Smoothies are an increasingly popular wellness trend and are frequently marketed as a health food.
In addition, they are drinks that, thanks to the ingredients with which they are prepared.
Mostly fruits, open up some spectacular photos to share on your social networks and flaunt your ‘healthy’ lifestyle.
These versatile drinks can be taken with you anywhere, they are suitable for families and can be modified to any taste or preference according to your nutrition plan or the diet you follow.
Shakes are easy to make, but you can also get them fresh or bottled at coffee shops, supermarkets, and most major grocery stores.
While some types of smoothies are loaded with vegetables and fruits, others contain sugar and other unhealthy ingredients.
As such, you might wonder if they are a healthy option.
The 21-Day Shake Diet is a weight loss plan promoted as an easy and effective alternative to fad diets.
In fact, the creator of the plan claims that the diet is associated with a long list of benefits and can help improve sleep, keep skin glowing, boost energy levels, and boost weight loss almost instantly.
However, there are several serious drawbacks associated with this program, and it can do more harm than good in the long run when it comes to your health.
As part of a balanced diet, shakes can help you lose weight.
But the ingredients, portion sizes and overall eating plan will make all the difference.
However, a diet consisting primarily of shakes may not work for everyone as a solution for long-term weight loss success.
What is the 21-Day Shake Diet?
The diet was created by nutrition coach Drew Sgoutas, who suggests in his e-book that you should make two of your three main meals of the day with fruit and vegetable smoothies.
The book contains 36 smoothie recipes, shopping lists, and a three-week schedule detailing which smoothies to make each day.
The eBook also offers a “detox” plan with recipes and instructions for replacing three meals a day with shakes for a total of three days.
The 21-Day Shake Diet advises eating normally (but still “healthy”) one day a week and includes a list of recommended foods for that day.
The diet’s creator, Sgoutas, suggests repeating the 21-day cycle each time you want to lose weight, but there is limited research to suggest that a shake diet is an effective method of losing weight.
Sgoutas also claims that the diet can boost weight loss.
In fact, some testimonials displayed on the website claim that the plan led to a weight loss of up to 9 pounds (4 kg) in just 3 days.
In the short term, followers of this diet can lose weight.
But to achieve this, they may need to follow the diet beyond the 21-day period, which is not a healthy long-term solution, as it means that important food groups that contain vital nutrients are still restricted.
What Can You Eat?
On the 21-Day Shake Diet, followers will need to prepare and drink two shakes a day as meal replacements.
The smoothie ingredients vary, focusing on lots of fruits and vegetables with some protein and healthy fats.
The book offers guidance on the one solid food meal followers should eat each day (including recommendations on what to eat and some “whole food” recipes), as well as suggestions for low-sugar, high-fiber foods, snacks, and more. others.
You are also allowed to eat normally one day a week, as long as the meals follow the recommendations in the e-book.
If you’re replacing a meal with a shake, make sure it contains all the essential macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
You may consider consulting with a nutritionist or registered dietitian for further guidance.
Although they may suggest that you avoid a shake-based diet and try other, healthier strategies.
Foods You Can Eat on the 21-Day Shake Diet
Most of the smoothie recipes included in the 3-week program consist of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, mixed with coconut milk, coconut water, or almond milk.
Additionally, the plan emphasizes whole and minimally processed foods for your remaining meals and snacks while on the diet.
Some specific examples of foods that are recommended on the 21-Day Shake Diet:
- Fruits: bananas, pears, apples, oranges, pineapples, raspberries, strawberries
- Vegetables: spinach, kale, cauliflower, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli
- Protein foods: chicken, turkey, salmon, eggs, legumes, Greek yogurt
- Whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, oats, buckwheat, popcorn
- Nuts and Seeds: flaxseed, almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, nut butte
- Beverages: almond milk, coconut milk, coconut water
- Herbs and Spices: vanilla extract, fresh ginger, parsley, mint, cinnamon
- Other Ingredients: Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, Unsweetened Coconut Flakes, Vanilla Extract, Granola, Honey
Foods to Avoid on the 21-Day Shake Diet
On this diet, you should limit the consumption of sugary drinks and processed foods, including processed meat, refined grains, and fried foods.
Here are some examples of foods to limit or avoid while following the diet:
- 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 fingers
- Processed foods: ready meals, cookies, chips, pre-baked goods
- Sugary drinks: sodas, sweet tea, sports drinks, energy drinks
Is the Shake Diet a Healthy Option?
In general, fruit smoothies usually contain carbohydrate calories and a small amount of fat.
But to provide a complete meal, they also need a good source of lean protein.
Protein helps build muscle, which is necessary to maintain a healthy metabolism.
A diet that consists mostly of shakes probably won’t meet your daily protein intake.
Shake diets like the 21-Day Shake Diet are popular.
But you’ll also find similarities between this diet and other short-term, low-calorie meal replacement diets.
Keep in mind that these diets do not follow expert advice on healthy eating plans.
The Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages while staying within the recommended limit of 2,000 calories per day for weight control.
To lose weight, it is recommended to maintain a hypocaloric diet.
While Sgoutas recommends about 1,500 calories per day in his eBook, the shake recipes log much less than that.
So it‘s hard to hit the 1,500-calorie goal without overindulging in the one daily meal of solid foods.
Creating a calorie deficit is often the best way to successfully and sustainably lose weight.
But a healthy daily calorie goal is different for everyone, due to factors like age, gender, weight, and activity level.
Remember that a healthy lifestyle not only entails a good diet that includes all the necessary macronutrients and micronutrients.
This must always be accompanied by physical exercise three to four times a week in order to achieve the goal.
Thanks for Reading.