posted
Have been thinking of buying a Vitamix for a while, mainly for green smoothies and making soups. Do the soups come out good? Just wondered if those of you that own one like it or wish you had gone w/something else?Thanks for your help.
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- You could make nut milks with it.
I think smoothies are too processed for anyone, really. I think we need WHOLE food so as to have it last longer for better glucose stability for hours. Smoothies digest faster than whole foods would. So, if for a meal, it may not be good to rely on a smoothie. But, as a "side-dish" or dessert or snack, the ability of a vitamix to have all the pulp mixed in beat out other juicers.
Vegetable juices would have the pulp all in with it and easier for an injured stomach to digest but still have necessary fiber.
As it is a plastic container, I would not want to use the heat function. I don't know if the polycarb 80 is BPA free but I don't think ANY petroleum product should get hot if food is in it.
The freeze feature for frozen fruit and ice cubes can be very nice for a dessert with protein powder or nuts added for protein and fat - to balance out fruit sugars. Dark berries are lower in sugar than most other fruits and can be mixed in with certain vegetables and still maintain a primary berry flavor.
If you do get one, be sure to always wear construction ear muffs to protect your ears. Ear plugs are not enough for a machine like this. A friend of mine had one, so I know they are VERY loud, indeed. Anyone in the same room needs to wear hearing protection when this would be running.
All that said, I would LOVE to have one to make NUT MILKS. As for the price, yes, I think so. But if you buy, buy directly from their site so that if something goes wrong, you are protected. My friend's vitamix broke and they sent her a brand new one that was perfect. A secondary vendor would not likely do that.
I researched the Montel Williams model which is similar but Vitamix has better reviews. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I love mine. We use it every single day. It is a great way to get a lot of nutrients in a small package. Having the tamper just makes it so much better than any other blender. I have not used it for soups though. And I've never known anyone to wear ear plugs with it. It is loud -- the kids run in the other room -- but it's not that bad imo.
Posts: 707 | From Colorado | Registered: Jul 2010
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- jlp,
the reason for the ear muffs/plugs is that anything over 85 decibels (db) for 90 seconds can cause permanent hearing damage but it may not show up for years.
A hairdryer is about 100 db, for comparison. Vitamix is way over the top but so are all blenders, food processors, vacuums, etc.
Antibiotic use LOWERS the decibel level at which sound/noise can damage ears. So do many other ototoxic meds, even aspirin. And lyme lowers the db level for damage, too.
For those reasons, even when around a hair dryer and especially when around appliances and hobby & lawn tools, hearing protection should be worn.
====================
For those who are sensitive or pained by even normal or soft sounds (sounds not even at noise level):
You can look inside this book and read customer reviews here:
Ototoxic Drugs Exposed: Prescription Drugs and Other Chemicals That Can (and Do) Damage Our Ears
- by Neil G. Bauman -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Keebler, why do you love nut milks so much? Are they that good for you?
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- I can't "do" dairy, nor can most TBD patients as dairy creates so much phlegm. Soy milk is also problematic and expensive. The inside of the shelf boxes is a plastic and the refrigerated soy and nut milks have Carrageenan, a kind of seaweed that might be making me a bit speedy (as it contains a natural MSG and that is excitatory).
While I love the refrigerated Blue Diamond Almond milk, it tastes salty to me - something just unsual, not at all like the almond milk I've tried to churn out with my hand blender and hours of pressing it through a sieve. I've found walnuts and pecans do not provoke the same degree of injury as they are softer and don't have to soak overnight.
Fresh, nut milks just taste so good and add a richness to foods or a nice drink with vanilla and nutmeg.
The store bought ones have a lot of stuff added, are so expensive and my guess is that one could make gallons with just the nuts at home for a fraction of the cost without the additives. Of course, this stuff is not intended to be consumed by the gallon but, still, fresh made nut milk - even in moderate amounts - tastes far better. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thank you for your replies. I think it would be a great tool to help me get more veggies in my diet..also the nut milk idea sounds wonderful. I think you can make peanut butter too! Thanks again
Posts: 146 | From Midwest | Registered: Feb 2005
| IP: Logged |
I spent two years trying to work with an Oster, then a CuisinArt blender and they just don't compare to Vitamix!
I start my day everyday with a spinach smoothie that gets 5 servings of fruits and vegs into my body- sounds gross, but its really good. My husband makes his with broccoli.
I think eating very healthfully is really important to recovery.
I am always telling people that my Vitamix was the best $ I ever spent on an appliance.
Posts: 233 | From Hudson Valley | Registered: Jun 2010
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic