Green Smoothies Diet

The Green Smoothies Diet is written by Robyn Openshaw, a nutrition enthusiast and health educator.

In this book Openshaw explains the benefits of green smoothies and provides information to help you incorporate them into your life so as to lose weight and achieve a variety of positive health outcomes.

Green Smoothie Diet Basics

Green smoothies generally involve a combination of fruit and green vegetables combined together in a blender to create a nourishing drink. Greens are highlighted as being some of the most nutritious foods and green smoothies provide a way for dieters to increase their intake of greens in a way that is simple and delicious.

Blending greens also has another benefit because the blending process breaks down the cell walls of the plant, which makes the nutrition contained in the greens easy to digest and absorb. It is possible to make green smoothies with a regular household blender, however, for best results a high powered blender is recommended. This will not only last for much longer but also does a better job of releasing the nutrients from greens, especially tougher greens such as kale and broccoli.

Smoothies are also preferable to juicing because they retain all of the fiber in the plant as well as requiring minimal cleanup. A high intake of fiber can help to balance blood sugar and cholesterol levels and may reduce the risk of heart disease and colon cancer.

Dieters are encouraged to include a quart of green smoothies in the diet each day, however you can take time to slowly increase your intake. This amount will provide fifteen servings of fruit and vegetables daily.

Three separate plans are provided in the Green Smoothies Diet so as to suit the needs of the individual. These include a three-day green smoothie fast, a thirty-day fat-burner cleanse and a green smoothie for life plan for a permanent lifestyle change.

Recommended Foods

Fruit, leafy green vegetables, root vegetables, herbs, sea vegetables, sprouts, avocado, @bee pollen@, brewer’s yeast, @chia seed@, @raw chocolate@, coconut, flaxseed oil, @goji berries@, wheat germ, yogurt, stevia, honey, maple syrup.

Sample Diet Plan

Breakfast Green smoothie

Morning Snack Fresh blueberries and mango

Lunch Green smoothie

Afternoon Snack ¼ cup raw almonds Raw vegetable crudités

Dinner Baked potato Large salad with avocado

Exercise Recommendations

Does not include exercise advice.

Costs and Expenses

The Green Smoothies Diet retails at $14.95.

Available from Amazon →

It is also recommended to purchase a high-powered blender such as a Vita Mix or BlendTec, which costs approximately $400.

Pros

• A quart of green smoothies a day provides a daily intake of fifteen serves of fruit and vegetables.
• Provides an alternative way to consume greens for those who don’t enjoy eating salads or steamed vegetables.
• Many dieters have reported a wide range of health benefits when consuming green smoothies regularly.
• Simple to follow and meal preparation is very fast.
• Provides a very high intake of dietary fiber.
• Explains the flavor and health benefits of a variety of different greens.
• Includes tips for buying and storing greens and fruit.
• Includes recipes.

Cons

• Requires a major adjustment in the diet and the elimination of many foods.
• Some dieters may experience uncomfortable detox symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and joint pain when first adjusting to the diet.
• May not be suitable for dieters with diabetes, hypoglycemia and Candida.
• Does not provide recipes or suggestions of exactly what to eat apart from green smoothies.
• Advocates a raw vegan diet that may be deficient in certain vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc and selenium.
• Does not encourage exercise.

Conclusions

Green smoothies provide a simple and enjoyable way to increase the intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, which are a vital element in any diet plan that is aimed at both weight loss and health improvements. Consuming a quart of green smoothies daily is an easy way to boost nutritional intake while at the same time reducing the intake of calories and fat and avoiding hunger.

Dieters will most likely lose weight using the Green Smoothies Diet due to the reduction of calories, however, it is important that the rest of the diet is carefully balanced in order to avoid deficiencies of important nutrients including protein, minerals and essential fats.