{"id":2476,"date":"2016-04-05T12:20:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-05T19:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.balancedmeridian.com\/?p=2476"},"modified":"2016-04-05T12:20:00","modified_gmt":"2016-04-05T19:20:00","slug":"morning-juices-shakes-smoothies-green-drinks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.staging-wmplo.xyz\/acu-tom\/morning-juices-shakes-smoothies-green-drinks\/","title":{"rendered":"Morning Juices, shakes, smoothies, and green-drinks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"green-456839_640.jpg\"<\/a>Fruit and vegetable juices are cooling and cleansing.\u00a0 They are easy to digest, moistening, and refreshing.\u00a0 They can be a remedy for those who are stressed, overheated from mental stimulation, do excessive physical activity, or live in a hot climate.\u00a0 They can provide a natural laxative effect.\u00a0 Including the pulp, seeds, and rinds, and flesh in smoothies are less cooling and can provide more energy.\u00a0 For best results fruit and juices are best drunk at least four hours after and one hour before a meal.<\/p>\n

They are considered very concentrated, and the sugars go straight to the blood stream.\u00a0 When overeaten, it can promote yeast overgrowth and other forms of dampness.\u00a0 This is best off-set by periods of abstaining from fruit juicing.\u00a0 Eating or drinking fruit juices all day may cause weakness of the digestive system as they are cold and damp forming according to Paul Pitchford in his book, Healing with Whole Foods, Oriental Traditions and Modern Nutrition.\u00a0<\/em>He states that excessive consumption of juices impairs the metabolic rate and digestive strength of our spleen-pancreas digestive fire. \u00a0Those people with heavy meat and processed food backgrounds \u00a0tend to do well with modicum amounts of fresh raw fruits and vegetables, and blended drinks. \u00a0Remember, that while there are more nutrients in raw whole veggies and fruits, fewer of these nutrients will be absorbed compared to when they are lightly cooked or blended.<\/p>\n

Fruits offer plenty of antioxidants\u00a0and beneficial enzymes, but they are best eaten whole with their fiber. I don’t recommend regular juicing with fruit, especially if you are on a weight loss plan. \u00a0Its like injecting sugar right into your veins. \u00a0Thus, if you’re wanting to watch your blood sugar, don’t add fruit or fruit juice to your green drink smoothies.<\/p>\n

Be especially cautious with tropical fruits like mango and pineapple, which are very high in sugar.\u00a0 That will send your blood sugar and insulin levels soaring, increasing fat storage. The exception is using the occasional green apple or kiwi to sweeten some of the more bitter green drinks. Green apples are relatively low in\u00a0sugar.<\/p>\n

The focus should be not on fruit, but on dark leafy greens and vegetables.\u00a0 However, this should not be a substitution for eating your vegetables as you need the fiber from the whole vegetable that a juice or blended drink just can\u2019t provide.<\/p>\n

All cruciferous veggies are said to be goitrogenic, meaning they contain substances that suppress thyroid function when consumed raw. They may also cause gas, bloating and stomach upset in some people. Therefore, juice raw cabbage, collards, bok choy, kale and broccoli in moderation.\u00a0 <\/strong>Cruciferous vegetables have wonderful health benefits when cooked or lightly steamed, which deactivates the goitrogens. \u00a0The goitrogenic activity of these raw vegetables is debatable. \u00a0Other research indicates consuming these foods actually supports the thyroid. \u00a0Dr. K. News writes in his blog, Goiter, Goitrogens, And Thyroid Enlargement<\/a><\/em>,\u00a0“The single most common cause of goiter in the United States is from chronically undiagnosed autoimmune Hashimoto\u2019s completely unrelated to iodine deficiency.” \u00a0“Normal consumption of goitrogenic foods do NOT cause goiter.” \u00a0He also states, “…it only takes a pinhead of iodine a day and a teaspoon of iodine over a lifetime to avoid thyroid goiter.”<\/p>\n

You may decide to eat raw spinach, beet greens and chard sparingly.\u00a0<\/strong>They contain oxalic acid, which can irritate the mouth and intestinal tract and block iron absorption and calcium metabolism. Oxalic acid has also been linked to the formation of kidney stones. However, there is some controversy here. \u00a0As\u00a0Victoria Boutenko explains in her article,\u00a0Oxalic Acid and Green Smoothies, A Common Misunderstanding<\/a><\/em>,\u00a0 “the relation between dietary oxalate and stone risk is unclear”. \u00a0She goes on to cite several studies that do report substantial evidence indicating a diet high in animal protein, and low in fruits and vegetables that increases the risk for stone formation.<\/p>\n

The best veggies to blend into a green-drink are<\/p>\n