Tasty and Simple Smoothie Recipes for Quick Weight Loss, Boosted Energy, and Optimal Health!
The 21-Day Smoothie Diet is a weight loss plan that says it’s a simple and effective way to lose weight without following trendy diets. The person who created the plan claims it has many benefits, like better sleep, glowing skin, more energy, and quick weight loss.
But, there are some problems with this diet that could actually be bad for your health in the long run. This article will explore the 21-Day Smoothie Diet, how it works, and the potential risks and side effects it might have.
What is it?
The 21-Day Smoothie Diet is a weight loss plan created by health coach Drew Sgoutas.
Here’s how it works: You replace two of your daily meals with smoothies. The details of the program are explained in an online e-book called “The Smoothie Diet,” which costs $47. And you’ll get $20 off (limited time offer).
The e-book has 36 smoothie recipes, meal and snack ideas, shopping lists, weekly schedules, and tips for making the smoothies and keeping the weight off for the long term.
According to Sgoutas, following this 3-week diet can encourage healthy eating, boost the immune system, cleanse the body, improve skin and gut health, and increase energy levels.
Sgoutas also says the diet can help you lose weight. Some people mentioned in testimonials on the website claim to have lost up to 9 pounds (4 kg) in just 3 days by following the plan.
Foods to Eat and Avoid
The 21-Day Smoothie Diet suggests eating healthy, nutrient-packed foods like fruits and veggies, while avoiding processed stuff.
Good Foods:
Most smoothie recipes in the 3-week plan include fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds with coconut milk, coconut water, or almond milk. The rest of your meals should focus on whole, less processed foods.
Some examples of encouraged foods:
- Fruits: bananas, pears, apples, oranges, pineapples, raspberries, strawberries
- Veggies: spinach, kale, cauliflower, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli
- Protein: chicken, turkey, salmon, eggs, legumes, Greek yogurt
- Whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, oats, buckwheat, popcorn
- Nuts and seeds: flaxseed, almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, nut butter
- Drinks: almond milk, coconut milk, coconut water
- Herbs and spices: vanilla extract, fresh ginger, parsley, mint, cinnamon
- Other: unsweetened cocoa powder, unsweetened coconut flakes, vanilla extract, granola, honey
Click Here To Access 21-Day Smoothie Diet Plan Website
Foods to Avoid:
During the 21-Day Smoothie Diet, cut back on sugary drinks and processed foods like processed meat, white bread, and fried stuff.
Examples of things to avoid or limit:
- Processed meat: bacon, ham, pepperoni, cold cuts, salami
- Refined grains: white rice, white pasta, white bread, tortillas
- Fried foods: French fries, mozzarella sticks, donuts, fried chicken, fish sticks
- Processed foods: convenience meals, cookies, chips, pretzels, baked goods
- Sugary drinks: soda, sweet tea, sports drinks, energy drinks
Does it help with losing weight?
The person who made the 21-Day Smoothie Diet says that by following the plan, you’ll be eating about 1,500 calories each day.
For many people, eating 1,500 calories a day can lead to weight loss, but this can be different for everyone based on factors like age, body size, health, and how active you are.
The diet suggests eating nutrient-packed foods like fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds, which are high in fiber. Fiber moves through your body slowly and can help you feel full for a longer time, which might support weight loss.
However, even though the diet is low in calories and has lots of fiber, it’s also pretty strict and might be hard to stick to. Some studies say that liquids, like smoothies, might not make you feel as full as solid foods, so you might end up feeling more hungry if you mostly drink smoothies each day.
Also, research shows that weight loss plans using meal replacements, like smoothies, could have a higher chance of people gaining back weight once they go back to a regular diet.
So, while having smoothies for some meals might help you lose weight quickly, it might not be a long-term solution.
Blackberry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh blackberries (6 ounces)
- ½ medium banana
- ½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
Directions
- Combine blackberries, banana, yogurt, honey, lemon juice and ginger in a blender. Cover and process until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Strawberry-Banana Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup hulled strawberries, fresh or frozen
- ½ medium banana
- ½ cup diced mango, fresh or frozen
- ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon natural nut butter, such as cashew or almond
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (flaxmeal)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ice cubes or 1/2 cup water
Directions
- Combine strawberries, banana, mango, yogurt, nut butter, flaxmeal, vanilla and ice cubes (or water) in a blender. Puree until smooth.
Anti-Inflammatory Beet Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 (8.8-ounce) package refrigerated cooked beets (such as Love Beets)
- 1 medium banana, peeled
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Directions
- Combine strawberries, blueberries, orange juice, beets, banana, carrot and ginger in a blender; process until combined, about 30 seconds. Divide between 2 glasses. Serve immediately.
Conclusion
The 21-Day Smoothie Diet is a 3-week plan where you replace some meals with smoothies to lose weight. While it suggests using healthy ingredients, the diet is strict, hard to stick to, and has very few calories and protein. This can lead to not getting enough nutrients and other problems.
The diet isn’t supported by research, and it has a lot of carbs and sugar, which might not be good for people with diabetes.
Instead of trying different trendy diets, it’s better to combine a balanced, healthy diet with a good lifestyle for lasting results. This is better for managing weight and overall health in the long run, and it’s also easier, more doable, and works well.
