[alecks]

(02-15-2012 03:34 PM)mofo Wrote:  

(02-15-2012 03:09 PM)alecks Wrote:  

(02-14-2012 11:57 AM)Giovonny Wrote:  

Some good recipes here. Heres my morning shake..

2 cups of milk or rice milk
2 bananas
1 cup raw oatmeal
1 large scoop of almond/peanut butter
dash of maple syrup or honey

This takes about 3 minutes to make and I immedietley transfer it from my blender into a glass container and then into my laptop bag as I leave for work.

In the summer, I freeze the bananas the night before. Sometimes, I add a few dates.

I guess peanut butter and all the nut butters are debatable in terms of health. If your skinny, it really doesn't matter, if your fat, you should only eat it in the morning, at least thats my understanding..?

I love these soft foods. I also juice alot and have been working on my soup game.

even though thats all healthy food,its a lot of carbs in the one sitting and not much protein.if your skinny youd need that,add 1.5scoops of whey and itd be better

I disagree. Milk is not healthy. Raw milk maybe. Honey is sugary. Peanut butter is questionable too. Oatmeal is in the grey zone too. Maple syrup is not healthy either. Rice milk is questionable too.

milk isnt great (lots of hormones added to it yeah).peanut butter not healthy? c'mon dude.

[Giovonny]

Shit.

I forgot to mention that I put a large scoop of organic whey protein powder in my morning smoothie.

And, the milk is raw, organic.

If honey, peanut butter and oatmeal is bad then I'm fucked!

[Dream Medicine]

Green Smoothies - Recipes and Methods

Prologue

Following on from Rudebwoy's post and Hypno's great write up in the Older Guys (40+) thread -

(04-04-2017 10:26 AM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

I juice berries a lot and do a few green shakes once in awhile. I need to being doing them on a daily to get my veggie intake which I believe is very important.

I may have an answer for your question of how to get in more veggies, and that is... bananas. As a natural, sweet counterbalance to the greens in a smoothie, I've tried almost every available fruit Down Under (mangos, peaches, apples, etc etc) and nothing comes close to the balancing agent of the banana. That said, they should be consumed in moderate amounts due to their sugar content. [1]

You can also peel a bunch of them, then stick 'em in the freezer. This not only adds a nice texture but moreover provides a superior alternative to ice, as you get the fresh coolness without the unwanted dilution. The downside to freezing them is a loss of nutritional value, however this appears to be small compared to other fruit/veggies due to their relatively low water content. [2]

Whatever way you eat them, either fresh of frozen, be careful not to jump the gun and chomp 'em down before they are ripe. This makes a notable difference to nutrition, digestion and taste [2]. Between 6-7 below is good, and 7 is better than 6.



Intro

I have done a lot of personal experimenting with blending on an almost daily basis for several years and have found the central pillars of blending a smoothie that work for me. One main source for the structure behind the recipes comes from Stefan Mager's Green Smoothie Guide and Acid Alkaline Food Balancing & Food Combining Guide. [3]



BENEFITS

I have found the following to be true for myself:

- A way to eat veggies or green powders that I would otherwise be unlikely to touch due to their unappetising taste (e.g., celery, wheat grass powder)
- Very convenient; a medium-sized meal replacement that can be made very quickly, and then drunk in the car if I'm short of time
- Great way to get some energy before the gym in case I don't have time to eat a meal and wait for it to be digested
- More healthy and pleasant for getting in my protein, rather than simply mixing whey powder with water or milk
- Retains more nutrients than juicing and is easier to clean up
- Increased energy
- Better immune system
- Reduced need for coffee
- Reduced sweet tooth
- It is easy to experiment with new ingredients which keeps blending both healthy and interesting

Weight loss is also cited as another major benefit [4], depending on how you incorporate the smoothie into a diet, namely as complete meal replacement or as an extra meal.

DOWNSIDES

In fairness, several potential downsides should be acknowledged, like the high cost involved, supposed digestion problems associated with drinking over chewing and those linked to raw, high oxalate-vegetables. That said, some of these issues can be avoided or minimized, such as by shopping in bulk online, by making thick mixes, or by seeing a qualified dietitian and taking sensitivity tests. [5]

Daily blends: a key note

The measurements are approximate and should be used as a rough guide only. For instance, I prefer my smoothies to be thick, sometimes to the point of having to eat it with a spoon, however other people prefer a consistency closer to juice. Moreover, you will probably need to do some experimentation and then tailor the amount and type of ingredients based on your own preferences and physiological reactions. The empirical evidence is likewise clear: "The degree to which diet influences the balance between healthy and disease states may depend on a person’s genetic makeup"
[6]. Therefore you will most likely need to determine, over time, what smoothie recipes are best for you rather than strictly adhering to the rule book of someone else.

Key recipe ingredients

VEGGIES

{a} Primary: spinach x 1 cup [standard]
{b} Secondary: chard / rocket / carrot / celery / cucumber / broccoli x 1 cup [standard]
{c} Bonus alkalising agents: beetroot / mustard greens / sweet potato / kale x half cup [optional/occasional].

FRUITS

{a} Primary: banana x 1 cup [standard]
{b} Secondary: pear / peach / mango / watermelon x half cup [optional]
{c} Bonus: avacado x half [optional/occasional]
{d} Bonus: orange / strawberries / blackberries x half cup [optional/occasional]. *Personally, I find some berries and citrus fruits add a rather sour, unpleasant flavour to the smoothie, so I only include them in small doses or sprinkle them on top rather than blending them in.

SPROUTS

{a} alfalfa / broccoli / cress x half cup [optional]

PROTEIN

{a} Your choice of whey / pea / brown rice / hemp protein powder x 1 scoop; approx 30 grams [standard]. *My first choice is a vanilla-flavoured mix because I find that vanilla is most compatible with a range of smoothies in comparison to chocolate for instance. My second choice is unflavoured powder - in this case I tend to add more fruits or sweeteners to make it palatable.
{b} Raw eggs x 3 [optional]. *Please consider their source and quality. [7]

OTHER POWDERS

{a} Greens; spirulina / wheat grass / barley grass / chlorella x 1 heaped teaspoon [standard]. *These can taste rather unpleasant and some people prefer to gulp greens powders down with a small glass of water rather than mixing them into the smoothie.
{b} Maca / cacao / camu / bee polen x 1 teaspoon [optional]

FIBRE

{a} Psyllium husk x 1 heaped tablespoon [standard]. *As Hypno noted - start with 1 even tablespoon for a couple of days and note its effect before increasing the dose.

NUTS AND SEEDS

{a} Chia seed x 1 tablespoon [standard]
{b} LSA mix; Linseed, sunflower seed, almond x 1 tablespoon [optional]
{c} Cashews / macadamias x 1 tablespoon [optional]

HERBS & SPICES

{b} Ginger / turmeric / vanilla / mint / cinnamon [optional]. *I would start by adding a very small amount, otherwise you can easily ruin a smoothie with too much ginger for instance.

SWEETENERS/MASKERS

{a} Peanut butter x 1 heaped teaspoon [standard]. *Get 100% pure peanut butter, not the cheap supermarket variety that is loaded with extra sugars, salt and oils.
{b} Brown rice malt syrup or honey alternative x 1 teaspoon [optional]

LIQUIDS

{a} Primary: your choice of milk; almond / cow / coconut / rice x 2 cups [standard]
{b} Secondary: yogurt [optional]
{c} Secondary: water or coconut water [optional]. *I would add ice cubes on the final blend in case of a scorching summer's day or an unexpected undersupply of frozen bananas.

One complete example

- Bananas
- Spinach
- Cucumber
- Avacado
- Whey protein
- Wheat grass
- Psyllium husk
- Chia seed
- Peanut butter
- Milk

Other pointers

- Oatmeal can be added according to your needs.

- On workout days when having a pre-workout smoothie, I may add a teaspoon of creatine (although it seems to be better absorbed when taken with water alone).

- Stefan Mager's guide suggests a 4-to-1 ratio of veggies-to-fruits however I personally find this unsustainable unless I add a sweetener and remove the greens powder.

- Many of these supplements are very expensive. For instance, the retail price for some greens powder can sit between $100-$200 per kilo. Therefore I suggest you shop around online to find the best price for your supplements in bulk. In case you don't wanna risk buying a big amount that turns out to be unpalatable, either try a sample from a retail store or buy the smallest amount possible online to have a taste.

- If you expect to be using your blender everyday, it is recommended to choose one with a more powerful motor. For instance, I'd go with a 900-watt, or even a 1700-watt blender if you wanna splash out, over a 600-watt version [8].

Cheers!



Links

[1] "bananas... should be consumed in moderate amounts due to their sugar content."
[2] "...be careful not to jump the gun and chomp [bananas] down before they are ripe"
[3] "Stefan Mager's Green Smoothie Guide and Acid Alkaline Food Balancing & Food Combining Guide."
[4] Some benefits of green smoothies
[5] "...several potential downsides should be acknowledged"
[6] "...The degree to which diet influences the balance between healthy and disease states may depend on a person’s genetic makeup"
[7] "Raw eggs...Please consider their source and quality"
[8] "I'd go with a 900-watt, or even a 1700-watt blender if you wanna splash out..."

# DISCLAIMER #

I have no affiliation with any banana suppliers or blender manufacturers

[Hypno]

Those are some great ideas.

Blenders - I use a blendtec, so putting ginger in it is not an issue but on a regular blender yes that is hard work. I put a small amount of cinamon - started with raw sticks but if you look around the ground powder can be found as cheaply.

Powders - these can have a strong taste, so start very small. Psyllium husk and chia has almost no taste but they suck up water, the former in your body the latter from the smoothie.

Fruit/sweetness - I started off with as much sweet fruit as veggies, and have slowly cut back. I'm trying to lose weight, so the first thing I did was switch from bananas to apples or pears, and then went from 2 apples to 1 apple after a month or so. But initially don't focus on that. Just try to build a habit. If you eat a green smoothie every morning, that is a serving of leafy greens you otherwise would not have had. You replaced a meal where you might have had fast food or a bagel or something that is not good. And its a way to add supplements like ACV or protein powder or whatever. In my case, I add potato starch as a pre-biotic to boost the effectivness of probiotics. There is a separate thread on the concept. Does it work? Not sure - seems to have had a beneficial effect, but its hard to isolate what caused it.

Also, my goal is not to have the tastiest or most beautiful smoothie that one could serve to company. Often, mine come out gray or brown. Instead, my goal is to jam as much good stuff into a 32 oz cup that I can tolerate. Right now I am exerpimenting with juicing kale and cabbage to add to the smoothie.

[Hypno]

@ Dream Medicine: any thoughts on alkalinity - I have read that that is important, what foods especially affect it?

[Dream Medicine]

Hypno, good to have your input here.

(04-10-2017 05:06 AM)Hypno Wrote:  

@ Dream Medicine: any thoughts on alkalinity - I have read that that is important, what foods especially affect it?

Here is a chart that claims to outline the overall acid-alkaline levels of different food products. In addition, the ripeness, preservation and cooking of certain foods (e.g., tomatoes) is said to influence their ph levels.

A diet high in pH acid has been named as a contributing factor to several health problems such as stomach inflammation (source). These findings reinforce the general importance of eating plenty of veggies (e.g., broccoli sprouts) and minimising the intake of highly processed foods.

[aeroektar]

I bought a cheap fridgidaire personal blender similar to the nutri-ninja over a year ago and its been one of the best moves I've made. I'd like to find a smaller one at some point that I could throw in a suitcase for when I travel. I make a smoothie every day, sometimes two.

My go to:
- Frozen mix of berries (raspberry, blueberry, blackberry)
- Kale, as much as I can stuff in there, I've tried spinach but it tastes worse, I can hardly taste blended kale.
- Baby Carrots
- 4-5 grams gelatinized Maca, love this stuff, I think I'm addicted to the taste, some people don't like it, maybe its brand specific, I use terrasoul.
- Mix with water

Sometimes if I have apples around I'll throw one in there. Sometimes I change it up and throw in some frozen pineapple or cherries. I don't like bananas in my smoothies, don't like the taste mixed with greens, I'd rather just eat bananas considering I don't eat any sweets, bananas are like a dessert for me.

[ravsharan]

I love Banana Smoothie a lot. It's so beneficial for overall health.

[Hypno]

@ aeroektar - Can you post a link to the geletanized maca? Have you noticed any effects from the Maca?

I have been using for about a week, half teaspoon, not much effect. Smells pleasant like brown sugar. I don't notice much taste.

[aeroektar]

Here the one Hypno
https://www.amazon.com/Terrasoul-Superfo...B00EHQQ1A6

I'm already on a healthy high fat low carb diet and supplementing daily with other stuff to boost my libido, energy, immune system and overall health.

I backed off my zinc dosage because the effects started to taper off and it doesn't seem like a good idea to be taking 2-3x the recommended dosage on the bottle long term, so I just take 30mg of optizinc a day now. What I've noticed is the zinc and Maca (been on it for 3 weeks now) compliment each other well, my libido is back to a very heightened state like when I started out taking high doses of zinc.

The Maca also seems to mellow me out and relieve stress, which must be its adaptogen properties at work.

[Off The Reservation]

Thanks for sharing this

[Ultimate Wingman]

I try to always have my protein shake every morning made with almond milk. Tim Ferriss said in his book something along the lines of getting at least 30g of protein within 30 min of waking up (I think?) I then add this fruit pack that Costco sells that has blueberries/strawberries/kale as it takes too much time if I had to wash all that shit individually but if I do have time, I do try to add fresh kale or spinach. I'll also throw in some trader joes soy yogurt.

I think whatever your choice of poison is, just having a healthy morning shake is a good habit vs eating junk food shit from McDonalds (I lived off of it for years) that is freaking way more expensive and does shit for your health and energy. You could cook your food but if you're like me and have a career where time is precious, cooking is too time intensive.

[General Stalin]

I use a Ninja Pro 900 and make a smoothie with whole milk, peanut butter, whey protein powder, and a single large banana. Tastes great easy calories good balance of protein fat and carbs.

[nityasharma941]

Here are our favourite smoothie recipes for a healthy 2017!

1. Orange Kale Cooler

Blend 2 cups of fresh kale with 2 cups of freshly squeezed orange juice, diluting with water if needed. You can also add peeled oranges and a banana for sweetness or ½ a lime if you like your smoothie tart.

2. Pineapple Gooseberry Colada

Blend 2 cups of peeled and chopped pineapples with half a cup of gooseberries. Add orange juice or water and honey, or make it tropical with coconut milk.

3. Let-us Pineapple

Pineapple chunks blended with nut milk, bananas and lettuce? Delicious. Try it for yourself.

4. Red Apple Stinger

Blend carrots with pineapple chunks, a banana and ginger pieces for a spicy-sweet smoothie base – use coconut water for a more fluid version or nut milk for a heartier smoothie.

5. Chia Smoothie

Blend apples, a banana, nut milk and chia seeds together for a textured smoothie.

6. Carrot Cake Smoothie

Yes. You read that right. This is carrot cake in a glass. Blend boiled and cooled carrots, a banana, nut milk, 1 cup of pineapple chunks, walnuts and grated coconut. Mix in pinches of cinnamon and nutmeg. Top with shredded carrots, coconut flakes, and crushed walnuts. Enjoy.

7. Spinach and Chia Smoothie

What apples can do, spinach does better. Blend spinach, a banana, pineapple chunks and chia seeds for a superfood smoothie that will keep you humming.

8. Guava Greenster

Blend a couple of guavas with green tea brew and coconut water for a refreshing, healthy smoothie. You can also add a banana for sweetness.

9. Gooseberry Godzilla

Not for the faint-hearted, this smoothie involves blending gooseberries, spinach, bananas and if you’re brave, green tea. Else choose coconut water sweetened with honey and work your taste buds up to it.

10. Coffeecado

Brew espresso the day before and let chill in the fridge. In the morning, blend the espresso with a ripe avocado and coconut milk for that rare caffeinated smoothie that also is healthy. Add jaggery powder to sweeten if needed.

11. Apple & Beet Smoothie

This vibrant smoothie will put the roses into your cheeks. Blend apples with raw or boiled beets, some ginger, and the juice of 1 lime. You can add honey for sweetness or coconut milk for texture. You can also add brewed and cooled green tea for that health gold star,

12. Apple Pie Smoothie

Blend apple chunks with cinnamon, nutmeg and nut milk for a sweet smoothie experience. If you use unpeeled apples, the smoothie will be more textured. Sweeten with honey drizzled on top.

13. Orange You Glad Smoothie

Blend two peeled oranges with coconut milk, fresh ginger to taste, cinnamon, cardamom, clove powder and coconut milk for a fresh morning beverage.

14. Pumpkin Smoothie

Blend a banana with boiled and cooled pumpkin pieces or pumpkin puree, nut milk, honey, ginger and cinnamon. Healthy bottoms up!

15. Green Goddess Smoothie

Blend spinach, a banana and avocado with nut milk or coconut milk for a green yet creamy smoothie. Bonus: you can substitute spinach with broccoli!

16. Papaya Smoothie

Blend a cup of papaya chunks with a guava, lemon juice and ginger for a spicy-sweet fruit smoothie.

17. Cucumber Smoothie

We heart cooling cucumber. Especially good for weight loss, this smoothie is made by blitzing together cucumber, lime juice, spinach, an apple and mint leaves with coconut water. Sweeten with honey.

18. Coco Jambo

This smoothie is almost like dessert, for those of you who love sweets. Blend a frozen banana with coconut milk and coconut flakes or freshly grated coconut. Add honey to sweeten or blend in dates. Top with coconut flakes and eat – we mean drink!

19. Beetanar

Blend beets, an apple or a banana and pomegranate seeds together for a sweet, red smoothie that will have you smiling. Add ginger for a kick.

20. Cashew Coaster

Blend raw whole cashews with orange juice, nut milk and pineapple chunks – you can add a banana for a sweet taste or gooseberries for a tart flavour. Add cinnamon and chia seeds as topping and drink up!

[Cr33pin]

I started making healthy shakes again with my nutribullet
Butt hurts from all this fartin
Am I gonna die?

[realologist]

(08-25-2017 09:21 AM)Cr33pin Wrote:  

I started making healthy shakes again with my nutribullet
Butt hurts from all this fartin
Am I gonna die?

Yeah but that's from the stuff going up your butt, not out.

[Green-On-GO]

Hangover cure

Banana
Table spoon honey
Organic or normal Yogurt
Maca powder optional but I always throw it in
Chia seeds optional
organic milk or reg milk or almond milk
oats or oatmeal as yanks say.

Have it before you sleep or first thing when you get up.

I didn't like smoothies in the US as it was all yogurt
Aussie smoothies are the best
I use the Nutribullet.