If you’re looking for a gentle reset after all the holiday celebrations, this 3-day smoothie cleanse is the perfect thing that you and your body need. This smoothie cleanse is meant to give your body a break from having to digest heavy and unhealthy foods and detox your body. After just 3 days of doing this, you’ll likely notice an increase in your energy, better sleep, and improved digestion.
For this gentle smoothie cleanse, here’s what I would recommend:
- 1. Replace 2 of your meals with green smoothies that follow the guidelines below
- 2. Eat 1 meal that consists of whole foods – this meal should include lots of veggies and at least 1 serving of lean protein (poultry, fish, or plant-based)
- 3. Eat 1 whole-food snack such as raw vegetables, fresh fruit, or nuts
That’s it! By keeping things simple, you’re more likely to follow through with it for at least 3 days. For best results, continue this cleanse for 21 days and then gradually add back in more whole-food meals.
Now let’s talk about the smoothies!
These smoothie recipes are meant to be filling, but you might be significantly reducing the number of calories that your body is used to. While this cleanse may encourage some weight loss, it’s not meant to starve you. If these recipes are leaving you feeling hungry, go ahead and add some additional healthy complex carbs like oats, sweet potatoes, or brown rice. The purpose of this “cleanse” is to give you the most amount of nutrients possible over the course of 3 days to optimize your body’s natural detoxification mechanisms and get your body back on track.
Also Read: 7 Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Optimum Wellness
Your blender will determine how smooth your smoothies are. All of these recipes assume that you have a Vitamix with the blending power of 2.2 horses. There’s really nothing on the market like a Vitamix but any high-powered blender may do the job just fine.
The recipes below make 3 servings or a total of 6 cups each which is meant to last all day. I would recommend blending in the morning, drinking your breakfast smoothie right away, and storing the other 2 servings in an air-tight container. These green pint-sized jars are my favorite!
This is a cleanse which typically tends to be lower in calories than your normal eating style. Since you’ll be decreasing your calories and asking your body to do some deep cleaning, I’d recommend avoiding any high-intensity activity for a few days. But some movement will help your body clean! Make sure to incorporate some light, low-impact activity such as walking, light bike riding, or yoga.
Also Read: 15 Ways to Reset, Renew and Reinvent Yourself
In addition to the 2 smoothies, meals, and snacks each day, I’d encourage you to drink plenty of water and herbal tea. If you find yourself hungry throughout the day, please enjoy another light snack consisting of fruits, vegetables, and/or nuts.
General Formula
This is what I am aiming for when creating my own smoothies.
- 1. 1 cup of liquid per serving
- 2. 1 cup dark leafy greens
- 3. 1-2 servings of fruit
- 4. 1 serving healthy fats (nuts, seeds, nut butter, coconut or avocado)
- 5. A natural sweetener (honey, stevia, monk fruit, maple syrup, or coconut sugar)
- 6. As many nutritional boosts as you’d like (bee pollen, adaptogenic herbs, spirulina, etc.)
Here are 3 green smoothie recipes that I LOVE and use in my own 3-day smoothie cleanse. Feel free to use these or come up with your own using the general formula above.
Smoothie 1: Peanut Butter & Berries Green Smoothie
1 cup non-dairy milk- 1 tsp organic vanilla extract
- 1 cup spinach or kale
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh berries
- 1/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 2 TBSP raw cocoa powder
- 2 tsp powdered peanut butter (or 1 TBSP natural peanut butter)
- 1 tsp natural sweetener (stevia, monk fruit, pure maple syrup, or honey)
Smoothie 2: Cherry Cordial Green Smoothie
1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt (I love Forage Farms Cashew Milk Yogurt)- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 cup spinach or kale
- 1 tsp Tart Cherry Extract
- ½ cup frozen cherries
- 2 TBSP raw cocoa powder or cocoa nibs
- 2 scoops collagen peptides
- 1 tsp natural sweetener (stevia, monk fruit, pure maple syrup, or honey)
Smoothie 3: Tropical Green Smoothie
1 cup non-dairy milk- 1 tablespoon olive, avocado, or coconut oil
- 1 head of romaine lettuce
- ½ cup kale or baby spinach
- ½ banana
- ½ cup frozen (or fresh) peaches
- ½ cup strawberries (frozen or fresh)
- 1 tsp bee pollen
Use these awesome recipes in your “3-day smoothie cleanse” to detox your body and get it up to the optimum level.
