Green smoothies – how to reduce food cravings

23 May Green smoothies – how to reduce food cravings

I believe green smoothies are a particularly effective solution for how to reduce food cravings. And how to reduce cravings generally. That is why I like to make a jug of green smoothie for new clients every time I cook for them.

I have observed that drinking spinach or leafy greens helps to reduce cravings for unhealthy food (over time). It is also true that the more you eat vegetables the more you crave vegetables.

The science behind this phenomenon:

These compounds are called “thylakoids,” and they’re found in the chloroplasts of green plants. In a small study conducted at Sweden’s Lund University…the extract group (who drank 5 grams of spinach extract each morning for 12 weeks) reported a 95% reduction in cravings for sweet and fatty foods and found it easier to stick to three daily meals. And these effects were immediate, kicking in after just one day. [1]

What seems to happen is that if you regularly drink green smoothies, cravings for unhealthy food (and cravings generally) gradually reduce. And my clients don’t eat too much unhealthy food. But I think it gives them a good baseline. Because they will start craving veggies and greens more. And their bodies won’t tolerate processed food as much.

It feels like an effective trick to get them craving more vegetable rich dishes.

So, that’s my plan going forward. And I think that I’ll do that with every client that I begin with. Not for the long term because the blended fruit can give a bit of a sugar rush. But I do think that it can be helpful tool to instil a more healthy set of food preferences.

Craving leafy greens generally

One of the healthiest things we can do for our bodies is to make sure we eat leafy greens each day. If you get into a habit of doing this, you will definitely notice that you start craving leafy greens when you do not get enough.

My strong leafy green cravings made me start to research a list of recipes that include leafy greens so that I could get more of this amazing food type.

Here are some that I think look promising:

https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipe/snacks-sides/slow-braised-chickpeas-with-cavolo-nero-11656/ – I adapted this for the slow cooker, by using canned chickpeas and slow cooking for 2 hours after the initial 20 minutes cooking. I also used chorizo instead of pancetta, which was nice, but probably not the vibe I am going for.

https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipe/fast-recipes/spelt-spaghetti-with-zucchini-and-cavolo-nero-almond-sauce-15591/ – hand making pesto from rocket or spinach or other leafy greens and tossing it through a mix of zucchini and pasta is a tasty way to get more leafy greens into your diet, I think!

https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipe/mains/tiny-chicken-meatball-and-orzo-soup-with-silverbeet-and-feta-12234/ – this recipe intrigues me, and I think it would be quite tasty.

I hope to write a full blog post on leafy green recipes as well.

By the way, 5 g of spinach extract is equivalent to about 100 g of spinach leaves, which would be about a jug of green smoothie, so perhaps spinach extract is a very helpful supplement.

References:

1. Victoria Wolk (2014), Cut Your Cravings 95% With These 6 Superfoods, Prevention, accessed online, https://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/a20467964/thylakoids-in-green-superfoods-reduce-cravings/, accessed 23.5.2024.