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YouTubeA great 3-min video in which Dr Esselstyn explains his leafy greens guidelines:
(1) Eat leafy greens 6 times a day, at least a fistful every time.
(2) Cook them for a few mins, then add a few drops of balsamic vinegar — this boosts Nitric Oxide (NO) production. Then chew them well in our mouth.
(3) No smoothies because we tend to gulp down our smoothies, not chew them. No juicing for a similar reason - we need to chew those leafy greens for the bacteria in our mouth to interact with those leafy green molecules.
"Eat Lots of Greens" — "Mix them up! Don't just focus on spinach! — see offset 6:37 of Jane & Ann's video. Which ones?
Source: Dr Esselstyn's Leafy Greens Jingle (19 seconds, YouTube).
High Nitrate Veggies: This FaceBook Group follows Dr Esselstyn's guidelines diligently. They developed these guidelines: "Eat (chew) a fist-size (after cooking) serving of high nitrate veggies, with a few drops of balsamic vinegar or other vinegar, six times spaced throughout the day from breakfast to bedtime. This promotes the formation of nitric oxide (NO), the most powerful vasodilator we have, so arteries will dilate to their fullest. Esselstyn's favorite 6 'greens' for NO production are KALE, SPINACH, SWISS CHARD, ARUGULA, BEET GREENS, BEETS (yes, beets!) Dr. E also has a 'greens' jingle (19 seconds, YouTube) which mentions bok choy, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, napa cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, parsley and asparagus."
What about high nitrate veggies from other parts of the world? Dr Esselstyn has shortlisted high nitrate veggies commonly found in USA. Many other greens (and veggies) from other parts of the world are also rich in nitrates? Which ones? I haven't found such a list prepared by anybody so far. We could construct them by studying the research papers underlying Dr Greger's videos in these articles: Plant Nitrates. If you have developed such a list, please share. Thank you.
For more details, see Plant Nitrates.
How To Eat So Many Greens Daily?: See Leafy Green Recipes by Esselstyn Family and WFPB Recipes by Esselstyn Family. An overview video by Esselstyn family:
Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash? At offset 6:01 of this interview, Dr Esselstyn is asked: Why should we avoid hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) mouthwash & tongue cleaning? He explains:
Dr Greger has a video on this theme: Don't Use Antiseptic Mouthwash (2 mins, 2012). Also see Antibacterial Toothpaste: Harmful, Helpful, or Harmless? (6 mins, 2016).
What else to avoid? See NO Production: Dr Nathan Bryan. He is admired by Dr Esselstyn for his work on NO production in our body. In addition to H2P2-based mouthwash, Dr Bryan lists several other agents in his writings and interviews: prescription drugs like proton pump inhibitors (PPI), NSAIDs and cholesterol lowering drugs like statins, for example. NO production is a complex subject. For a comprehensive strategy to maximize NO production in our body, it's helpful to watch Dr Nathan Bryan's presentations and interviews.
Dr Peter Rogers recommends that for maximum NO production, we should avoid mouthwash, F- toothpaste, F- water, antibiotics, PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) and antacids.
Dr Nathan Bryan is a world expert on NO production in our body. This is a great interview with lots of details! Dr Esselstyn is influenced by Dr Nathan Bryan's work and incorporates some of his guidelines in his presentations.
Dr Esselstyn recommends No Smoothies! Why? Because we tend to gulp down smoothies without chewing them. Why is chewing important? At offset 38:27 in this video from 2012, Dr Esselstyn explains that we should chew these green veggies in our mouth. Please watch for about 5 mins to offset 43:51. Chewing of leafy green is so important that Dr Esselstyn discourages smoothies (which we tend to 'drink' instead of 'chew & swallow').
- Dr Esselstyn: TED Talk & Lectures
- Dr Esselstyn: Can We Become Heart Disease Proof?
- Dr Esselstyn's strict Whole Food Plant-Based dietary guidelines
What do other Whole Food Plant-Based luminaries say about smoothies and juices?
"Leafy greens are the best vegetables!" — Dr Greger. More info:
How to eat leafy greens?
- Leafy Green Recipes
- Leafy Green Recipes by Esselstyn Family. We can find many more recipes by Whole Food Plant-Based luminaries here: Top Notch Recipes (WFPB).
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