It’s no secret that juice cleanses aren’t necessarily our BFF, but there’s one cleanse (relax, it’s just three days) that we will easily get onboard with — the smoothie cleanse. Heartier and more fulfilling than its touted counterpart, this cleanse is just as virtuous and it doesn’t feel like punishment, but rather a tasty absolving of a diet gone astray. Plus, smoothies make us feel like we’re sipping on milkshakes, and that’s never a bad thing. Lucky for us, nutritionist Mikaela Reuben has shared her three day smoothie cleanse, guaranteed to help us get back on track when we’ve totally detoured (there are just so many rooftops and rosé calling our name right now). Check out her awesome cleanse, and try to remember, you can do anything for three days…
Reading: three day detox smoothies
Why do a three day green smoothie cleanse? To give the body a chance to restore, and to provide an ample amount of nutrients to the body when doing so.
Choose four to six smoothies a day. Drink smoothies when you need to but do not mindlessly sip on them all day – just when you are feeling hungry. The goal of this is not to starve yourself. If you find you are hungry but you have already had three smoothies that were rich in hemp hearts, nuts or other types of fat, follow that with one or two smoothies that contain mostly greens, a little fruit, and fiber. Again, the goal is not to starve, so make sure you are getting enough calories in your smoothies and checking in with yourself every ninety minutes to see how you are feeling.
A couple of things to note…
You will possibly experience some physical and emotional detox. Potentially a bit of tiredness, a lack of energy, and some cravings. These will then lead to many very positive results.
Focus on organic ingredients.
Store your smoothies in glass bottles if transporting.
Do not get overwhelmed with recipes. It is more important to consume the green smoothies than to quit, so figure out your own personal routine. You can literally start with water and spinach and add any other ingredients of your choice. The cleanse is short enough that you will be okay if the smoothies are not all highly crafted and perfectly balanced. Do your best.
Variety is a good idea. Try to switch your greens, and your smoothies so that you are being exposed to many different nutrients. If you have hemp hearts as a protein source in a morning smoothie, try choosing a nut in the afternoon.
Eat foods high in fiber for digestion.
Limit foods that spike blood sugars.
Use whole foods rather than refined foods.
Include some form of protein with each smoothie. Protein is contained in hemp seeds, cashews, chia, almonds, frozen peas, and spirulina.
Add in some type of healthy fat with each smoothie, either essential fatty acids or monosaturated fats. Examples of healthy fats for smoothies: Raw almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, avocado, cashews and chia.
Consume lots of foods high in antioxidants.
Tips for a Smoothie Cleanse
Even though the smoothie is blended, it is still wise to consume them slowly.
Chewing is still required in order to promote digestive enzymes and therefore should not be skipped.
Stay hydrated and drink lots of water in between smoothies. Drinking water will help with detoxification. A minimum of two liters per day is recommended. Try not to consume water during smoothie times as this can dilute the strength of the digestive enzymes.
Besides an occasional cup of herbal tea, restrict all other beverages except water.
NUTRITIONAL INFO OF INGREDIENTS
Herbs & Vegetables
Cilantro can help improve digestion of fat.
Parsley is extremely rich in a large number of nutrients. It is a great source of vitamin C, folic acid and iron. Also contains chlorophyll.
Avocado is an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, as well as potassium, vitamin E, B vitamins and fiber.
Fennel is rich in vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber.
Celery contains calcium and Vitamin B2.
Dandelion Greens are good liver cleansing green. Is high in calcium, antioxidants and iron.
Kale is rich in fiber and many minerals and vitamins, including B vitamins and vitamin C. Kale is among the most highly nutritious vegetables.
Spinach is rich in vitamin K and folic acid.
Fruits
Granny Smith Apples are high in vitamin C and fiber. Can help the body eliminate waste.
Mango are an excellent source of carotenes!
Pineapple is rich in enzymes that not only aid digestion, but also can effectively reduce inflammation.
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and can be soothing to the gastrointestinal tract.
Read more: What sugar should i use to make milk tea
Lime is an excellent source of vitamin C and contains several important antioxidants.
Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C. They may also be used to aid in digestion and liver cleansing.
Superfoods/Nuts & Seeds
Maca powder provides support to the endocrine system to maintain healthy hormones.
Camu Camu is unbelievably high in vitamin C as well as a number of other important nutrients.
Chia Seeds are rich with dietary fiber and are an excellent source of healthy essential fatty acids.
Spirulina is very high in iron and is also a good source of many B vitamins. Spirulina is also recognized for its high protein content.
Bee pollen has a complete protein content and also provides B vitamins, vitamin C, carotenes, and minerals.
Hemp seeds are an easily digested complete protein source rich with essential fatty acids.
Brazil Nuts are a rich source of selenium!
Almonds are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats and protein, as well as vitamin E.
Cashew Nuts are a great source of monounsaturated fats. They also contain lots of minerals and are relatively high in protein.
SMOOTHIE IDEAS
Green Ginger Smoothie
1 cup spinach
½ cup kale
1 tbsp lime juice
1 inch ginger, peeled & roughly chopped
4 inches english cucumber
1/2 green apple
1 tbsp chia
½ cup water
Strawberry Mint Breakfast Smoothie
1 cup frozen peas
¼ soaked cashews
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
2/3 cup water
6 big mint leaves
1 cup spinach
1 tbsp lemon juice
Blend well. Add more strawberry if desired
Cream Dream
1/3 avocado
1 cup spinach
3 brazil nuts
1/3 cup pink grapefruit
3 tbsp hemp hearts
Read more: How long for sun tea to brew
2/3 cup coconut water
1/3 cup chopped mango
1/3 cup fresh raspberries
1 inch peeled ginger
Cut rind and pith off of grapefruit- if you don’t like bitter flavors, do not add grapefruit
Rise and Shine
1 full orange – no peel
1 tbsp lime juice
½ cup Kale
1 cup Spinach
½ avocado
1 tbsp Spirulina
Bee Pollen
½ cup water
A few strawberries
Green Protein
3 Brazil Nuts
3 tbsp Hemp Heart
3 handful Spinach
1 Banana
1 tbsp Spirulina
1 cup water
½ green apple
½ tsp lemon zest
½ tbsp coconut butter – optional
Savory Green Smoothie (For the gazpacho lovers)
1 cup diced tomato
¼ red pepper
½ avocado
1 tbsp chopped red onion
1 cup spinach
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp pepper
⅛ or ¼ tsp sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil – add last
Handful of ice if you want it colder
*Photographed by Alli Shepherd. Get more tips from Mikaela here.
Feel like doing a longer cleanse? Read Mikaela’s spring detox cleanse. Also get her tips on how to lose weight fast.
Read more: How long to steep tea bags for kombucha
