Friday, March 21, 2014

Green smoothies - Are they good or bad for you?

http://everydayayurveda.org/diet-for-your-dosha/3-reasons-avoid-green-smoothies
http://holisticsquid.com/are-green-smoothies-good-for-you/

I have checked out both links above and I noted there are three reasons to avoid, or minimise intake of, green smoothies, from an Ayurvedic perspective: 
  • the overall cold, dry and rough quality of the smoothies may aggravate the vata, causing gas or pain after eating, anxiety and/or other symptoms
  • the smoothie may deplete deep tissues that nourish the immune system or ojas
  • the complex combination of raw fruits and greens can be difficult to digest. 
I noted some suggested adjustments to make the green smoothies slightly more Ayurvedically-friendly, such as adding a pinch of turmeric and ginger to aid digestion, keeping the ingredients to a minimum, and having them a couple of times a week instead of daily. 
 
I learnt from the second article that people "with a dominant Vata dosha tend to be slim, with small frame and prominent bones. They are fast, changeable and often love any kind of movement, change and travel.... They often feel cold and prefer warmth - warm foods, drinks and climates.... Following a Vata pacifying diet is very important."
 
I also find the article in this website http://www.ohmyraw.com/are-green-smoothies-bad-for-you/ helpful for me to understand more about how green smoothies tend to have different results for different people, depending on whether they may already have some digestive issues that are still being resolved, and/or some other factors such as rotation of greens, and so on.
 
Like the excerpt from the second article quoted below, as well as some of the testimonies shared in the comment section of the articles by the readers, for most people, raw greens may initially help in cleansing when taken in small amounts for a period of time before the cleansing may eventually reach the end of its benefits, and the raw greens may begin to affect the digestion and nervous system over time in such cases. 
"In Chinese medicine, it has been known for centuries that too many raw fruits and veggies will damage the digestion, creating symptoms of gas, bloating, poor absorption, depression, fatigue and more. When the digestion is weakened over time this adversely affects the nervous system, immune system, and adrenals."
http://holisticsquid.com/are-green-smoothies-good-for-you/

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