I have been looking into juicing and green smoothies. There seems to be a significant amount of calories in the green smoothies. The juice book did not contain the calorie amount. Is it safe to substitute two meals a day with either the juice or green smoothie? –Tina M.
Your safety is secure as long as your digestive system has adjusted to that volume and you replace (or come close to replacing) calories and nutrients you’d otherwise eat in a meal. When replacing a whole meal that’s normally 500 calories or more, you’ll need a decent amount of energy in a drink (of any kind) to prevent your appetite from leading you astray.
What we worry about when it comes to calories in a smoothie or juice is the amount that come from sugar, rather than energy-sustaining complex carbohydrates. One way to assure a lower sugar (and nutrient-rich) blend is to incorporate a ratio of 3 vegetables to 1 fruit. Also, consider adding plain Greek yogurt, ground flax, chia seeds, rolled oats or avocado for a satisfying smoothie.
Read our article on juicing by clicking HERE.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
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Are there any specific smoothie combinations you recommend when it comes to substituting for a meal?
My suggestion for the morning time or even for dinner on a occasion, to take a high in protein butter such as Almond butter or eight organic peanut butter with no sugar added to it that is creamy, in combination with unsweetened almond milk or vanilla soymilk, for nonfat milk for those who still prefer organic dairy. Add some ripe banana, bright green apples and a dash of cinnamon to your taste, but that last one is optional. Make sure to freeze the fruit-The bananas and the apples to ensure that your smoothie will taste better and be refreshing temperature. If you really want to give it extra protein and good slow carbs, you can add raw or cooked rolled oats for a meal like consistency. With leave you satisfied for atleast 3 hours or more. Give it a try….
When I juice veggies how long will it hold its nutritional value? I heard every 24 hours it looses 1/2 of its value. Is this true? Can I juice the night before and consume in the morning without loosing value?