The Happy Granny Smoothie Book and Fiber Primer

Why smoothies? What is so great about smoothies as opposed to all of those other plans out there that are supposed to make you dance like a kid and live forever? The answer is that smoothies, because they are made from generous amounts of whole fruits and vegetables, not only contain many of the nutrients your body needs to perform at its best, especially if you buy organic, they also contain a tremendous amount of fiber. And fiber makes the gut happy. The experts point to a fiber-poor diet as the most significant cause of constipation and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (or IBS) specifically and probably many other ailments as well. Simply put, fiber helps your bowels move your food through in a timely fashion. Nutrients are absorbed and then the waste is eliminated. If the fiber isn't there, the food you eat doesn't move through as it should. It can sit in your bowels too long and cause health problems. Nutrition experts recommend combining this needed fiber with ample fluids (as in smoothies) to help move the fiber through the gut. Specifically for bowel issues like constipation and IBS, they recommend the juices of apple, carrot, and spinach.