In this video, Sergei Boutenko takes you shopping to understand the variety of greens available in a super market. These common greens can and should be used for making green smoothies. Sergei intends to give you some new green smoothie ideas to help add variety to your greens selection.

Here are the greens discussed in this video (in order):

1.) Lettuce
a. green leaf
b. red leaf
c. romaine
d. butter head

2.) Swiss Chard
3.) Dino Kale
4.) Bok Choy
5.) Celery
6.) Carrot Greens
7.) Cilantro

8.) Parsley (common & Italian)
9.) Beat Greens
10.) Green Onions
11.) Arugula
12.) Baby Greens
13.) Spinach
14.) Wheat Grass

15.) Herbs
a. basil
b. mint
c. dill
d. chives
e. sage
f. rosemary
g. thyme

16.) Watercress
17.) Baby Bok Choy

Dear Friends
While visiting Sweden and Denmark earlier this year I learned new important facts about essential fatty acids that changed my entire approach to my concept of the raw food diet. That is why I added it to the new edition of Green for Life. I encourage you to read this entire article.

This entire article is © Copyright by Victoria Boutenko, 2010 www.rawfamily.com

Greens - the Original Source of Omega-3s

The important thing is not to stop questioning.     -- Albert Einstein

What is one of the most striking differences between a hummingbird and a hibernating bear? Their metabolism. One moves extremely fast and the other is extremely slow, largely due to differences in the composition of fat in their bodies. According to recent scientific research on factors affecting metabolism, "the fats of high-speed animals such as the hummingbird are loaded with the omega-3 fatty acids." Contrary to that, bears have to accumulate a lot of omega-6 fatty acids in their fat before they can go into hibernation. Omega-3s and omega-6s are seemingly alike substances and are even united under one name: essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, there are major differences between them.

The omega-3 molecule is unique in its ability to rapidly change its shape. This exceptional flexibility of omega-3s is passed to organs that absorb it. Omega-3s thin the blood of humans and animals as well as the sap of plants. As a result of these qualities, omega-3s are utilized by the fastest functioning organs in the body. For example, omega-3s enable our hearts to beat properly, our blood to flow freely, our eyes to see, and our brains to make decisions faster and more clearly.

The omega-6 fatty acids, on the other hand, serve the opposite function: they thicken the blood of humans and animals as well as the juices of plants. Omega-6s solidify and cause inflammation of the tissues. Some scientists link an excess of omega-6s in the human diet with such conditions as heart disease, stroke, arthritis, asthma, menstrual cramps, diabetes, headaches, and tumor metastases.

According to Allport, there are numerous studies looking into the role omega-6 fats play in the promotion of certain cancers, including breast, prostate, and colon cancer and exploring the benefits of omega-3s in treating psychological disorders such as depression and postpartum depression, attention deficit disorder, and bipolar disorder. A growing number of diseases are being associated with an imbalance of the essential fats, not just heart disease, cancer, depression, immune disorders, and arthritis but also obesity and diabetes.

For many decades, nutritionists have been linking obesity to the over-consumption of foods high in fat, particularly in saturated fat. Since then, many people have been trying to reduce the percentage of fat in their diet. From 1955 to 1995 Americans reduced fat consumption from 40 percent of their total calorie intake to 35 percent. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Americans decreased their consumption of saturated fats and increased their consumption of salad and cooking oils from 9.8 pounds per person in 1955 to 35.2 pounds per person in 2000. Yet despite these efforts, during the same time period the percentage of overweight adults in the U.S. grew from 25 percent to 47 percent.    Apparently we have been eating the wrong fats.

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Many people ask us if they can still enjoy green smoothies with a low powered blender. The answer is yes, but purchasing a high powered blender for daily green smoothie consumption is worth the investment, especially if you plan on drinking green smoothies for years to come.

Personally I think a green smoothie made with a Vitamix (or Blendtec) is more delicious than a green smoothie made with a regular blender due to the texture. Also, I noticed that when I was using a regular blender daily, the motor burned out quickly and eventually the blender stopped working. In the post Common Green Smoothie Questions, Victoria says "Those who use simple blenders have to put up with some chunks and pieces of un-blended greens and fruit skins. These green smoothies may be less smooth but still provide a great deal of greens in one’s diet, much more than if people didn’t drink them at all".

Testing The Top Five Blenders:
To decide on which blender to purchase, please enjoy this video to see a comparison of the top five blender brands. If you are unable to afford a high speed blender such as a Vitamix or Blendtec, you may find this helpful.

Blending Tips:
The most important thing is to enjoy large amounts of greens each day. Here are some quick tips for using a simple blender..
1 - Put the fruit and water in first, blend to make a liquid. Next add any frozen fruit and then add the greens.

2 - Chop your fruits and greens very finely and remove the stalks of greens like kale, collards & chard. Add small amounts of greens as you blend.

3 - If you are using dates or seeds in your smoothie, soak them first.

To understand why blending is superior to juicing please read this article Blending v's Juicing

Dear Friends,

I am excited to let you know that the new edition of my book, Green for Life is now available with North Atlantic Books. I have added a whole new chapter about the benefits of omega-3 oils. I also included more delicious recipes, many astounding new testimonials and we made a number of smaller changes.

Green for Life has been my best-selling book. It has been translated into 26 languages and approximately 250,000 copies were sold worldwide.

You may like to read two recent reviews on the these popular blogs, Raw Mocha Angel, Lily of The Valley and Eat Drink Better.

I hope that you enjoy reading it! To purchase a copy please follow this link to our store.

The New Look...

Discover – or rediscover this updated edition – the wealth of information in the classic on green nutrition. Perfect for anyone – raw foodists, vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters alike – who wishes to develop a healthy diet without making sacrifices to taste or lifestyle.

Best selling author and raw food expert Victoria Boutenko, a tireless researcher and champion of natural nutrition, retunes with her latest findings in this new edition of Green for life. Building on her remarkable discoveries about the healing power of greens and green smoothies, she has added important new research on the crucial role that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids play in metabolic health, including nutritional data on selected green smoothies and updated findings on organic versus conventional produce.

Boutenko’s groundbreaking research comparing the diet of wild chimpanzees with the standard American diet remains a powerful cornerstone of the book, and her findings on the abundance of protein in greens, the role of greens in homeostasis, the significant of stomach acid, how greens make the body more alkaline, the healing power of chlorophyll, and more present readers with the keys to restoring and increasing their health and well-being. New testimonials and additional recipes in this updated edition give readers more confidence and inspiration to explore green smoothies for themselves.

Victoria Boutenko is the award-winning author of Green for Life, Raw Family: A true Story of Awakening, 12 Steps to Raw Foods, and Raw Family Signature Dishes. A raw gourmet chef, teacher, inventor, researcher and artist, she teaches classes on healthy living all over the world. As a result of her teachings, millions of people are drinking green smoothies and eating raw food. Boutenko continues to travel worldwide sharing her gourmet raw cuisine and her inspiring storey of determination. She lives in Ashland, Oregon.

“Green for life is a revolutionary but simple idea whose time has come. It is clear inspiration and great resource to readers who desire to lead healthier lives.” – Midwest Book Review

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Sergei Boutenko used a raw diet and exercise to overcome his juvenile diabetes. At 25, he continues to make exercise and endurance running a part of his lifestyle. In this video, Sergei demonstrates a green smoothie suited for those needing physical energy and stamina. Many people say that athletes need to add protein powders, super foods and supplements to a green smoothie to be sustained, however the Boutenko family believe that unprocessed, raw foods and greens are capable of prolonging energy, even for professional athletes.

Athletes will need a higher amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats in their green smoothies so they can maintain physical strength. Sergei's green smoothie recipe has four careful chosen dark greens, which contain all of the vitamins, minerals and proteins needed for endurance. These greens strengthen bones,  prevent dehydration, mussels from tearing and cell damage when exercising.  The fruits chosen are loaded with natural carbohydrates and fats to give energy, which the body is able to process and absorb easily. You won't need a Gatorade if you drink this green smoothie:) Enjoy!