, and they don’t last long.

What you need is a powerful blender, with a plunger and a giant container, that can make you not only green smoothies, but also raw ice-cream, raw soups, dressings, and more.

The problem is that many of these heavy-duty blenders are expensive. Blendtec and Vitamix are both excellent blenders, but we are talking at least $400 for a basic model.

Many people want a powerful blender, but are not ready to shell out the high price of these brands.

So I’m always on the lookout for blenders that are powerful, meet the high quality standards, and don’t break the bank.

Recently I discovered another blender that seemed to meet ALL of our criteria, and also a lot cheaper.

It’s called the Omni Blender.

Omni Blender Features

Here are some of the features of this machine according to the manufacturer:

* ON/OFF Switch with ON-Indicator light.

* Overload Reset – prevents overheating or overloading for motor safety. You do not have to wait until the motor cools down. The Omni Motor does not overheat. It is equipped with a cooling-energy-optimized program.

* Pulse feature. The motor will operate on high as long as you depress the pulse button.

* 3 Speeds (Low, Medium, High). Medium starts on LOW and moves automatically up to Medium within about 2 or 3 seconds after depressing the soft touch key button. High starts also on LOW and moves to MEDIUM, and then to HIGH in about 3 to 4 seconds time. This automatic speed increase is designed to give you more power blending up ingredients.

* 3 Timer settings (35, 60, and 90 seconds). All 3 timer settings start at LOW, then go to MEDIUM, and then to HIGH in about 3 to 4 seconds after start-up. The 60 second timer setting is programmed with one auto-stop at about half time. And the 90 second timer setting has 3 evenly divided up auto-stops programmed. The auto-stop feature helps to turn over the ingredients. When the blender during its blending cycle starts up again, it then begins at LOW, goes to MEDIUM, and then to HIGH.

* 12 Gauge Power Cable with Ground Protection. The power cord is usually rolled up on the bottom of the blender motor housing.

* 64 oz (2 Liter) container from food-safe Polycarbonate material with a heat/melting point which is over 250 degrees Fahrenheit, approved by the European Commission for Food Safety, the FDA, and Underwriters Laboratory (UL). Accordingly Food-Safe Polycarbonate material is stronger, harder, and has a higher melt point than Copolyester.

* Tamper access and Emergency Tamper – always a good thing when blending tough ingredients.

* Multi-purpose blade with 6 knives. You can blend anything from dry to wet ingredients. In other words, it is both, a wet and dry blade… a multi-purpose blade.

* You can blend with the OMNI blade all grains, ice, fruit, greens, vegetable, make soup, drinks, desert, blend nuts, etc…  You do not have to use a different blade for blending ice or grains, etc…

* Warranty – OmniBlender.COM LLC offers a 7 years warranty on all parts of the 3 hp blender and 7 years for labor.

You can check it out yourself at the Omni Blender website here.

Omni Blender: Should You Buy It?

I haven’t used it myself (since, as you know, I am a happy user of Vitamix, I will not be on the market looking to buy another blender for a long time – unless I move back to Europe), so I looked online to check our some customer reviews of this machine.

I have found many enthusiastic reviews by happy users of the Omni blender.

Then I looked on Amazon and there it seems that the reviews are not so positive. People seem to be having problems with blades starting to rust, and noticeable loss of power after extended use. There are also some complaints about the customer service.

So, here we go again… although it seemed like a great alternative to Vitamix, I’m really not comfortable recommending it wholeheartedly to you as a good long term investment.  However, it seems to be a good alternative, for example, as a back-up blender.  Plus, it’s a new product on the market, so hopefully the engine and customer service issues will be resolved in the near future.

You can check it out yourself at the Omni Blender website here.

1 OMNI Blender 110 Volt with 1 – 64oz Jar

$250.00 + s&h (note, the competitor blenders are $450. The Omni V is very competitive. There is no need to over-price it). OMNI Blender 3 hp motor base 110 volt 1 PolyCarbonate 64 Oz Jar and lid with 6-knives multi-purpose blades (better than competitors’) 1 Plastic Emergency Tamper 7 Year limited Warranty on blender motor, 1 year on Jar and drive socket. FREE Recipe book (hard copy) included in package “Deliciously Raw” by Carmella Soleil – Raw Chef

NOTE: Shipping in the US is about $25 on this item.

Click here to visit the company website

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!

I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!

One of the questions I most often get is “Are green smoothies good for diabetics?”

The main concern is, of course, the high fruit content of the smoothie – and the resulting sweetness of the drink causing blood sugar problems.

This is an important topic, so I’m going to address it in a series of posts, providing you with the information that I have on this topic, as well as giving you some low-fruit or no-fruit recipes. But first, I want to talk about two important concepts for people with blood sugar problems, the glycemic index of foodsversus glycemic load.

There is a widespread misconception that all foods that have a high glycemic index should be eliminated from the diet because of their ability to cause a rapid spike in blood glucose levels. Common theory supposes that a low glycemic index makes a food good for you, and a high glycemic index makes a food unhealthy. Many over-zealous anti-carbers have turned fruit and starchy vegetables into demon foods to be avoided at all costs.

This causes many people to avoid eating fruits & many of the sweeter/starchier vegetables.

This is a mistake.

The glycemic index (GI) ranks foods based on how fast they break down during digestion and thus how quickly their sugars enter the blood. So, in other words, the glycemic index tells you how fast carbohydrates turn into blood sugar. What the GI does not tell you is how much of that carbohydrate is in a serving of any food. Having both pieces of information is critical to correctly assess a food’s effect on blood sugar levels.

That is where the concept of “Glycemic Load” (GL) comes in.

Glycemic Index Versus Glycemic Load

While the Glycemic Index is most commonly known as an indicator to how healthy or unhealthy a food is, it is actually the Glycemic Load that you should pay attention to, not just the GI.

The Glycemic Index measures the speed at which a certain food raises blood sugar in relation to a control food. Glycemic Index uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose serves as a reference point, and is given a Glycemic Index (GI) of 100. GI’s of 55 or below are considered low, and 70 or above are considered high.  However, GI alone is NOT an accurate measure of how much of a certain food raises blood sugar.

The Glycemic Load, on the other hand, ranks foods based on portion size and grams of carbohydrates per portion. This gives a much more accurate view of how foods might affect blood sugar. To calculate the Glycemic Load of a food, take the number of grams of carbohydrates in a serving, multiply it by it’s Glycemic Index, then divide it by 100. GL’s of 10 or below are considered low, GL of 11 to 19 inclusive is medium, and 20 or above are considered high. Foods that have a low GL almost always have a low GI. Foods with an intermediate or high GL range from very low to very high GI.

The glycemic load is a relatively new way to assess the impact of carbohydrate consumption, giving a fuller picture than glycemic index alone. A GI value tells you only how rapidly a particular carbohydrate turns into sugar. It doesn’t tell you how much of that carbohydrate is in a serving of a particular food. You need to know both things to understand a food’s effect on blood sugar levels.

To give you an example, the carbohydrate in watermelon has a high glycemic index, but there isn’t a lot of it, so watermelon’s glycemic load is extremely low.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load of Fruits

Via http://www.health.harvard.edu/

This table demonstrates that all fruit has a low glycemic load, except dried dates and raisins. It is best to eat fruit fresh, as drying and dehydrating concentrate fruit sugars to an unnatural level that the body is not designed to handle well. It is also important to eat fruit whole, not juiced, as the fiber in fruit slows sugar absorption to its natural speed.

When you eat fruit whole and raw, it is hard to get excess sugar from fruit. Fruit isn’t in the same category of foods as table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, maple syrup or candy. Fruit contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that counter-balance the potential harmful effects of the sugars in fruit. The fiber in fruit slows down the release of sugars, reducing the speed at which fruit may raise your blood sugar.

Glycemic Load of Vegetables

All vegetables are super-low on the glycemic load scale. They are basically glycemic-free (and guilt-free) foods!

The numbers are the grams of available carbohydrate (that is, carbohydrate minus dietary fiber) in 100 grams of the portion of the food):

VEGETABLES:
Alfalfa seeds, sprouted 1.28
Arugula 2.05
Asparagus, cooked 2.63
Bamboo shoots, cooked 0.92
Beans, green, cooked 4.69
Beans, snap, green, cooked 4.68
Beet greens, cooked 2.56
Broccoli, cooked 2.16
Brussels sprouts, cooked 4.5
Cabbage, cooked 2.16
Cauliflower, cooked 1.41
Celeriac (celery root), cooked 4.7
Celery 1.95
Chard, swiss, cooked 2.04
Collards, cooked 2.1
Cucumber 1.8
Dandelion greens, cooked 3.5
Eggplant, cooked 4.14
Endive 0.25
Fennel, bulb 4.19
Green onions, young, tops only 3.94
Hearts of palm, canned 2.22
Jicama 3.92
Kale 3.63
Lettuce, butterhead 1.32
Lettuce, cos or romaine 0.67
Lettuce, iceberg 0.69
Mustard greens, cooked 0.1
Mushrooms 2.94-3.57 (except shitake)
Nopales, cooked 1.27
Okra, cooked 4.71
Olives, canned ripe 3.06
Parsley 3.03
Peppers, serano 3.00
Peppers, jalapeno 3.11
Peppers, sweet green 4.63
Peppers, sweet red 4.43
Purslane 3.43
Radicchio 3.58
Radishes 1.99
Rhubarb 2.74
Sauerkraut 1.78
Scallions (green onions) 4.74
Spinach, cooked 1.35
Squash, zucchini, cooked 2.53
Tomatillos 3.93
Tomatoes 3.54
Tomato juice 3.83
Turnips, cooked 2.9
Turnip greens, cooked 0.86
Watercress 0.79

Source: http://www.mendosa.com/freefoods.htm

Glycemic Load of Green Smoothies

The bottom line is that even if you include fruits in the smoothie, the overall Glycemic Load of the smoothie will still remain VERY LOW thanks to the low glycemic index of fruits and super-low (almost negligible) glycemic load of raw vegetables and greens.

For non-diabetic people, it is not needed to restrict consumption of fruit or green smoothies in order to prevent the disease, as there is no evidence that drinking green smoothies, or increasing fruit intake causes diabetes.

Limitations of the Glycemic Index and the Glycemic Load

Some proponents of the Glycemic Index (including many diet books authors) would like you to believe that GI and GL are all that matters when selecting which foods to eat. In reality, diet is a more complex issue than that.

Many other factors influence individual glycemic response, including preparation method, combination with other foods, as well as individual differences in glycemic response.

How the Glycemic Index can lead to overeating

Using the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load can be misleading and lead to overeating.

Apples have a GI of 38, and a medium-size apple, contains about 18 grams of net carbohydrates and provides a Glycemic Load of 5. This is a low GL, and most would consider the apple to be a very appropriate snack. But now look at peanuts. A 4-oz serving not only weighs less than the apple, but has a much lower GI (14), and provides an even lower GL of 2. Based on Glycemic Load alone, you would have to believe that the peanuts were a better dietary choice than the apple. But if you take a look at the total Calories contained in these two foods, you’ll see that the apple contains approximately 77 Calories, while the peanuts contain more than 500! Those 400+ extra Calories are NOT going to help you lose weight.

The Conclusion?

Eat your fruits and vegetables! All of them! Any kind you like! And do it without guilt.

Instead of worrying about glycemic index of foods, make sure you consume lots of unprocessed, preferably raw plant foods: leafy greens, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, etc., as well as raw fruits.

It would really be a major challenge to overeat vegetables and fruits. The average woman who needs at least 1500 calories per day would likely find it very difficult to eat 15 large potatoes or bananas. In general, vegetables and fruits fill you up long before you can eat enough to fill you out.

If you’re really worried about blood sugar levels or trying to lose weight, you may want to lay off the bananas, starchier tubers and root vegetables to speed up the process. But from a strict maintenance or health point of view, you should embrace all the vegetables and fruits you feel like eating.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says, “Therefore, the use of added fructose as a sweetening agent is not recommended; however, there is no reason to recommend that people with diabetes avoid naturally occurring fructose in fruits, vegetables, and other foods.”

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!

I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!

GreenSmoothiesPower.com is not just about greening your diet.

It’s about greening your entire life and the planet.

The number and enormity of problems facing us today seems insurmountable: sharp health decline of the entire population, lack of money for healthy school lunch programs, broken health care system, environmental destruction, social injustice, upcoming energy crisis, and high unemployment.

These issues are pressing, and yet it seems that there is never enough money to fix any of them.

So, if you had a trillion dollars, what would YOU spend it on?

Does this chart represent YOUR priorities?

(Discretionary Spending FY 2013 – National Priorities Project.)

Sadly, this chart does represent our current reality. But it can change. After all, it’s our money!

If not, raise your voice today!

The current debate in Congress and throughout our nation offer us the best opportunity in years to make progress on this vital issue which impacts everything that we care about. People all over the U.S. are slowly waking up to the reality that we are not broke. Instead, our budget choices reflect our priorities. To make sure we are building a safe, clean, peaceful future we must raise our voices to shift our spending priorities.

You can take action by going to the Physicians for Social Responsibility site.

Green smoothies are great, but they are sweet-tasting, and sometimes, for whatever reason, we want a more savory flavor.

Plus, the high fruit content in many smoothie recipes can be a problem for some people with diabetes and blood sugar issues.

Also, the smoothies are really, …well… smooth (duh!)- almost like baby food – which is important for good assimilation of nutrients, especially if you add hard-to-chew greens, such as kale or collard greens. So, for variety, you may want to add some crunchiness to your meals from time to time.

Whatever the reason, I encourage to add some Green Power Soup and Salad Recipes to your blending repertoire .

Low-Calorie, Low-Sugar, Low-Fat Raw Blended Soups and Salads

Ingredients For Blended Soups: Green Power Soups are made of juicy vegetables and leafy greens. The idea is that you create a soup base first, by blending the tough ingredients with some water FIRST, and then adding softer ingredients, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach and zucchini, that are blended at lower speeds, for texture. The soup should have thick, creamy consistency with crunchy texture, and can be eaten from a bowl.

Best Ingredients for Blended Salads. Green Power Salads are made of primarily juicy vegetables and greens, that are blended at lower speeds than smoothies, for shorter times and without adding water. They have thicker consistency, crunchy texture, and can be eaten from a bowl like a soup or stew.

The best ingredients for blended salads include cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, peppers, and zucchini, with only delicate greens added, such as spinach or lettuce. The reason not to add hard and bitter greens such as kale is that you are only blending the mixture to a consistency of thick salsa or stew – and these ingredients would make it unpalatable.

Herbs, Sprouts and Condiments. You will want to add lots of herbs, such as basil, dill, parsley, cilantro, and other for outrageously delicious taste. Sprouts are also terrific to add to the blend or just sprinkle on top. If you don’t have fresh herbs, dried herbs are fine too. You may also experiment with other condiments, such as curry powder or hot sauce, onion or garlic.

Sweeteners. Even though this is supposed be a savory tasting recipe, adding some sweetness is really important. Of course, you may skip sweeteners altogether, but – unless you have strong reasons to do it – I really advise you to also add a little bit of sweetness for more yumminess. I like to add some sweet fruits, for example, a piece of a sweet pear, apple, a few strawberries, or grapes, but you may choose to add a little bit of honey, agave syrup, or some other sweetener to make the blended salad even more delicious.

Best Ingredients for Green Power Soups and Salads Soup and Salads

Green Power Creamy Avocado Energy Soup Recipe

As I said, the only difference between soup and salad is just that you add a bit of liquid, such as water, to your soup; whereas salads require no added liquid – which makes them a little bit more tricky to do, especially if you don’t have a powerful blender (see the tips below).

So, let’s start with a soup recipe that I put together in a spur of the moment – my husband was coming home soon and I wanted to make a blended salad, but did not have the usual juicy ingredients in my kitchen that are required for salad, such as tomatoes and cucumbers.

I blended the tougher ingredients first – in this case celery with a piece of avocado and a bit of water to create a soup base, and then added other ingredients on low speed to create some texture.

Here are the ingredients that I used (just because I had them in my kitchen at the moment) – and the soup turned out quite tasty!

Ingredients for soup base:
1 large stalk celery
2 lettuce leaves
1/2 small avocado
Blend well on high speed. This will create a nice creamy base.

Ingredients for texture:
1 small zucchini
1/2 pear or a bit of honey (for sweetness)
fresh basil leaves to taste (from my window garden)
a small piece of green onion
Blend on lowest speed that will get the job done. Optionally, you may just chop these ingredients and mix them with the liquid. I also a pinch of salt.

Pour into a bowl and enjoy!

Here is the result:

Green Power Energy Soup Recipe: The only difference between soup and salad is just that you add a bit of liquid, such as water, to your soup; whereas salads require no added liquid - which makes them a little bit more tricky to do, especially if you don

How to make a blended salad?

This is important.

Because you are not going to add any water to your salad, so it is important to start with ingredients that contain most water – tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. – so, cut them into pieces and put them into your blender FIRST.  Switch your blender ON and keep it on the lowest speed that will get the job done.  Next, gradually keep adding other ingredients – leafy greens and herbs. If adding honey or other sweetener, add it to the mix at the end, so it doesn’t just stick to the container.

This is important especially if you are using a regular blender to make the blended salad, and not VitaMix – which is the best blender on the market to make green smoothies and blended salads. It’s expensive, but totally worth it!

Low-Calorie, Fat-Free Blended Salad Recipe (No Salad Dressing Required!)

The problem with many salads is that the greens are soaked in fatty dressings with many unhealthy ingredients. Of course, you may make healthy low fat salad dressing yourself using a blender, like I describe in one of my other posts.

This Italian-flavored Green Power Salad requires no salad dressing whatsoever – and it still tastes delicious!

Ingredients:
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 2 scallions
• some fresh basil leaves (adjust quantity to taste)
• some fresh oregano (can substitute dried oregano)
• raw honey or raw agave nectar (adjust quantity to taste)
• optional jalapeno or other hot pepper
• 5 oz spinach
• optional toppings: handful sweet bell pepper, diced, 1 chopped celery stalk

Step 1.
Save 1/2 tomato and a piece of cucumber for garnish. Blend the remaining tomatoes, cucumber and celery in your blender.

Step 2.
Chop the remaining ingredients and add to your blender and blend on slow speed. If you don’t have a powerful blender, then you may want to add spinach gradually as you blend. Remember to use low speed. If you have a Vitamix, use the pusher to help do the job.

Step 3.
Pour the salad into a bowl. Chop remaining tomato and cucumber and sprinkle on top.

Enjoy!

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!

I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!