Hey guys! It’s Jules!
Today’s recipe was inspired by my sister who has a strong aversion to bananas, but for years has asked me for a deliciously creamy green smoothie sans fruit!
As a self-proclaimed fruit lover and full-blown banana addict myself, to say that I’ve been resistant to ditching fruit from my diet would be putting it lightly. After all, fruit is as natural as it comes. I have thrived on a high-fruit diet for months at a time (one of my many food experiments)! Plus fruit is a whole food that comes from the earth and has been known as one of the most healing foods we have on the planet. How could it be bad for us?
I’ve wrestled with this question for a long time and it is without a doubt a complex topic. In simple terms what I’ve come to realize is this – The modern day body has become overly acidic, inflamed, and toxic. Many people are walking around with blood sugar imbalances, candida, yeast and mold overgrowth. Our guts are all out of whack and the result is intense sugar cravings and sugar sensitivity (not sure if that’s you? Be sure to check out our Sugar Sensitivity quiz here). For these people sugar IS sugar IS sugar. And eating fruit (or any other natural sweeteners) will only add to the gas, bloating, constipation, brain fog, mood swings, exhaustion, and weight gain. And this is exactly why we developed our new Low Sugar Plan as part of our live support Cleanse (get info about our next cleanse here).
So, while I’m personally not swearing off fruit for good, I have been on a month-long sabbatical from all forms of sugar….apples, bananas, dates and all! And it’s been a real eye-opener to see all the ways in which I reach for something sweet (even if natural) over the dark leafy greens and more alkaline foods like cucumbers and celery.
I love fruit for the energy and great bowel movements that it gives me, but I’ve also loved taking a break from it. The bottom line is this – eat fruit in moderation, focus on low glycemic fruits, and if you feel like you can’t go without it, take a hiatus and see how you feel.
Are you ready to start blending? Today’s green smoothie is a delicious, low sugar, fruit free smoothie that is loaded with healthy fat and green veggies. I hope you love it and it helps you break free from your fruit addiction.
Are you confused about fruit? Be sure to leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear from you.
With fruit free love,
Fruit Free Green Smoothie
Yield: 1 Quart
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups almond or hemp milk
- ½ cup water
- 2 cups spinach
- ½ avocado, peeled
- ½ cucumber
- 1 TB. nut butter (we used almond but sunbutter is delicious too)
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- Handful of ice (optional)
Instructions:
Place the almond or hemp milk, water, spinach, avocado, cucumber, nut butter, cinnamon, and ice (optional) in a high speed blender. Blend until creamy.
If you liked this recipe, we invite you to join our online community! As a welcome-gift, we’ll send you our Green Smoothie eCookbook, a collection of more of our favorite easy smoothie recipes!
We also share new recipes, free live calls with us, and more healthy lifestyle tips, plus let you know when our next group cleanse is coming. Welcome! We’re so glad you’re here.
Yay! Thanks for this; I wasn’t thinking I was sugar sensitive but ate some sundried tomato cashew cheese last night which possibly made me exhausted. Unless it was the small amount of organic miso. Or the stress of my kid having 2 teeth extracted. Thanks again!!
I’ve been on the hunt for some good, low fruit or fruit-free smoothies so I’m excited to give this a try!
I can’t eat cucumbers. It seems it would help thin out the avocado which i have switched out the banana for previously and it makes the smoothie edible by spoon only. Also, i have osteoporosis. I believe spinach does not have the kind of calcium that is beneficial to me. I would suggest kale instead. However, i would value your comments. Thanks.
Hi Pamela, Great questions! If you’re worried your smoothie will be too thick without the cucumber, you can substitute it with celery and a little extra water until it’s the consistency you like. Spinach is considered an excellent source of calcium. It actually has more calcium than kale does per whfoods.org. But feel free to change up the greens you use in this smoothie to see which combo you like best. Let us know what you think once you try it. XO, Jo & Jules
Hi Jules – I’m just discovering how much better I feel without a lot of sugar. Tried this smoothie this morning. It was super filling, but I missed the sweet. I wonder if you could write more about going sugar-light? Thanks
Hi Erin, That’s a clever phrase, sugar-light. That’s not a bad idea! A smoothie you may like is our Warm Pear Smoothie. It has just a bit of fruit in it and can served warm or cold. You can find it here: https://consciouscleanse.com/spiced-pear-warm-winter-smoothie/. Let us know what you think. XO, Jo & Jules
Hi Jules, I’m happy I found a fruit free smoothie! I love fruits, but in the morning I’m kind of sensitive to fruits and sugar.
I’ve never tried almond milk with greens. Is it for getting the smoothie more creamy?
Yes, it’s more creamy and adds a little good fat and protein. I like using full fat canned coconut milk sometimes too. I hope you like it. xo Jules
I know this smoothie post is over a year old, but I just tried it. It’s ok. Possibly adding more cinnamon or something could jazz it up a bit. Not really sure what else could work.
Hi Jenny, Great input! We love cinnamon in our smoothies, especially Ceylon cinnamon which aids in regulating blood sugar. There’s other boosters you can try. Check out our Green Smoothie Guide to find more. https://consciouscleanse.com/a-conscious-cleanse-guide-to-building-a-perfect-green-smoothie/
Thank you so much for this recipe. This is the first green smoothie I’ve ever liked, and wow, it’s so good! Definitely will be a new staple for me.
Yay Sarah! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Have you tried any of our other smoothies? You can find them here: https://consciouscleanse.com/category/recipes/green-smoothie/ XO, J&J
Looks and sounds delicious. However, avocado is a fruit ;) 🥑, so technically this is not safe for anyone with a fruit intolerance.
Hi Shelly, You’re so right, avocados are fruit, as are cucumbers. We’re talking about fruits that are high glycemic in this article. Fortunately avocados and cucumbers are not, therefor tolerable for most people who struggle with sugar issues. If you give this smoothie a try, let us know what you think. XO, J&J
Hi. Love your green smoothies. Now I’m headed into cleansing without any fruits/lectin free. Any other suggestions?
Thank you
Hi Carrie, We’re so glad you’re enjoying our smoothies! If you haven’t downloaded it yet, we recommend checking out our Green Smoothie Guide. It has some great recipes and a guide to build some new favorites of your own. You can find it here: https://consciouscleanse.com/the-conscious-cleanse-guide-to-green-smoothies/ XO, J&J