Friday's Facts and Findings -- Green Smoothies--some things you might not know

I have been on a green smoothie kick and I thought I'd share some important info that I found with you.

Our magic bullet broke last month, so I've been using my Cusinart hand blender and it's working out fine.  However, I did reveal the coveted 30% off coupon from Kohl's and you get $10 back for every $50 you spend, so there may be a Nutribullet or Ninja contraption in my future!

Some people can't get past the fact that the smoothie is actually "green" in color; that there are green vegetables!!! in there!  I'm here to tell you that you don't even know they are there--well except for the color...you can't taste them at all.  Now it you are someone who likes V8 (ewww--my opinion only) you can make savory smoothies as well where you do taste them.  Personally, I prefer soup if I'm going to blend veggies together--drinking it cold just doesn't do it for me.

My go to greens are usually spinach and kale.  But I've recently read that spinach contains oxalic acid which can bind with minerals (mainly calcium) and make them inaccessible to the body.  If you eat foods that contain this acid on a regular basis over several months you could develop a form of kidney stone called calicum oxalate stones.  These are actually the most common type--they form when calcium crystallizes with oxalates.  Other foods also contain high levels of this acid as well--nuts, seeds, grains, soy, berries and more. I have to admit, this concerned me.  I've been eating a lot of spinach lately. The key to avoiding this is variety which is what I'm starting to do.

Variety also inhibits the build up of alkaloids.  These are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that are produced by many different organisms, including leafy greens.  These are toxic in large quantities, but in small amounts are harmless.  Sprouts contain higher amounts of alkaloids, so these should be limited a bit more.  Some common alkaloids are opium (from the poppy) and caffeine--neither of which come from leafy greens, but these are substances we have all heard of.  Eating the same greens for an extended time (weeks to months) can cause a build up of alkaloids.  This can cause all sorts of symptoms from low energy and sluggishness, loss of appetite and even tingling sensations--not good.  So rotate your greens to stop this from occurring.

So, I'm going to start using some other greens--celery, romaine and other lettuces, I just bought some bok choy and napa cabbage to try.  You can also use herbs--basil, mint, cilantro, dill, parsley, oregano; and don't forget things like carrot tops and  beet greens.  Now some of these flavors are more potent than others.  You have to experiment with how much you put in.  I would not put a cup of broccoli into a sweet smoothie--it just isn't going to work.

Well, I got the Nutribullet and I Love It!!!  I'll post some recipes on Sunday!