"To Mix or Not to Mix" Is the Question

Is it okay to mix fruits and veggies together as in a green smoothie? 

There are different schools of thought on the answer to this question.

In his book "Food Combining Made Easy," Dr. Herbert Shelton explains that starchy foods have to be eaten alone because starches, which are found in plant foods, are digested with enzymes different from those used for any other food group.    Eating starchy foods with fruit may cause fermentation and gas in some individuals.   

However, combining a green vegetable, a non-starchy vegetable, with fruit in smoothies does not seem to cause digestive problems, possibly due to the numerous enzymes that are available in raw foods.

Another benefit in adding greens to smoothies besides the high nutritional value, is greens contain a lot of fiber.   Fiber slows down the absorption of sugar from fruit, making a green smoothie desirable for those who have a high sensitivity to sugar.

So in addition to filling up on fruit salads and vegetable salads this week, try green smoothies to increase your quota of fruits and veggies!