We all live incredibly busy lives now, and I am sure you would agree with me when I say, that sometimes preparing a meal is just TOO MUCH!
Sure, a freshly cooked meal is awesome, but with such busy lives, who has the time for that these days?
So, is it possible to live off of smoothies instead?
Since many people do detoxes and smoothie diets, you’d think you can. But, is this viable?
Let’s find out!
Can You Live Off Smoothies?
If your smoothies were very nutrient-dense, complex, and packed in all you needed with accurate proteins, then perhaps.
Should you make smoothies with your body’s nutritional requirements in mind, then you could probably live off of smoothies forever. However, this is not the most ideal way to live.
While smoothies, with the right ingredients, could be enough to sustain you, your body would react to this.
To get enough nutrition though, you would have to be very careful with what you put into your smoothies.
This means you would have to measure everything very carefully.
Some people say that they would consider this option due to lacking an appetite and eating for sustenance.
Yet, you would also have to consider that you would spend a lot of time measuring foods and nutrition.
What Happens If I Only Eat Smoothies?
If you only consume smoothies, you may lose weight, however, there is no guarantee that this would be permanent weight loss.
Additionally, you can expect diarrhea too.
Should you not consider the specifics of what should be in your smoothies and thus your diet, weight loss, and diet may become unbalanced.
While smoothies are great, and if made right they can be very healthful, but they have no solid substance to them.
For this reason, it is unlikely that your bowel movements will be very solid, and they will pass through you faster.
This means that you would find yourself needing to use the bathroom regularly and that your bowel movements would primarily be more on the liquid side of the spectrum as your diet would be liquid heavy.
This should be considered as a part of the concept of indulging in a smoothie-only diet.
Does A Smoothie Count As A Meal?
Smoothies may count as a meal depending on what is in them. If a smoothie is well-balanced and contains all that is required to mimic a typical meal then it could be a meal.
This means that a smoothie would need to contain the correct amounts of fiber, fats, protein, and carbohydrates to be balanced as stated by harvard.edu.
If your smoothie contains adequate amounts of all of these, then it could be considered a meal.
Yet, if you only have fruit, vegetables, and ice with water in a smoothie then this is not a meal.
Meal replacement smoothies are made to be able to replace meals, but not all smoothies fall into this category.
Drinking Only Smoothies For 3 Days: Here’s What Happened To Me
I decided to take on the test of what happens when you only drink smoothies for 3 days and saw results in my hunger, speed of eating, and cravings.
The first notable reaction I had was that I didn’t feel hungry. Yet, I made sure to include adequate amounts of fiber and protein in my smoothies which helped this.
My food cravings decreased, I was not thinking about snacks or what would be for dinner, so I had more focus throughout the day.
Many of my smoothies were thick, being heavy in leafy greens and protein to get all I needed nutritionally.
Being so thick meant that I was consuming the smoothies slower. I was not eating as fast which helped me feel full longer and quicker. I was not guzzling my food.
That being said, I did see changes in my bowel movements and toilet activity. After a while, this was not too problematic, but it was a change.
Each smoothie was fairly large, meaning that my smoothies lasted longer than a meal would usually last me.
I felt great, and energized, with no tiredness or lethargy (probably because of a decrease in processed sugar in my diet). From this, I suffered no indigestion after my meals.
I would recommend that anyone who tries this does what I did and carefully measures out what they need to meet their nutritional needs first and foremost.
If your nutritional needs are met then the only real downside is a change in your bathroom habits.
Can You Live Off Smoothies: Frequently Asked Questions
Is 3 Smoothies A Day Too Much?
3 smoothies per day is not too much as long as you include the correct nutrition and also balance out any meals you eat alongside the smoothies with what you are already consuming.
Can A Smoothie Be All Of Your 5 A Day?
A smoothie can be all of your 5 a day if you include the right ingredients; however, it is best to include some solid foods in your diet, whether as part of your 5-a-day or otherwise.
What Are The Side Effects of Drinking Too Many Smoothies?
Drinking too many smoothies can result in diarrhea simply due to the lack of substance in your bodily waste. Bowel movements are more likely to be fluid than solid, as you are not providing any solids to be broken down.
Do Smoothies Count As Water Intake?
If you use plenty of watery fruit and liquid base for you smoothies, then yes, smoothies can count as water intake.
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