In a recent post pippin07 ( [www.rawfoodsupport.com] ) asked an interesting question about the effect of blending on food fiber. This is part of a larger question that I have been wondering about.

What are the negative effects of blending foods ?

pippin07's question was more specific and was:

Quote

Do you think it is possible that blending bananas could cause them to be constipating ?

I think blending foods does have an effect on the food and especially on the food fiber. What do you think ? Is there any effect on the foods in general caused by blending ? How serious do you think the damage, if any, is to the food ?

Another question I have about blending is what is the effect of the heat generated on the food ?
I have heard that some people make warm soups in their blenders especially in the Vita Mix blender with the hammermill blades. The hammermill blades smash the food rather then cut it. The hammermill blades are flat and strike the food like a baseball bat hitting a baseball. It smacks the food and then the food splats into the container wall. The food then returns back into the path of the bat and is again hit and splats etc. How much heat is generated at the point of impact ? How hot can the soup get ?

I don't have anything scientific that you would like but a lot of people have had big detox effects on blended foods so I guess it mustn't be loosing too much.

I personally own a greenstar juicer and so I press the juice out and then add the pulp back in at the end...This might be an alternative to someone worrying a bit more about the fibre...

I've had a lot of detox effects on using it so I know it works...I've almost got rid of my psoriasis with my beloved greenstar.

I don't know how blending effects fiber (if at all).

I don't like blender because I have a K-Tec which is plastic & I don't like the idea of eating food slammed against plastic at high speed.

When I get a glass blender (waiting to find a cheap $5 thrift store one) I will resume having smoothies everyday.

The VitaMix doesn't heat up food noticeable. When I made frozen berry smoothies with it (+ other room temp ingredients) it was too cold to drink for 5-10 minutes. When I make smoothies with all room-temp ingredients it does not get hot.

If you're blending in a glass blender & drinking it right away (not giving it time to oxidize) you're probably alright. People have been crushing their food (with morter & pestles & the like) for a long time.

EZ rider Wrote:
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> Another question I have about blending is what is
> the effect of the heat generated on the food ?
> I have heard that some people make warm soups in
> their blenders especially in the Vita Mix blender
> with the hammermill blades. The hammermill blades
> smash the food rather then cut it. The hammermill
> blades are flat and strike the food like a
> baseball bat hitting a baseball. It smacks the
> food and then the food splats into the container
> wall. The food then returns back into the path of
> the bat and is again hit and splats etc. How much
> heat is generated at the point of impact ? How hot
> can the soup get ?

It is possible to overblend.. grains that are over "hammer-milled" can be difficult to digest by livestock and poultry [www.feedmachinery.com] , not sure why.... Vita-mix advertises the ability to cook food in the blender by friction alone. I'm not aware of any studies, and so would go by taste, touch and appearance.... people usually know when they have overcooked/blended something.. IMO. I prefer the taste of food blended with sharp blades over dull.. I also juice and do a LOT of pulp salads, besides eating the old fashioned way.

The temperature at the "point of impact" is a really interesting question.. it could be much higher than that of the smoothie as a whole at that very brief moment in time.... still I believe in the positive aspects of blending till proven otherwise..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2008 02:27AM by loeve.

EZ rider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > What are the negative effects of blending foods ?
>

Don't know if this was mentioned but blended food doesn't get mixed with saliva (unless it is swooshed in the mouth before swallowing). Early digestion begins with saliva and some molecules need to be protected in the stomach with a coating of saliva so they can continue digestion in the duodenum and small intestine. More info:
[www.wnho.net]
[www.wnho.net]

Hi EZ Rider

You may find the blog article I wrote recently on blending of interest.

It's here (scroll down - it's below the onion bread recipe).

[debbietookrawforlife.blogspot.com]

i've read on a raw website where the author claimed cutting any food will kill enzymes; so he eats everything whole - right down to bell peppers

jeeeeeez..I could not be that strict.
i love my vitamix.