One of the big things to come out of Victoria Boutenko’s book, “Green Smoothie Revolution,” was the way the millennials (20-30 age group) embraced the green drink in this decade with gusto, preferring to sip their salads through a straw…even for breakfast!
It’s something all those over 50-somethings somehow missed out on a fad that has taken health food stores and juice bars by storm for several years running. But wait, they are about to catch up. At GreenAcres–Bradley Fair, we sell an enormous amount of green drinks and smoothies—as many as 30 a week in the winter and 60 a week in the summer. It’s green-on-the-go all the way, everyday. And many of those customers are in their 50s, 60s, and 70s and up.
“I just don’t feel quite right,” says a young customer, a mother of two, “if I don’t have my green drink at least twice a week. It just gives me a boost. There’s something about instant nutrition…well, I don’t know how to explain it.” We think she explained it just fine. It’s all about energy; changing those Omega 6s into 3s; not feeling guilty if there’s no time to sit down to a big salad. “It’s kind of like a runner’s high,” says one young man. “It just gives me a jolt that lasts the whole day. Better than a cup of Starbucks.”
Boutenko recommends starting a green drink regimen with one cup of greens, plus fruit, plus water, and then working up to several quarts a day. That would be the equivalent of eating most of your meals through a straw—a little severe for most of us, still, there’s a lot of science behind liquid green.
- Greens are the most nutritious foods on the planet. The only nutrient not found in greens is Vitamin B-12.
- Greens are an abundant protein source, rich in chlorophyll and the original source of Omega 3s. They improve assimilation, stomach acid production and pH.
- The chlorophyll in greens has been described as “liquid sunshine” which has a long list of healing properties affecting all of the body’s systems.
- It’s safe to give greens to children and pets…it’s just an all-‘round healthy food.
Boutenko builds her case for greens with an interesting thought: “The dramatic reduction of green vegetables in our diet is by far the most detrimental choice we’ve ever made. Just look at our jaw structures. There’s no room in most jaws for wisdom teeth, and most mouths need braces. The same with earlobes. They’re much smaller than those of our ancestors.” Hmmmm. Never thought about that!
So what’s so good about drinking your greens? Again, Boutenko makes her case:
- Most people have low stomach acid and don’t chew thoroughly, hence many nutrients are lost when taken in conventionally.
- We can assimilate several times more vital nutrients from the small particles in blended greens.
What are the best greens? Boutenko suggests choosing greens, one for every day of the week, from among these: kale, collards, spinach, romaine, bok choy, chard, mustard, radish tops, turnip greens, wheatgrass, lettuce, parsley, watercress…the list is endless.
Each green contains a type of alkaloid that is benign in small quantities. By rotating greens, no single alkaloid builds up in the body. Also, fruit plus greens does not ferment in the system (no gas). And that’s a good thing!
Next time you’re in GreenAcres, ask our deli crew about the green drink or smoothie, and see if you like it. Don’t be envious of your neighbor who looks like he’s got tons of energy. You can too!
