Using Smoothies and Juices for a Healthy Diet and Weight Loss

With millions of people in the world suffering from life threatening diseases such as Type II diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc., finding ways to prevent these diseases is becoming more and more important. Based on extensive clinical studies and research, most of these diseases can be prevented and even reversed with lifestyle modifications. Some of the most common lifestyle choices that contribute to these diseases are poor diet/nutrition, lack of exercise and excessive smoking and alcohol consumption.

In this article, we are going to focus on poor diet and nutrition and what modifications you can make to help prevent or reverse such diseases.

Americanized diet is full of fats, salts and sugars. All of these substances are highly addictive and very damaging to our bodies, especially if consumed in excess. Recent research indicates that most animal based products create an inflammatory response in our body, hence increasing risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, etc. Based on this data, it would be safe to assume that eliminating or at least reducing consumption of animal based products, such as meats and dairy products would be a smart choice. Research also demonstrates that you can get all of the necessary essential nutrients in the plant based diet if you plan your meals.

There are thousands of healthy and nutritious vegan options out there. Some of the easiest and quickest vegan recipes that will allow you to eat a healthy, low calorie and delicious meal full off essential nutrients are smoothie and juice recipes. One of the best things about smoothies and juices is the ease of preparation. You don’t have to be a good cook. Anyone can make a smoothie or a juice in a matter of minutes. You can add protein powders, flaxseed, chia seeds, etc. to add protein, fats and other nutrients to make your smoothies and juices even more nutritious.

There are many juice and smoothie diets out there, but they are very difficult to follow long term and may not be the best option for most people. It is best to use a smoothie or a juice as one meal or snack per day. Consuming one nutritious smoothie or juice per day can allow you to consume all the recommended amounts of vegetables and fruits. It is especially beneficial to those people that do not like their veggies and fruits. It is much easier to consume them in the form of a delicious smoothie or juice. It is important to note that even a smoothie can be made unhealthy. Make sure to use non-dairy milk like almond milk, soy milk or coconut or water to keep your smoothies low calorie, healthy and full of nutrients. Another useful tip is to incorporate super foods in your recipes. Not all smoothie and juices are created equal. Make sure to use good recipes. Check out a couple of books on Amazon with great healthy recipes written by Brandon Trowbridge. Smoothie Recipes: Detox, Cleanse and Lose Weight and Juicing Recipes for Healthy Living.