Green smoothies – how to reduce food cravings

23 May Green smoothies – how to reduce food cravings

In my experience 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.

Recipes

There are two versions of this recipe. The first is for if you have a full sized blender at home (makes four serves) and the second is if you have a Nutribullet (makes two serves).

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Low Sugar Green Smoothie

An adaptation on the Glowing Green Smoothie by Kimberly Snyder with reduced blood sugar spikes!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Equipment

• 1 blender

Ingredients

• 4 handfuls leaves like rocket, spinach, mesculin mix, a leafy mix or cos lettuce. or half a bunch of both spinach and cos
• 2 cups water filtered if you prefer
• 2 sticks celery chopped
• 1 Granny Smith apple (green) chopped
• 1 banana chopped
• 1 lemon juiced (optional)
• 1/2 cup herbs like coriander, parsley etc optional - but will do a good job to 'clean you out'

Instructions

• Add the green leaves or chopped heads of greens to the blender, add the two cups of water and blend on low for up to 2 minutes - or until smooth.
• Add the chopped celery, apple and banana and blend on high for up to 2 minutes - or until smooth
• Add the chopped banana, lemon and herbs (if using) and blend on high until smooth and creamy

Notes

This is the recipe for the blender version of the Low Sugar Green Smoothie which should produce about four servings.

If you are just starting out with green smoothies I would suggest drinking one glass at a time, and working up to two or more glasses.

Please endeavour to drink this green goodness after a meal rich in fibre and protein. And sip it slowly. Drinking it after a meal will slow down the rate at which the sugar enters your bloodstream from your gut and therefore reduce your blood sugar spike (from the fruit in the smoothie). 

Leftovers will keep covered in the fridge for up to three days. (I usually pour the excess into a large jar with a lid).

Nutribullet version

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Low Sugar Green Smoothie - Nutribullet version

An adaptation on the Glowing Green Smoothie by Kimberly Snyder with low sugar fruit.

Course Dessert, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword cravings management, leafy greens, skin care, vegetarian

Prep Time 6 minutes minutes

Equipment

• 1 Nutribullet blender

Ingredients

• 2 handfuls leafy greens such as spinach, leafy greens, rocket, mesculin mix or half a bunch of spinach or cos lettuce
• 1 cup water filtered if you like
• 1 stick celery chopped
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple (green) chopped
• 1/2 banana chopped
• 1/2 lemon juiced (optional)
• 1/4 cup herbs such as coriander or parsley optional

Instructions

• Add all the dry ingredients to the Nutribullet cup and pour the water over the top.
• Screw on the blender attachment lid, place on the blender motor and blend until light green and smooth and creamy.
• Enjoy!

Notes

If you are just starting drinking green smoothies I would recommend starting with one cup (after meals - see note above). 

To preserve the extra serving, place the lid on the Nutribullet cup and place in the fridge for up to three days.

If you find that you can’t bring yourself to drink ‘green juice’, I would suggest having a back up serving of fruit such as pineapple or papaya (or whatever your favourite fruit is), to add to the smoothie to increase its sweetness. Again, PLEASE BE SURE TO DRINK THIS with your meal or preferably after a fibre/protein rich meal.

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.

A green smoothie every day will provide you with the recommended amount of leafy greens, with all the benefits that entails!

I also wanted to provide list of recipes that include leafy greens in case for some reason you don’t take to green smoothies:

Here are some ideas:

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.

The spinach equivalent

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 this is another reason to build up to drinking a whole jug (or two servings) of green smoothie each day. Especially if food cravings are an issue for you. (It will also help with hydration which is an added bonus!)

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.