All About Greens

About Greens

Green drinks get their name and color from leafy green vegetables. It is recommended to include greens daily in your blending regimen. I suggest rotating greens weekly to expose the full range of nutrition available in the varieties of greens. Also rotate because, over indulgence in any food can allow the build up of otherwise healthy levels of toxins. The darker the leaves, the more nutrients the vegetable usually has. Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including Folate, vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins . They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. The fiber from greens allows our bodies regularly clear environmental toxins from the blood. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats. Blending value is made clearer with the understanding the many of the greens listed below are not palatable raw. Blending with ripe fruit can turn even the toughest bitterest greens into a tasty drink.

Few experience the full range nutrient rich greens in their raw form. Cooking greens reduces nutrient levels and preparation normally includes salts and oils. Greens that are palatable raw are normally consumed with oily dressings and salt. Blending offers the best option for getting nutrient rich raw greens in your daily diet.

Nutritional Value

This listing contains the most consumed greens in the US. The nutrient value ranking is based on 100mg servings which are then converted to cups. Nutrient values are for raw uncooked greens. See USDA Nutrition Database.

Nutrient Rankings

This table allows you to evaluate rankings by each nutrient. Grades are derived to comparing nutrient values to the top green for each nutrient.

Cumulative Nutritional Rankings

Kale is the overall leader in total nutritional value. Lettuce, the most widely consumed green is the least nutritious by far. Cumulative scores are averages of all nutrients, minerals only, and vitamins only.

Performance Blenders

About Blenders

The blender performance scale ranges from residential to the 3.5hp. Your blending experience will be greatly impacted by were your blender falls in this range. I strongly suggest getting the highest performance blender you can afford.

Residential 

2hp 

3hp 

3+hp 

3.5hp

Seeded Grape Blending Test:

• 1HP or less: Very grainy, not smooth, fragments of grape skins still intact, pieces of whole grape, many seeds still intact
  
• 2HP to 2+HP: Slightly grainy, tiny fragments of grape skins, no pieces of whole grape, semi-smooth. Still a need to chew seeds. We did turn the blender off to avoid the grapes from getting so hot that it started steaming.
  
• 3HP Peak: Graininess is still there but hardly noticeable, not all phytochemicals unlocked, still need to chew a few seeds
  
• 3+HP: No graininess, seeds blended to almost powder like consistency, almost all phytochemicals unlocked from cell walls, blends in shorter time to avoid overheating
  
• 3 1/2: At this level, the torque and speed is so strong that there is no need for a tamper when making smoothies. The same results as in a 3+HP blender but with reduced oxidation and heating due to a quicker blend time. The less time you blend the better the ORP reading.
  

Blender Options:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nJ69qAqXvM

Video comparison of Blendtec, Waring and Vita-mix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8H29jU8Wrs
Will it Blend Videos – Demonstrate power of Blendtec Blenders

http://www.acmeequipment.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=16
Good source for performance blenders

My Blender

This is a hybrid Blendtec 20amp commercial "Smohtier" blender motor in the within the residential BlendTec "Connoisseur" base, making it much more counter-top friendly. This blend pushes 2400 Watts of power. It is by far the most powerful blender made. I will soon be posting video comparison of this blender and competing blenders from Vita-mix, Waring, and Breville.

Blending Photo Gallery

My Blending

Fruits and Vegetables make beautiful pictures. This gallery gives you an idea of the amounts and varieties of raw fruits and vegetables that can be consumed in green drinks and smoothies. My Vegetable to Fruit ratio normally ranges around 70/30.

Romo Tomato, Collard Greens, Red Grapes, Yellow Squash, Red Delicious Apple, Red Pepper, Broccoli and Cucumber.

Ready to blend…

Fruit offset the better taste of some raw vegetables. But not all fruit are created equal when it comes to sweetening. Some fruit I use solely for their nutritional value and others for both nutrition and their ability to contribute enough sweetness to over come bitterness of veggie blends. My favorite ripe sweeteners are bananas, grapes, pineapples, mangos, apples, oranges, peaches, and pears. Nutritionally, there are many other standouts with sweetening value, like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, melons, plums and kiwi.

Pear, Collards, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Yellow Pepper, Blue Berries, Baby Carrots, and Banana.

Red and Yellow Chards, Tomato, Red Pear, and Mango

Most greens being used are Organic. Regardless, all fruits and vegetables are rinsed thoroughly.

Cucumber, grapes, red kale, lemon, broccoli, apple, and carrot

Turnip Greens, Beet Root, Broccoli, carrot and grapes

I add at least a cup of orange juice or water to each blend.

Red Kale, Red Pepper, Papaya, Pineapple, and broccoli