I've been 100% raw for a few weeks now. I have no problems eating lots of fruits, it is fun.
But greens - how do I eat more? Any advice on eating more salads, especially leafy greens? I'm having a hard time getting used to the taste, quantity.
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For Salads, I like to add in a mix of greens and add in some heartier raw veg, like broccoli or carrots for example. I also love to add in some seeds as well, sunflower, pumkin and chia are among my favourites.
For dressings, if you can get yourself into making your own dressings having some good quality seed butter (sunflower seed butter mades a really nice caesar dressing) or use some raw soaked cashews to make some of the creamier dressings, i've found that giving myself a few options that weren't a vinaigrette made it easier for me to include some more salads into the mix and to feel satified.
Also, greens in smoothies... I live for cilantro in my smoothies, especially any smoothie that is tropical (pineapple/ banana or mango banana base) or with berries. I know that a lot of people get that soapy taste when they eat cilantro so parsley is a really nice alternative. I find that it gives a bit less of that "green drink" taste that adding in kale only can do but you get all the benefits that come with helping to detox the bloodstream and adding in those leafy green veg vitamins and minerals.
Also, I like to add a bit of spirulina to my smoothies. maybe half to a full tsp for a large smoothie, as well as a half to a full tsp of chlorella as well. not enough to really change the flavour but enough to just add in a bit of extra green and the spirulina has some nice omegas also and helps with anemia which i used to have an issue with but now have no issues. I have started using "Hawaiian Gandalf Spirulina" which is a really good quality variant of spirulina. I got the suggestion from a book called "Medical Medium" which was how I ended up finding my way into the raw food, high fruit, raw vegan diet, and found freelee from there. It was a nice transition and helped me to finally rid myself of candida after trying and struggling hard with the mainstream idea of starving yourself of sugar (which does not work!).
Another thing back to Salads is about food mixing. I do Hearty Salads OR Lighter Fruit Infused Salads. I avoid mixing heartier veg with fruit. So I would do a lighter Salad with cherries, blueberries etc and some seeds like chia or hemp and a vinagrette and mixed greens (I have found i don't use Kale as much with a lighter salad unless it's baby Kale but use other greens/ herbs like arugala, basil, parsley, cilantro, mint, etc with a lighter green base) or alternatively a richer and more hearty salad would have hearty beg like, brocolli, carrots, cabbage, Kale (massaged a bit for easier digestion- enough to brighten the colour to a more vibrant green), raddish, beet, avocado etc. with a heartier dressing made with seed butter base (instead of oil) or even a vinaigrette. Anything you like! play around with combos!
I have also enjoyed making vinagrette dressings with avcado as a base instead of oil as well.
Fine chop the ingredients for salads like rawterra mentioned in her comment. <3 so much easier to eat this way.
Another thing I have done is when I'm having a big watermelon mono meal is to fine chop a bit of fresh mint and mix in with the watermelon. Especially in summer heat. I don't do it often but it's a nice little greens add for the odd occation.
Cilantro in citrus smoothies YUMMM I forgot I love to do that too...
Heres what I do: I throw 4 ounces of lettuce in my smoothies to start. Usually in either a banana +water or date +water smoothie, or maximum of 3 fruits smoothie that food combine together like orange, pinapple, and apple, or cherries or whatever berry... you know, keep it simple, and the lettuce of course, whch I pre chop with a ceramic knife and put in bottom of blender. Orange juice makes a great base for the sub acid/acid fruit smoothies (dont mix with date or banana, they are sweet fruits and wont combine well with citrus). I really like to do a citrus based smothie in the am with the greens because citrus facilitates iron absorption and the greens have a lot of iron.
Anyways, the smoothies help add some extra minerals throughout the day, but the trick for the salads, for me is, remember that ceramic knife I mentioned? Well the ceramic is not only super sharp and good for chopping, it wont oxidise the lettuce like a metal knife...or so they say lol, I mostly enjoy because its super sharp, so we can use it to chop! You can chop up 16 ounces of lettuce very small and it is not nearly as intimidating and way eaiser to chew. But we arent done of course, the toppings are key to make that lettuce more exiting. Again, keep it simple, like 3 of your favorite veg, mine is cherry toms, baby bok choy or baby cucumber, and orange bell pepper, add some some chives, and fresh dill or helb of choice like basil or cilantro would do too... and chop! ..chop it all up together really small. Dont over think it either, just chop chop chop like a big salsa. Pour it on top of salad, add a little orange juice or lemon or lime, stir it up and bam! Send it over the edge with half an avocado in the mix. I just love doing it this way because its much easier to get through a large salad when everything is chopped up really small. And all the flavors meld together.
Hope that helps x
cool, thank you. I just finished reading 80/10/10 book, which recommends that we eat/chew rather than juice. It is good to know that many people juice their greens! I will try it.
I will try to slowly increase the amount of greens. So far, it has been a challenge. Hopefully I'll get used to the taste :)
Maybe you are responding to a different person? I said add greens in your smoothies and make simple salads and chop everythign up really small. So you still chew, its just much easier to chew, and less intimidating to get the voulme down.
I never said anything about juicing
you're right, apologies. I understand what you mean
No worries! How is it going being that you are diabetic? Do you have type one or two? Do you know about Robby Barbaro? He cured his type one diabetes eating this way... https://foodnsport.com/blog/robby-barbaro-interview-conquering-diab...
I thnk you especially have to be very careful to keep overt fats like nuts and seeds or avocado to a minimum.
my blood sugar is still very high. my current meter seems erratic, I ordered a new glucose meter, hopefully I'll get it in the next day or two.
My diabetes was bad before raw food, I don't think it can get worse :) I am going to continue raw for a few more weeks before getting a blood test. 3 weeks is too short to make a difference, I think?
Yes, I cut nuts, avocado, seeds and oils out completely. The first week I ate one avocado a day (didn't know better), but quickly found out it is high fat. As far as I know, the only thing that I am eating and not supposed to, on 80/10/10 is a tiny bit of salt.
How about you? how long have you been raw?
Glad you posted a new thread talking to others who have had blood sugar issues and diabetes. I could tell you every way I know how to do this diet/lifestyle successfully (still have a few things im figuring out in regards to some specific calironutrient ratios and oxalate consumption), but I definitely will say, beyond making sure you get all the aspects of the lifestyle down, patience is definitely key.
I have been on this diet off and on since 2009. 3 months was my longest stretch when I was in Costa Rica in 2009/10. But lots of raw days since. I feel best when I stick to it 100%. Trying to get back on track this year... been all raw a number of days so far including the last 4.
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