A Very Green Mouth

It was never a struggle to get me to eat my vegetables. While my sister sat at the kitchen table for hours on end because she couldn’t get up until she finished her vegetables, I was sneaking in and eating them for her. So, when it comes to adding anything green to my plate, I’m totally game. This same sister who refused anything green for my entire childhood introduced me to a local organic cafe.

Greenmouth Juice Bar and Cafe offers completely organic products that come strictly from local farmers when available. The menu includes smoothies, smoothie bowls, juices, lemonades, coffees, teas, and tons of drinks. Greenmouth will customize anything they can to fit your needs and offer tons of good eats as well, including salads, hummus, soup, sandwiches, and options for kids.

When I went to Greenmouth for the first time, I was like a little kid in the candy store. The decor was so homey and earthy, and the workers made me feel comfortable even as a first timer. I got the “Fat Blast” Superfood Smoothie, which consisted of greens, bananas, berries, almonds, flax seeds, coconut oil and green tea. It had a very nutty taste from the almonds which I loved. It was a small mid morning meal that kept me full for a few hours before it was time for lunch.

Greenmouth’s website explains the benefits of juicing. It explains how when food is being digested, there is residue left over in the stomach, and it is important to maintain a balance between acid and alkaline in the stomach (about 80% alkaline, 20% acid) to prevent diseases. By adding fruit and vegetable juices to your diet, you are getting the recommended nutrients to maintain this balance in just on 16 ounce cup.

We have all heard the horrors of GMOs in our food. Many pesticides and insecticides and other chemicals used on the food we eat every day are carcinogenic. Having organic food available in quick and convenient cafes like Greenmouth gets us one step closer to lessening the amount of these chemicals get into our bodies every day.

Not to mention, having Greenmouth support local farmers by using their products whenever they are available help consumers actually know where the food they are eating came from for a change! Once our food gets on the table, it has normally been shipped and stored many times in many different places. Chemicals are added to it to preserve it during this process. Supporting the local food systems helps the economy thrive and in turn increases the availability of these safe and nutritious food choices.

Organic foods have been a recent trend throughout America, with the market growing 11.3% from 2013 to 2014. In 2015, organic foods made up 5% of the total food market. With all our access to the cheap, convenient foods around us all the time, it’s hard to make the best choices all the time, but taking baby steps are a good place to start. Kudos to Greenmouth and the other organic cafes for showing us we have access to the good stuff!