It seems the chatter of cleanses is everywhere. With so many available today, it can be tough to tell which option is beneficial to the body and mind and will provide valid results. In order to know if smoothie cleanses are a safe, healthy, and effective option, we need to examine them carefully. On the surface, "smoothie cleanse” certainly sounds healthy. Besides, everyone says it helps boost energy and lose inches, right? But do they all?

Is a Smoothie Cleanse Healthy?

Don’t let the fruits and veggies fool you. Not all smoothies are created equal. Your typical smoothie cleanse is loaded with sugar and that abundance of sugar can send your cells into disarray. One cleanse in particular contains up to 50 grams of sugar from fruit per drink. Their plan’s daily recommendation is six drinks per day to see results. A quick calculation tells me this doesn’t sound like it will do much to help you cleanse and reset or lose weight.

Sugar can do a tremendous amount of damage to your body. More often than not, a smoothie won’t have the cleansing or healing power you are led to believe. In fact, you can pretty much expect the opposite. Here’s how it works: sugar is consumed, then reacts with fats or proteins in your body. They end up forming advanced glycation end products, or AGEs. AGEs are destructive compounds and are responsible for causing inflammation throughout your body and can stiffen your tissues. Studies have found that AGEs can be linked to an overwhelming number of health issues, including:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Premature aging of the skin, including wrinkles
• Diabetes
• Considerable increase in the risk of cancer and metastasis

A smoothie cleanse high in sugar content may also shorten your telomeres; the tips found on the ends of our chromosomes. What does this mean for you? Simply put, the shorter the telomeres, the more susceptible your body will be to various diseases. Shorter telomeres are also linked to your body aging more rapidly. The smoothie cleanse from your favorite shop just became your body’s worst nightmare, didn’t it? The lesson to be learned here? Beware of any high sugar content smoothie cleanse claiming to be something it’s not. They’ll wreak havoc on your body instead of rejuvenating it.

Why My Smoothie Cleanse IS Healthy for You

My original goal was to create a fast-acting cleanse for myself. One that was healthy and rich in the essentials I needed to heal my body at a time when it was failing. What I walked away with was a five-day cleanse and reset that gave me back my physical and mental health, energy, and radiance. I needed to reset my body. I carefully selected foods that would not only cleanse and reset my cells but charge them back up so I could feel like me again. By removing the excess sugar and processed foods from my diet, I gave my unhappy gut some time off from the abuse it was taking. I loaded up on the right smoothies, juices, and soups with:

• Greens rich in phytonutrients
• Collagen and bone broth, for their abundance of nutrients
• Clean protein
• A variety of healthy fats

I restored all that my body had been deprived of and felt revitalized.

Can a Smoothie Cleanse Help You Lose Weight?

Just because it calls itself a fruit smoothie cleanse doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you. If it’s loaded with some serious sugar, it’s not going to heal your body. It’s just that simple. Do I even need to mention the pounds you’ll be adding on with all that sugar? On my cleanse and reset, I allow a limited amount of sugar and encourage clean protein. You won’t have to worry about gaining weight instead of shedding it. I even provide you with lists of “yes” foods, satisfying recipes, and a smoothie cleanse plan that genuinely helps you burn fat and slim down. 

A Better way to Smoothie Cleanse

If you've tried smoothie cleanses with little to less-than-stellar results, I hope this has shed light on why. Instead of loading your body with so much sugar, my smoothie cleanse combines phytonutrients from greens, healthy fats, and clean protein from your favorites and mine - collagen and bone broth. Together they provide protection, removal of toxins, healing, and more.

What Can You Eat on a Smoothie Cleanse?

A smoothie cleanse that is truly beneficial and will help cleanse and reset your body should be loaded with:

• Soups with a bone broth base:

• Provides your body with amino acids
• Fights inflammation, starting with your gut to combat illness and disease throughout your body
• Restores, heals, and repairs
• Rich in glycine

• Hydrolyzed collagen:

• The structural protein that is the “glue” to hold it all together
• Provides a healthy glow and returns skin’s firmness
• Replenishes hair and nails
• Promotes strong bones
• Helps slim unwanted belly fat

• Fresh fruits and vegetables

• Rich in phytochemicals to flush toxins from your body and restore energy and radiance
• Rich in fiber to promote a healthy GI tract free from high blood sugar, bloating, and constipation
• Curb your cravings and hunger to support weight loss

Smoothies with Superpowers

While there is a wide range of fruits and veggies you can eat on your smoothie cleanse, a few, in particular, possess superpowers. You’ll want to make sure you load up on these superfoods. Among them are:

• Celery: loaded with luteolin and apigenin to fight cancer
• Beets: contain betalains to fight cancers and inflammation
• Citrus fruits: filled with hesperidin to promote blood vessel health
• Raspberries: provide the highest amount of ellagic acid; lowers cholesterol and fights cancers
• Cruciferous vegetables: high in glucosinolates which fight various cancers. Among them are:

• Kale
• Collard greens
• Radishes
• Watercress
• Wasabi
• Arugula
• Bok choy
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts

If you’re ready to give me just five days, I’ll walk you through my Cleanse and Reset. You’ll enjoy smoothies that will work for you, not against you, and gut-healing soups and juices that actually cleanse. With flexible options and a variety of choices, there’s no reason not to start your journey to health and happiness today!

Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!