These are just a couple of the controversies going around about green smoothies, and it’s nothing new. There will always be people who claim that they are not as healthy as they appear, despite the proven track record for weight loss and the many health benefits of blending fruits and greens in a blender.

I want to address some of the main concerns about green smoothies here.

The Green Smoothie Weight Loss Controversy

It truly surprises me that there is even a controversy about using green smoothies for weight loss. Fruity green smoothies played an instrumental role in my 40-pound weight loss and they have helped thousands of people lose weight using my recipes and information on Incredible Smoothies.

I’ve been drinking green smoothies every single day going on my fifth year now and I easily maintain my ideal weight. And I eat WAY more fruit in a day than the average person eats in a week.

Nevertheless, there is a controversy, so let me clear up some of the confusion for you.

Calorie Reduction Controversy: The most recent exposé about the “unhealthiness” of green smoothies is this health study comparing the satiety of different forms of fruit (whole apple, apple sauce, apple juice and apple juice with fiber added) and how it affects total calorie intake.

The study found that eating a whole apple reduced calorie intake of the following meal by 15% while consuming apple sauce decreased calorie intake by 6% in the following meal. Drinking apple juice with fiber reduced calorie consumption of a meal by only 1% while straight up apple juice actually increased calorie intake by 3%.

Assumptions based on the data presented by this study suggests that eating whole fruits promotes a significant decrease in calorie consumption while pureed fruit is not as effective at reducing overall calorie intake. However, there is a big difference between a freshly blended green smoothie and cooked apple sauce. You can’t even compare the two as they contain different foods and are processed in completely different ways.

Furthermore, the conclusion of the study explicitly state that “more research is needed to test the effects of consuming different forms of fruit on energy intake over longer periods of time before conclusions about the role of fruit in different forms in weight management can be made.”

Of course, that doesn’t stop people from jumping to conclusions about green smoothies based on research comparing apples to applesauce.

In the context of green smoothies, they should be added to the diet. I do not ever recommend drinking a green smoothie only diet. Green smoothies are best used to supplement a plant-based, whole foods diet. Replacing one to two meals per day with a large, 400-500 calorie green smoothie provides great weight loss results. Green smoothies can help people on a raw food diet, or a whole foods diet, consume sufficient calories of whole foods to help them lose weight while feeling satisfied.

A calorie-sufficient green smoothie MEAL will satisfy your hunger until your next meal and reduce overall calorie intake for the day as long as the rest of your diet isn’t atrocious. Drinking a green smoothie in the morning won’t undo a day of eating baked goods, cheese, pizza, ice cream and other fattening foods. Drink green smoothies as part of a whole foods diet and don’t forget to exercise.

Blending Fiber And Weight Loss: So what about fiber? There is technically the same amount of fiber in a whole apple and a blended apple. Of course, the blended apple is broken down more thoroughly before you eat it than a whole apple. But does this make the blended apple less healthy and therefore sabotaging to weight loss?

That has not been my experience. As I mentioned above, green smoothies were instrumental to my 40 pound weight loss. They have helped thousands of people lose weight. I’ve heard tremendous things from people who have purchased my Green Smoothie Weight Loss program. Green smoothies are part of my whole foods diet, so I’m not at all concerned about any fiber breakdown in a smoothie.

I will also repeat that I do not ever advocate a smoothie-only diet. Primarily, I use green smoothies to get greens into my diet. Green smoothies are the only way I can eat the amount of kale, dandelion and other bitter and healthy greens that I do every day. But green smoothies should not be the only thing you eat to lose weight or detox.

Green Smoothies And Sugar Intake

There is also concern about diabetics drinking green smoothies and overloading on carbohydrates. This is a valid concern. Diabetics must work with their doctor or dietician to establish an appropriate amount of carbohydrate intake per meal, then plan their fruit and green smoothie consumption accordingly.

Diabetics don’t necessarily have to avoid green smoothies or fruit, in fact, the American Diabetes Association encourages fruit intake. Those with metabolic disorders must regularly check their blood sugar levels and restrict or limit carbohydrates according to how their body responds based on their post-meal glucose readings.

It is not necessary, however, for non-diabetic people to pro-actively restrict fruit or green smoothie intake in order to prevent the disease as there is no evidence that drinking green smoothies, or increasing fruit intake causes diabetes.

All fruit has a low glycemic load. I don’t worry about choosing “low sugar” fruits over “high sugar” fruits. Instead, I focus on consuming a whole foods, calorie-sufficient diet that provides adequate nutrients. That includes foods like bananas and watermelon as well as berries, veggies and other low and no-sugar whole plant foods.

General Fruit Phobia and Fructose Alarmism

There is also a general fruit phobia and fructose alarmism that simply doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. Some of the most fruit-phobic people out there would have you think that eating a banana is somewhere at the same level of eating a glazed donut!

Yes, fruit contains fructose. Yes, pure, isolated fructose has been shown to contribute to weight gain. High fructose corn syrup (or “corn sugar” as it is now called) is absolutely not healthy. However, there is no pure, isolated fructose in green smoothies and fresh fruit. Instead of isolated sugar (like if you drank a can of soda pop), green smoothies contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber, protein and fat.

I encourage you to move away from “isolated nutrient thinking”. Everything you eat has negative compounds in it. All leafy greens contain toxins. Many vegetables and fruits contain toxins and anti-nutrients. Too much of anything – vitamins, minerals, fat, carbohydrates – will cause health problems. The key is balance. Your body is equipped to handle anti-nutrients in food.

Healthy people don’t need to worry about the oxalic content of a normal serving of spinach, or the glucosinolate content of a normal serving of kale, or the fructose content of a fruit salad or green smoothie – unless a diagnosed (by a doctor) health condition warrants it.

Destruction Of Nutrients

There is no evidence to back up the claim that blending green smoothies in a blender destroys up to 92% of nutrients. If that were true, I would be severely malnourished after four years of drinking them every day. The reasoning behind this claim is flawed and over-simplistic.

Green Smoothies For People With Health Conditions

My green smoothie recommendations and recipes are geared for healthy people with no pre-existing health conditions. I cannot possibly share smoothie recipes that are appropriate for all people, regardless of illness, metabolism, age, diet, genetics, etc…

If you have a diagnosed health condition and you are wondering whether or not green smoothies should be a part of your diet, or if they might cause harm, then you should discuss your concerns with a doctor or registered dietician. Explain your goal (more fruits and vegetables, especially greens, in the diet) and establish some dietary guidelines for fruits and smoothies that are appropriate for your unique medical circumstances.

Countless scientific health studies indicate that an increase of fruits and vegetables in the diet is associated with a reduced risk of many chronic diseases. There is a lot of research associating an increase of fruits and vegetables in the diet with a reduction of symptoms and lower severity of certain diseases and medical conditions. Fruits, vegetables and green smoothies are your friends, not your enemies.

But if you have a medical condition, or a metabolic disorder, then you need to work with your doctor or nutritionist.

Should Green Smoothies Contain Mostly Fruit Or Mostly Vegetables?

And finally, let’s address one last controversy about green smoothies. Should you make them with mostly fruit? Or should you add a little bit of fruit and stuff a ton of green in there?

In general, my green smoothies contain 60% fruit and 40% greens by volume. My typical 32-ounce meal replacement green smoothie will contain about 400-500 calories – about 4 pieces of fruit (banana, mango, apple and orange) and an entire head of romaine lettuce (or four cups of other leafy green). Adding this much fruit provides the calories to make this smoothie a meal.

A vegetable-based smoothie will not provide sufficient calories to be a meal replacement smoothie. Even if you made a 32-ounce smoothie with just one apple, 1/2 cup blueberries and a ton of vegetables and greens, you won’t come anywhere close to 400 calories. You’d be lucky to get 200 calories.

The problem with this is that you might still feel full from the fiber, but you risk under-consuming calories, especially if you follow a raw food or whole foods diet. Getting too few calories will sabotage weight loss and lead to nutrient deficiencies and health problems.

In short, fruit-based green smoothies can replace meals and are effective for weight loss.

Vegetable-based smoothies are too low in calories to be considered meals, so they are better used to supplement a calorie-sufficient whole foods diet between meals or consumed with meals.

Unless you are physically bothered by fruity green smoothies, I don’t think you need to worry about restricting fruit (or green smoothie intake). If you are concerned about sugar, look into other areas of your diet first. Cut out all refined sweeteners, soda pop, fruit juice, white rice and white bread. Green smoothies should replace unhealthy foods.

I can’t think of any other subject that has more controversy than nutrition and diet. You can save yourself the headache, confusion and worry by simply focusing on a calorie-sufficient, whole foods diet and regularly test your blood to ensure that what you are doing is providing the results you are looking for.

I’m done with nitpicking foods and getting caught up in isolated nutrient controversies. Eating food shouldn’t cause anxiety, frustration and fear. So drink up your fruity green smoothie, watch the weight come off and enjoy your life!

How To Lose 40+ Pounds With Green Smoothies

Find out how I lost 40 pounds, lowered my cholesterol and skyrocketed my energy (yeah, I actually enjoy running now) with green smoothies. My Green Smoothie Health & Weight Loss program shows you exactly what I did to shed the pounds, flatten my tummy and get the body I always wanted. Be sure to check out my before and after pictures!

With over 400 recipes, answers to 115 questions, a 4-week weight loss program, a Green Smoothie Master Chef course, a fitness guide and so much more, the Green Smoothie Health & Weight Loss program will get you on the right track for finally taking control of your health.

Constipation can be a surprising side effect of increasing the amount of fiber in the diet for some people. Usually, this is a result of a sudden increase of fiber coupled with dehydration.

Let’s say that your usual fiber intake is around 12-15 grams per day, which is too low and the average most Americans get according to experts. Then you suddenly hit your body with green smoothies and whole foods and your fiber intake jumps to 45 grams (or more). On top of that, you have not increased your water intake. All of that soluble fiber in fruits and vegetables is now absorbing moisture in your intestines and slowly trudging through your bowels.

If you are not used to basing your diet around fresh fruits and vegetables, then either increase your water consumption or do a part time detox regimen and slowly increase your fiber intake over a week or two. Avoid taking fiber supplements if you are getting adequate fiber in the diet through green smoothies and fresh fruits and vegetables. Reduce your consumption of dried or powdered foods (including superfoods).

We also recommend keeping fat intake low in the diet. The majority of our calories come from carbohydrates, but our fat intake rarely, if ever, exceeds 15-20% of total calories. Eating too much fat with fruit, or adding too much avocado, coconuts, nut butter or oily seeds to green smoothies might exacerbate constipation, while causing gas and bloating.

If constipation continues to be a problem, or if it is a common problem for you no matter what diet you are on, then consult a qualified health practitioner who can help rule out any health issues.

Beet greens are in the same plant family as chard and spinach. They make a great rotation for cruciferous greens like kale or bok choy.

Beet Greens Nutrition and Health Benefits

Two cups of chopped beet greens (our recommend “smoothie dose”) contains about 17 calories and almost two grams of protein. Two cups provide up to 160% RDA of vitamin A (as beta-carotene), 25% RDA of vitamin C, 253% RDA of vitamin K and 8% RDA of vitamin E. They also contain small amounts of all B-vitamins (except for B12).

When it comes to minerals, two cups of beet greens provide 89 milligrams of calcium (9% RDA), 2 milligrams of iron, 16% RDA of copper, 13% RDA each of magnesium and manganese, 12% RDA of potassium and 11% RDA of sodium.

Like most fruits and vegetables, beet greens contains all essential amino acids. They are particularly high in the essential amino acid, tryptophan, containing about 10% RDA. Tryptophan can be used by the body to produce the neurotransmitter, serotonin, which regulates mood and sleep cycles in humans. Getting adequate tryptophan in the diet might prevent mood imbalances and promote healthy sleep cycles.

How To Use Beet Greens In A Smoothie

Beet greens have a mild flavor that is easily masked with fruit in a green smoothie. It tastes somewhat like spinach and chard, although it is closer to spinach in flavor. I prefer it to chard. You can use it interchangeably with spinach in smoothie recipes.

The neat thing about beet greens is that you can use both the greens and the root (the beet) in your smoothies. Generally, I only use up to one half of a raw beet in a green smoothie. Making a smoothie with too much beet and beet greens might produce an “earthy” flavor.

How To Select And Store Beet Greens

Select beet greens that have a dark, green color and fresh-looking beet roots attached. Avoid any that are wilted or yellowing.

I keep all my leafy greens in clear plastic tubs in the refrigerator (or use your vegetable crisper drawer). Add a strip of paper towel or a dry cloth to absorb excess moisture and condensation. Beet greens are easily susceptible to wilting so eat them up within 3-5 days, depending the moisture level. Never leave leafy greens in plastic produce bags as they will go bad very quickly.

As with any leafy green, choose organic whenever possible. Beet greens are typically sold with the beets still attached.

Beet Greens Smoothie Recipes

Any recipe on Incredible Smoothies will taste great with beet greens instead of spinach.

Try these recipes:

Apple-Strawberry Beet Greens Smoothie
1 large apple, cored
1 medium banana, peeled
1 cup whole strawberries
2 cups beet greens, chopped
4-6 ounces of water

Calories: 263 | Fat: 1.2g (grams) | Protein: 4.4g | Carbs: 66.4g | Calcium: 13% | Iron: 3.1mg (milligrams) | Vitamin A: 167% | Vitamin C: 140%

Papaya-Citrus
1 cup papaya, cubed
1 orange (or two small tangerines)
1/2 cup pineapple, cubed
2 cups beet greens, chopped
1 stalk of celery
4-6 ounces of water

Calories: 188 | Fat: 0.7g (grams) | Protein: 4.5g | Carbs: 46.6g | Calcium: 21% | Iron: 2.6mg (milligrams) | Vitamin A: 230% | Vitamin C: 259%

Browse more green smoothie recipes using beet greens.

According to the USDA, the average American consumed 151 pounds of added sugars in 1999. Added sugars include sweeteners and syrups added to foods and beverages, and does not include naturally occurring sugars found in sweet fruits. Thanks to raising awareness, sugar consumption has dropped to 142 pounds in 2005.

We consume added sugars from soda, candy, pastries, cookies and ice cream. “Healthy foods” like yogurt and oatmeal can provide a surprising amount of sugar per serving – anywhere from 20-30 grams! Sugar also hides in unexpected places like ketchup, sauces and even peanut butter.

Recommendations set by the American Heart Association encourages us to limit our daily consumption of added sugars to 7% or less of our daily calorie intake. That’s about 6 teaspoons (100 calories) for women and 9 teaspoons (150 calories) for men.

Does this mean that you have to give up everything in your life that’s sweet? Should you starve your sweet tooth while munching on foods that are bland, bitter and “not fun”? Absolutely not! While refined sweeteners and syrups are bad for you, the natural sugar in fruit is not. Green smoothies and fruits are enough to satisfy your sweet tooth and they can curb cravings for “bad carbs” like cookies and cake.

Fruit provides a much better sugar fix since it contains vitamins, minerals and healthy fiber. The fiber in fruit helps to slowly release sugars into your bloodstream, preventing spikes. Syrups and pure sugar spikes blood sugar and causes your energy to yo-yo.

How To Break Free From Your Sugar Addition

Here are a few steps you can take to break free from your sugar addiction.

Step 1: Identify Where Sugar Hides. The first step is to start reading the labels on everything you eat. Keep in mind that sugar is known by many different names. Look for the following items:

Agave nectar/syrup, barley malt, beet sugar, brown rice syrup, brown sugar, buttered syrup, cane sugar, cane juice, cane juice crystals, carob syrup, confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn sugar, corn syrup solids, crystalized fructose, date sugar, dextran, dextrose, diatase, diastatic malt, evaporated cane juice, fructose fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, glucose or glucose solids, honey, invert sugar, lactose, malt, maltodextrin, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, refiner’s syrup, sorghum syrup, sucanat, sucrose, sugar, turbinado sugar and yellow sugar.

If you see any of these ingredients listed on a food label, it’s probably best you leave it on the shelf and look for something else. You should also go through your pantry, refrigerator and freezer. If you see any of these ingredients in the foods you have already purchased, toss them. Don’t treat your body like a garbage can for sugar!

Step 2: Replace “Sugar-Enriched” Foods With Sugar Free Alternatives. By sugar-free, I am not talking about chemical sweeteners! Ultimately, you want to get away from sweetening up your foods and fueling your sugar addiction. Instead, look for natural foods that do not contain any added sweeteners. For example, instead of getting a brand of peanut butter that contains sugar, try getting an all natural brand that just has…peanuts!

One of the best ways to avoid added sugars in your diet is to make healthier versions of your favorite sugary foods at home. Try making your own apple sauce or almond milk, this will allow you to make sure your foods do not contain added sugars and that they are the healthiest (and freshest) that they can be.

When it comes to soda, remember you want to eat your calories not drink them. Replace sugary beverages with water flavored with a squeeze of lime or orange juice. Mash 10 or 12 raspberries or blueberries and add them to water or mineral water for a healthy twist on soda/pop. Make whole juices in your blender using sweet fruits and berries.

When you are grocery shopping, never shop when you are hungry. Do your shopping by yourself. When you have your kids with you, you are more likely to impulse buy. Make a list before you get to the store and stick to it.

Step 3: Add A Smoothie To Your Day During “Peak” Craving Times. If you crave something sweet during your afternoon slump, don’t give in to cookie temptations, but don’t deny yourself either. Simply make a delicious green smoothie instead. A great snack that takes the edge off hunger and satisfies a sweet tooth is a smoothie made with 1/2 a banana, 1/2 cup pineapple and 2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach. You can use strawberries, mangoes, oranges or other fruit instead of pineapple. Satisfying your sweet tooth with sweet fruit is enough to keep me from derailing my diet.

Step 4: Add Some Healthy Raw Desserts To You Diet. When I say healthy raw desserts, I’m not taking about raw gourmet “cheesecake” that’s loaded with nuts and “raw” sweeteners like agave nectar. Instead, go for low-fat, fiber-rich and simple recipes that do not contain any added sweeteners. Try my raw vegan ice cream and chocolate pudding recipes! I make raw ice cream almost every day during the summer. I don’t even crave the “real thing” anymore. You can make a large batch and split it in half if you don’t want to eat two bananas and 1 cup of fruit in one sitting. It makes a perfect afternoon or pre-dinner snack. You can also make a mint chocolate chip ice cream if you are really craving something chocolatey.

Step 5: Consume Sufficient Calories And Healthy Carbohydrates. Persistent, hard-to-control cravings for sweets is a common problem for people who are on a diet. I’ve been there and it’s almost impossible to stick to the plan if cookies, cakes, pies and ice cream keep shouting your name! If you are eating a whole foods diet and you are still craving sweets, it most likely means that you are not getting enough calories or carbohydrates in your diet. Severe calorie restriction and low carb diets set you up for failure more than they do for success when it comes to weight loss. You can still lose weight and maintain abundant health on a high carb, low-fat diet rich in fresh fruits and green smoothies (I lost 40 pounds this way!). Green smoothies and sweet fruits satisfy your sweet tooth so that you don’t crave pure sugar and they fill you up so that you don’t even have an appetite for cookies or cake.

These are just a few of the ways you can break your sugar addiction. Keep in mind that it only takes 21-30 days to break a bad habit and replace it with a new one. I know that might sound like a long time, but when you think about the rest of your (longer, healthier) life, it’s really not that long at all. Try to give up sweets for 21 days and see how you feel. Every time you crave something with added sugars, let yourself indulge in a sweet, fruity green smoothie.

You might even be encouraged by some improvements to your health or weight loss.

Sugar doesn’t have to be your enemy, you just need to find the right kind of sugar. Remember, fruit is your friend.

Here are ten reasons you should use dandelion greens in your next smoothie.

#1 – High in Calcium: Dandelion greens are loaded with calcium. Just one cup of chopped dandelion greens has 103 milligrams (10% of the recommended daily value) of calcium! That’s slightly more than kale! Add two to three cups of dandelion to a smoothie with calcium-rich fruits like orange, kiwi, fig or papaya and you’ll have a green smoothie that has more calcium than any dairy product!

#2 – Rich in Iron: Next to fresh parsley, dandelion greens have a high iron content. One cup contains 1.7 milligrams of iron.

#3 – Low Calories: Like all leafy greens, dandelions are low in calories. One cup of chopped dandelion greens has only 25 calories. While leafy greens are a low calorie food, I actually prefer to use dandelions because they have more calories than other greens. Since I try to get as many calories as I can into my morning smoothies, I add up to 4 cups of dandelion which adds 100 calories of nutrient-rich food!

#4 – Loaded With Antioxidants: Dandelion greens are high in vitamin A in the form of antioxidant carotenoid (beta-carotene) and vitamin C. Vitamin C also helps facilitate iron absorption.

#5 – The Ultimate Detox & Cleansing Green: If your goal is detoxification and cleansing, dandelion greens should be the ones you use in green smoothies! They are said to help cleanse the liver and many detox recipes call for them.

#6 – Lots Of Minerals: Dandelion greens are rich in minerals. Besides calcium and iron, they are a good source of copper (10% RDA), manganese (8% RDA), phosphorus (5% RDA), potassium (5% RDA) and magnesium (5% RDA).

#7 – 14% Protein: Dandelion greens have more protein per serving than spinach. The greens themselves are 14% protein and contain all essential amino acids so it’s a complete protein. One chopped cup contains 1.5 grams of protein.

#8 – Multivitamin Green: Besides vitamin A as beta-carotene (186% RDA) and vitamin C (21% RDA), each cup of chopped dandelion greens are also good sources of vitamins B1 (9% RDA), B2 (11% RDA) and B6 (11% RDA), vitamin E (13% RDA) and especially abundant in vitamin K (357% RDA).

#10 – Health Benefits of Dandelion Greens: The nutrients in dandelion greens may help reduce the risk of cancer, multiple sclerosis, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and stroke. Dandelion contains anti-inflammatory properties which may provide benefit to those with asthma and other inflammatory diseases.

How To Select And Store Dandelion Greens

While dandelion greens can be found at health food stores, co-ops and farmers markets, they are probably widely available during the spring and early summer months in your own backyard.

Select unblemished, dark green leaves or bunches when purchasing them in the store. When foraging, young greens that are harvested before the flower head appears will be less bitter.

Commercially cultivated dandelion greens may have whitish/green or red stems. The leaves are highly perishable. I store them in the fridge in a large plastic tub with a piece of paper towel to absorb excess moisture and condensation. They will keep for 2-4 days this way. If you store wet leaves in a produce bag, they will likely only last a couple days.

The dandelion greens that you find in the store are typically organic. If you forage for dandelion, be sure to harvest them from land that has not been treated with pesticides, herbicides or other contaminants. Avoid harvesting dandelion greens from urban or industrial waste lots as heavy metals (lead, mercury) and other pollutants in the soil might be absorbed into the plant.

How To Use Dandelion Greens In A Green Smoothie

Dandelions are bitter, so it makes sense to blend them with fruit to mask the flavor. I recommend blending dandelion greens with sweet, flavorful fruit like banana, strawberries, mango, citrus and pineapple.

I use up to 4 cups of chopped greens in a single smoothie recipe. If you are trying dandelion for the first time, start with a small handful or 1 cup of chopped leaves.

Browse green smoothie recipes that contain dandelion greens!

Find out how to maximize the health benefits of dandelion greens in green smoothies with our Green Smoothie Health Program. It’s full of delicious green smoothie recipes for weight loss, detox, energy, mood, immunity, creativity, disease prevention, libido and so much more. You’ll also get answers to over 100 questions about green smoothies, health and nutrition as well as our in-depth guide to leafy green nutrition!

The Green Smoothie Health Program shares everything that I know about green smoothies and how to revolutionize your health, one delicious sip at a time. Click here for more information.

“What can I put in my green smoothies if I’m battling candida?”

The recommendations for which foods to eat and avoid on the so-called “candida diet” are all over the place. Experts can’t even agree as you’ll find websites with conflicting information.

The information in this post deals with candida overgrowth. I’m not necessarily referring to conditions like oral thrush (candida in the mouth) or a yeast infection which is easily treatable. What I am referring to is so-called “systemic candida overgrowth” which is frequently diagnosed in the natural health and the raw food movements.

Systemic candida overgrowth is said to be a condition where the naturally occurring candida albicans microorganism normally living in the human digestive tract undergoes a population bloom and moves into other parts of the body including the blood stream. Various candida diets, lifestyle protocols, supplements and cures are often prescribed to treat the problem.

Acceptable Fruits For The Candida Diet

The general consensus is that you want to limit fruits. Although some prominent natural health experts say that candida is not a fruit problem, but a fat problem, meaning that a diet that is too high in fat (typical raw food diet) leads to blood sugar problems and systemic candida overgrowth.

There are some people who clear up a candida problem with a high-fruit, low fat diet while others clear it up with a no or low fruit diet (5% or less of total calories).

One thing that most candida experts agree on is that citrus fruit is okay and may even help alleviate candida problems. So that means a green smoothie with oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes are good.

Leafy green and other vegetables are on the list of okay foods as well. So it looks like our Orange-Kale smoothie may be candida diet approved.

Another general consensus among candida experts is that berries such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and cranberries are acceptable on the candida diet because these berries have a higher fiber to sugar ratio.

Now here is where it get’s tricky. On one candida website, it says to avoid all stemmed fruit including apples, cherries, pears, plums, peaches and grapes. Since stems can protrude into the flesh part of the fruit and contain microscopic yeasts, molds and fungi, they can complicate candida problems, they say.

Another website says that pears are actually okay.

One website says that high fructose fruits like bananas, mangoes, pineapples, apricots and apples should be avoided while another website says that pineapples are acceptable.

To complicate matters further, yet another website claims that oranges are actually to be avoided.

As far as how much fruit is okay to eat if you have candida, some experts advocate a low carbohydrate, fruit-avoidance diet (which results in a dramatic increase in fat consumption). Other experts advocate a fruit-based diet that is low in fat (they claim that fat is the root cause of candida overgrowth, not fruit sugar).

A Candida Epidemic Among Raw Foodists and Natural Health Enthusiasts

It is interesting to note that those who follow the raw food diet or have an interest in natural health tend to be the ones who are the most concerned about candida. It’s as if a systemic candida epidemic is running rampant among the raw food community while ignoring most everyone else.

Could it be that the typical raw food diet, being so high in fat, makes people more susceptible to the health problems and symptoms that are often attributed to candida?

Or it could be that the symptoms of systemic candida overgrowth are so vague and can apply to a lot of people who may or may not even have a candida problem. And such vague, common symptoms can be capitalized upon by those wishing to make a profit selling candida-related products to people who may not have a real candida outbreak.

No Evidence That Candida Overgrowth Is A Common Medical Condition

Systemic candida overgrowth is not widely accepted as an actual medical condition by most medical doctors. Naturopaths tend to diagnose it more frequently to treat vague health issues with no overt, underlying cause. Self diagnosis is common and encouraged online as people who think they have systemic candida overgrowth are more likely to buy supplements, e-books and other candida cures that are profitable.

There is no scientific evidence that support claims made by candida experts about how widespread this condition is said to be.

The symptoms of systemic candida overgrowth are so vague in that they can pertain to a variety of unrelated health problems, or stress, and such symptoms can be easily cleared up with a healthy change in diet and/or lifestyle…no candida cure necessary.

There is so much conflicting information about systemic candida overgrowth on the web and many sources supply only anecdotal evidence, no health studies and no information from peer reviewed journals.

The fact that most doctors and some natural health practitioners do not recognize systemic candida overgrowth as a common problem tells me that many people who think they have it probably do not.

Furthermore, it could be dangerous to follow strict fruit-avoidance candida-diet protocols found on the web if you do not actually have candida.

So before you go cutting all healthy fruit out of your diet, be sure that you do, indeed, have a systemic candida problem. The only way to accurately test for it is to have your blood tested and have it sent to a lab. If the diagnosis is confirmed, then seek out qualified nutritional and diet advice by a licensed, medical professional for treatment.

Then I found out what I was doing wrong.

It is actually quite easy to get a flat tummy and burn excess body fat if you know how to do it correctly. Working individual body parts to trigger weight loss or muscle development doesn’t work. In order to flatten your stomach or define your abdominal muscles, you need to skip the crunches and work the entire body.

I haven’t done a crunch in almost six months and I’ll be happy to never do one again. Workouts like planks, push-ups, pull-ups (yes, women need to do these too), lower-abs raises and mountain climbers will get you much faster results. The reason is that they work your entire body.

Sure, they are harder to do, but that’s why they are more effective and produce faster results. Full body workouts will boost your metabolism and help you burn fat even while you sleep.

(My favorite workout program that I use is called Turbulence Training.)

If you are a woman and concerned that intense, full body workouts might make you look “too ripped”, stop worrying! Big muscles don’t develop overnight. You can pull back on the intensity level of your workouts once you get the stomach flattening results you are looking for. Developing, building and strengthening your muscles are essential for healthy weight loss (and for getting flat abs).

What if you are working out regularly, eating healthy and finally got down to your ideal weight but you still do not have a flat stomach (or a six pack)? Well, there are a few reasons.

To much water can look like excess weight. Too much sodium in your diet can cause your body to retain water. Even if you are retaining water, you should stay hydrated as it helps to flush out toxins in your body. Try reducing the amount of sodium in your diet but don’t cut it completely as it is an essential nutrient.

Abdominal bloating from gas or digestion problems. This is a common problem for people who eat a poor diet that contains too much fat, processed foods and refined sugars. The extra gases in your intestines are going to add some inches around your waistline.

If you are transitioning to a more fruit and vegetable-based diet (such as the raw food diet), you might also have some gas or bloating at first. This will clear up as long as you are not eating too much fat in your diet. If you consistently suffer from excess gas and bloating, take a good look at your diet and try to rule out any food intolerance that might be causing the problem.

Inflammation due to food allergies you might not know about. Many people have some allergic reaction to foods. Gluten allergies are on the rise, but most people don’t know they have a problem. Inflammation is your body’s way of defending itself against allergies to food or medications you might be taking. Most of these inflammations are around the stomach area. Talk to your doctor about an allergy test if you suspect that this might be an issue.

Medications. Some medications will hinder your ability to lose weight. Do some research or talk to your doctor or pharmacist about what prescriptions you are taking and if there might be an effective alternative.

You’re not eating enough. This might sound strange, but if you are restricting your calories too much, your body will go into “starvation mode” and store the few calories you eat as fat. Be sure you are getting adequate calories to fuel your body and provide ample energy for your workouts.

Diet and exercise is the key to a flat tummy, but everyone’s body type is going to be different. At some point you have to learn to love your body for the shape it is. Focus on being healthy and fit and try not to get caught up in the nitty-gritty details of body image.

Work hard, but don’t work so hard that you miss out on loving yourself and enjoying your life because you don’t look like you just walked out of a plastic surgeon’s office.

Another Flat Abs Secret Weapon

Okay, it’s not exactly a “secret”, but a daily green smoothie is a tremendous weight loss strategy. They can help you kick off a healthy diet, lose weight, provide energy to fuel your workouts and curb cravings for unhealthy sweets. I’ve poured over four years of research and experience into my Green Smoothie Health program to get you started on tailoring a green smoothie regimen that works for you.

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