The short answer: The Smoothie Diet is a 21-day digital plan in which you replace two meals a day with smoothies, eat one regular meal and up to two snacks. It's a simple, food-based way to eat more fruit and vegetables and to cut calories for a few weeks, and it costs less than a month of most diet supplements. Its weaknesses are that liquid meals don't suit everyone, some smoothies can be low in protein, and three weeks is short: what matters is what you eat afterwards. It's a reasonable choice for healthy adults who like structure, but not for people with diabetes on medication, in pregnancy or with a history of disordered eating.

We like smoothies, and the site has a few green smoothie recipes of its own. So the question for this review isn't whether smoothies are good for you. It's whether a structured smoothie plan is a good way to lose weight.

Directions for use

  • How it works: 2 smoothies + 1 whole-food meal + up to 2 snacks a day, for 21 days.
  • What you get: recipes in a set order, shopping lists, ingredient swaps, vegan options and a transition guide.
  • Good: food-first, no pills, lots of fruit and vegetables, cheap, one-time purchase with a refund guarantee.
  • Watch out for: low-protein smoothies, hunger, and falling back into old habits after day 21.
  • Not for: pregnancy, diabetes on medication (without your doctor), or a history of eating disorders.

What's in the plan

According to the official site, The Smoothie Diet includes:

  • A 21-day schedule of smoothie recipes in a specific order
  • Shopping lists and an ingredient swap guide
  • Vegan and omnivore options for meals and snacks
  • A transition guide for keeping weight off after the three weeks

It's sold as an instant download to read on a phone, tablet or computer. The creator, Drew Sgoutas, describes himself as a certified health coach. He isn't a registered dietitian.

What the evidence says

There are no published trials of The Smoothie Diet itself, so we have to judge it on its approach.

Meal replacement can work. Replacing some meals with a set, lower-calorie option is a well-established weight-loss strategy. It works mainly because it takes decisions out of eating and cuts calories.

Fruit and vegetables help you feel full on fewer calories. Mayo Clinic's advice for losing weight without constant hunger centres on eating more foods with high volume and few calories, like vegetables and fruit.

But liquid calories are less filling than solid food. Many people find a smoothie doesn't keep them as full as a meal with the same calories. The fix is to add protein and fat: Greek yoghurt, nut butter, seeds, oats or protein powder.

Short plans need a long-term plan. The NIDDK's guidance on choosing a weight-loss program stresses slow, steady loss and a plan for keeping weight off. The transition guide matters more than the 21 days.

Who it may suit

  • Healthy adults who want a simple, structured plan and like smoothies
  • People who skip breakfast or grab junk food at lunch and want a quick alternative
  • Anyone who wants to eat more fruit and vegetables without cooking more
  • People who'd rather not take weight-loss pills

Who should skip it

  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women, who need more energy and protein than the plan provides
  • People with diabetes, especially on insulin or other glucose-lowering medicines, unless their doctor agrees: fruit-heavy smoothies can raise blood sugar, and cutting food while on medication can cause lows
  • Anyone with a history of eating disorders
  • People with kidney disease who have been told to limit potassium (smoothies are potassium-rich)
  • Anyone who gets very hungry on liquids, as the plan will be hard to stick to

Make the plan work better

  • Add protein to every smoothie: aim for about 20 grams from Greek yoghurt, milk, soy milk, silken tofu, nut butter or protein powder.
  • Use whole fruit and greens, not juice, to keep the fibre.
  • Make your daily meal count: vegetables, a palm-sized portion of protein and some whole grains. Our vegetable-packed omelette and three big salads fit well.
  • Keep one smoothie habit after day 21. A single well-built smoothie for breakfast is an easy habit to keep for good.

Price, guarantee and where to buy

The Smoothie Diet is a one-time digital purchase; the current price is shown at checkout. It comes with a no-questions refund guarantee, processed through ClickBank. Expect offers for optional extras after checkout: you don't need them to follow the plan. Buy from the official site only.

A note of caution

Talk to your doctor before starting any meal-replacement plan if you take medicines for diabetes or blood pressure, have kidney disease, or are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you take warfarin, keep your intake of leafy greens such as spinach and kale steady from day to day.

Verdict

The Smoothie Diet is a food-first plan with a sensible core: more fruit and vegetables, fewer processed meals, clear structure. Add protein to the smoothies, treat the 21 days as a starting point rather than a finish line, and it's an inexpensive way to reset your eating habits.