A Vitamix blender is one of the best tools in the shed for promoting good health. Unlike other more common blenders, the Vitamix is a high-powered machine that has some important advantages. First, the blade has flattened edges that turn as fast 100 000 turns per minute. At this speed, the blades pulverize plant, smashing them into little particles, as opposed to simply cutting them up. Second, the Vitamix is built to last quite literally for a lifetime; they come with a 20 year warranty, but most often outlast the owners with a little care and attention in how they’re used. The downside? The basic model costs about $500 if you get them at Costco on the twice-yearly offering. (You might find one cheaper through Kijiji or on CraigsList, but it’s always buyer beware online.)
It doesn’t really matter which blender you use, in the end, it’s what you put in the smoothie that makes the difference.
It doesn’t really matter which blender you use, in the end, it’s what you put in the smoothie that makes the difference. Eliminating starchy carbs (potatoes, rice, breads) in favour of those found in fruits and vegetables is helpful in reducing stomach upset and in eliminating unwanted pounds. There are so many benefits, it’s really hard to count them all.
To start with, raw foods provide much more value for the dollar than boiled foods. Blending, especially with a high-efficiency blender, smashes the raw foods and releases all of the nutrients for you, effectively doing the work of hours of chewing. You get the full benefit of the food, without doing all the work. As if that weren’t enough, eating raw requires basically no energy to prepare compared to conventional heat-based cooking. It also takes less than two minutes to clean up after making smoothies, and you need only a small amount of soap.
… eating smoothies has many excellent health benefits, especially when the smoothies are more savoury than sweet … will lower blood pressure, regulate blood sugar, and reduce dependency on some medications.
It doesn’t hurt that eating smoothies has many excellent health benefits, especially when the smoothies are more savoury than sweet (more vegetable than fruit). Science shows that raw food smoothies will lower blood pressure, regulate blood sugar, and reduce dependency on some medications. Smoothies give you the water you need. You will feel better, have more energy, lose weight – and before long, you’ll need a new wardrobe! Eating fun and nutritious food puts more money in your pocket, and helps to promote a clear mind an a more active lifestyle. When we have more energy, we tend to want to get out and do more, and exercise also promotes good health. Children who eat this way are more calm, have clearer complexions, and generally show better control of lifestyle and behaviour. They also tend to do better in school. Preparing smoothies with young children is an excellent way to strengthen those abilities and skills they need to succeed in school, such as eye hand coordination, measurement, principles of volume and mass, and many many other important mental ‘tools’.
The next article will describe a healthy and tasty smoothie recipe that will rival what Max gets at his favourite smoothie shop!
In spite of the sticker shock, these machines are well worth the investment. Your favourite juice and smoothie companies, like Jamba Juice, Starbucks, and Jugo Juice, all use Vitamix blenders. The good news is that you don’t need a Vitamix to make a good smoothie – a Magic Bullet or a good strong conventional blender should provide a similar result. Smoothies are fun and tasty, and a good blender, whether Vitamix or not, can make a great present for the whole family.
The next article will describe a healthy and tasty smoothie recipe that will rival what Max gets at his favourite smoothie shop! (Max is a very smart and healthy young man who sometimes visits our clinic.)