Benefits of a Blended Salad

How effectively do we absorb the protein in green vegetables?

Even ingested meats are poorly penetrated by digestive enzymes when they are inadequately chewed and swallowed in small chunks. By contrast, when you consume a blended salad, you are assuring a thorough digestion of the plant protein. Ninety- eight percent of all the proteins will be broken down into amino acids or very small peptides, and absorption will be almost complete as well. As a result, you absorb almost all the protein in the raw greens, instead of losing so much. No one chews well enough to break down food this well.

Besides increasing the protein and micro nutrient absorption and availability, blending a salad generally increases the amount of raw greens a person consumes

Approximately fifty percent of your digested and absorbed protein (amino acids) comes from ingested food, about twenty-five percent from protein in digestive juices that are absorbed,and twenty-five percent from desquamated mucosal cells (cells that have sloughed off the lining of the digestive tract). If adequately chewed or broken down, only about two-to-five percent of protein consumed escapes digestion and absorption.

Besides increasing the protein and micro nutrient absorption and availability, blending a salad generally increases the amount of raw greens a person consumes. Many people have trouble eating six-to sixteen ounces of leafy greens daily, the amount usually recommended in my diets. Eating this quantity of raw blended greens is quite easy. Most people who try them find blended salads to be delicious and really look forward to this portion of the diet.

When would you most likely recommend a blended salad? Some people have difficulty digesting large quantities of roughage when they first switch to a high-phytochemical, natural, plant-based diet. These individuals can solve their problems with gas and bloating by blending their salads before eating them. For example, patients with Crohn’s disease or colitis often do not tolerate raw salad well, but blended salads can offer these individuals the benefits of this high nutrient food source, without the negative effects of the roughage. Those who have difficulty chewing also can benefit from blended salads.

The high-nutrient availability of blended salads aids those recovering from illness, and helps normalize immune function in those suffering from asthma, allergies, and other immune system disorders

The high-nutrient availability of blended salads aids those recovering from illness, and helps normalize immune function in those suffering from asthma, allergies, and other immune system disorders. Those with added nutritional requirements—such as nursing mothers and Athletes—find that blended salads can be used to increase milk supply and athletic performance.

Those interested in maximizing weight loss in a healthful manner can use blended salads to increase their consumption of greens before meals.This will supply them with a dynamite nutrient punch while at the same time providing satiety to prevent over-eating on the higher calorie foods that follow.

High-performance athletes or those interested in gaining weight can mix nuts and seeds into their blended salads. This combination supplies healthful sources of protein and fat in an efficiently absorbed, high-nutrient package.

So what’s the difference between juicing vegetables and this blended salad? What if you just juice vegetables instead? and of course, how do you make a blended salad?

photo credit: elvisripley

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This entry was posted on Thursday, April 3rd, 2008 and is filed under Health.

Tagged: blended salad, Green smoothie, health, Joel Fuhrman, Salad, Smoothies, vitamix

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9 Responses to “Benefits of a Blended Salad”

1
David Goldbeck
April 4th, 2008 08:35

There is no doubt that a critical underpinning of a healthy diet is significant consumption of vegetables and fruit. Unfortunately, many adults do not like these fine foods - so we must make sure kids don’t develop these attitudes. Parents and teachers interested in getting kids to develop friendly feelings towards fruits and vegetables should take a look at a new book called “The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables and Beyond.” Out only a few months and already being bought in quantity for class use. Suited for kids of all ages as it is two books in one – children first learn their alphabet through produce poems and then go on to more mature activities. It is coauthored by best-selling food writer David Goldbeck (me) and Jim Henson writer Steve Charney. You can learn more at HealthyHighways.com
2
Annie
April 5th, 2008 19:26

Ok - my husband and I tried a blended salad for breakfast this morning and it was very good. We used a 50/50 mix of spring mix and baby spinach, added some yogurt, a couple tablespoons of almond butter, some ground flax seed and brown rice protein powder. Yummy! Oh, I also a added a little “broccoli slaw” to it.

~ Annie
3
Ed
April 6th, 2008 01:31

I found a ready to mix “Instafresh” powder that includes 30 fruits and berries, 30 super greens and vegetables, 11 nuts, seeds and sprouts all in an easy to mix, delicious, organic concentrate that comes to you with 83 Active Enzymes and Fulvic Minerals and 22 Resilient Living Probiotics. It’s absolutely the best raw whole food supplement on the market today. And all for just $1 per serving! Now that’s juicing for the new millenium! Try a sample at Http://www.urilife.net/realfoodforlife

Grace and Peace,
Ed
4
Rob
April 7th, 2008 13:05

Cool Annie, however the yogurt part of it wouldn’t be a living food you understand.

Are you still choosing to eat dairy as part of your lifestyle?
5
Annie
April 7th, 2008 13:29

Yes, of course I understand that about yogurt. The main reason is to add probiotics to my diet as well and without taking another supplement, I find that’s the simplest way to do so. If you know of another method for getting those live flora, I’m all ears.

Other than yogurt, I don’t eat dairy products very often with exception of a piece of cheese or two now and then.

~ Annie
6
Ryan
April 8th, 2008 12:38

Wow, I just tried the, “Smooth and Creamy Greeny”, and it was AWESOME! I’m a 356 lb dude on a mission to lose. I used to weigh in at a slim 198 (I’m 6′5″) 7 years ago when I was in the Military, but years of pizza, beer, and bad food made me grow horizontal instead of vertical!

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the recipes - I just bought a kick ass blender a few weeks ago for this, and I feel amazing! My body hasn’t seen this much nutrition in a long, long time.
7
Rob
April 9th, 2008 14:31

awesome Ryan - 198 for 6′5″ sounds a little light. What are you shooting for now?

are you subscribed to Darlene’s whole food recipes (weekly) ?
8
Jesse
April 13th, 2008 09:31

Rob, great article, which got me to try what is otherwise a daunting concept. I always tried to eat lots of dark leafy salads (including lots of lacinato kale and cilantro), but I found shortly afterwards I would be ravenously hungry, more so than if I had not eaten the large salad. Just the opposite occurs now when I blend the salad (or juice it, which however loses the fiber of course, which is better than any probiotic!), I feel satisfied for a long time afterwards. I guess this is due to the lack of absorbable nutrition, from poorly masticated vegetables, and maybe the high energy consumption to digest them?

I found it important to thoroughly blend the vegetables with my cheap blender in order to make a very smooth consistency which is easy to briefly chew and drink like a regular smoothie. If it’s not smooth, it’s almost impossible for me to consume. Also the banana and half (no more) of an avocado really makes it smooth. Some honey really helps for taste.
9
Rob
April 13th, 2008 12:44

Jesse - I use Sunrider brand stevia to add some sweetness, but yes, honey or Agave nectar is fine too.

I find, as you do, that avocado adds the creamyness. Hemp hearts work well too for creamyness.

here’s my “weird” find about the blended smoothie: It makes me pee a lot. If I have this at 9:00 PM, I’m up peeing 3x during the night and then again first thing in the am. My recipe makes about 6 or 7 cups worth though. That might have something to do with it, lol

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