Through my days of being a vegetarian and a vegan, dark leafy vegetables were part of many meals. Occasionally, they were predominant as the meal. More often, I thought of them as something to add to a meal rather than be the meal. Often they were cooked.

Greens and Beyond

Sometimes leafy vegetables are so dark they are beyond green — red or purple. The color is an indication of the mineral content.

Specifically, I am referring to such foods as arugula, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mesclun, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, watercress. They are readily accessible superfoods — that is, nutrient-dense, unprocessed plant foods.

Cravings

I’ve had various food cravings over the years, some I would classify as healthy, others as unhealthy. I think that most people consider that a "craving" is associated with an unhealthy food. The dictionary defines it as "an intense, urgent, or abnormal desire or longing."

Many years ago, I studied Chinese herbs with Ron Teeguarden in his Santa Monica shop. In a conversation with him just before a class, he talked about eating greens, mentioning his "craving" for them.

Envy overtook me. My first instinct, which I believe I also voiced, was "I wish I had a craving like that!"

I haven’t made any in-depth study of cravings, but I do know that eating the thing I have a tendency to crave makes me crave it more intensely the next day. Also, if I keep eating that food regularly and then stop, the craving is usually quite intense and uncomfortable.

Eating More Greens

I decided to apply my knowledge and experience to eating greens. I began to eat them more regularly and at more meals and only raw — and I must admit, not always enjoying them. Sometimes I disguised the taste, making them either savory or sweet.

I added them to each meal, although I know that I got the most nutrients from them after putting them into a blender in raw soups and smoothies. I like to blend the greens well, but short of being fully liquified. I prefer it when my smoothie has something to chew, otherwise I just drink it. With bits of leaves, I am reminded to chew, which is very important for digestion.

Craving Greens Now

And then one day it happened! I began to crave dark green leafy vegetables. It was subtle at first, and now it’s strong enough to keep me eating my greens several times each day and enjoying them.

In fact, as I write this and think about them, I am salivating. Pardon me. I’m going to go fix myself a green smoothie with kale, banana, and water.

Many people dislike the taste of dark, green leafy vegetables; others don’t understand the value of them. Many who eat (or try to eat, or want to eat, or think they should eat) them in large quantities, often want to camouflage the taste. I understand and have great compassion for that.

If you’re new to increasing your raw food consumption, I encourage you to find ways that help you to eat these nutrient-rich foods easily. If that involves camouflaging the chlorophyll taste, do it! If you don’t eat them, you won’t benefit from them. As long as you don’t cook these foods, the nutrients won’t be lost.

In our family, we rarely make juice from our vegetables and fruits any more because so much is lost in the juicing process. Instead, we make raw soups and raw smoothies in a blender. Any blender is suitable, although if you make smoothies regularly, you will prefer a high speed blender.

Do you have food cravings? The minerals in dark, leafy vegetables and other smoothie ingredients will stop the cravings quickly. Do have have digestive problems? Many people find that the enzymes in raw plant foods help rather quickly. Are you overweight? Give green smoothies a try and watch yourself get slim and strong!

Below are (1) a video with a demonstration making a green smoothie and (2) a recommended book, Green for Life.

Green Smoothie with
Victoria Boutenko and Adrienne Martin

 

Victoria Boutenko and her family are well-known proponents of the raw food lifestyle. They lecture. They write. They appear on shows and videos. They inspire.

This book provides encouragement, recipes, and testimonials. She includes the science behind the choices she makes and suggests to readers.