Dr Ian Smith created the Shred Power Cleanse as an alternative to purely liquid-based detox plans.
With his medical knowledge and previous success with the Shred diet, he wanted to introduce a cleansing program that was healthy but effective.
We take a look at the Shred Power Cleanse, how it works, what foods it includes, and how effective it is. Finally, we’ll take a look at some pros and cons of the plan.
The Shred Power Cleanse
The Shred Power Cleanse is a detoxification program designed by Dr. Ian Smith. It was written in 2015 and was part of Smith’s Shred series of books about eating healthily and establishing better habits with food and exercise.
Rather than a six-week program as the Shred diet was, the Shred Power Cleanse lasts just two weeks. This is meant to be a ‘reset’ for those who have tried other regimens and fallen away from the program.
The two-week Shred Power Cleanse is a kick-start to a more healthy way of eating and consists of a cleansing of the body to rid it of toxins.
The human body has an efficient detoxification process, but this cleanse is designed to enhance that process.
It is intended to aid the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and skin in removing toxins that accumulate in the body by introducing natural and unprocessed food.
They contain essential cleansing ingredients such as fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.
How Does The Shred Power Cleanse Work?
The Shred Power Cleanse like any detoxification program is not a diet in the classic sense of the word. The majority of cleansing regimens involve purely liquids but this Shred Power Cleanse includes solid food.
Dr. Ian Smith doesn’t believe in pure liquid detoxification as there is a risk of malnutrition with the absence of essential calories, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
That is why he includes salads, roasted vegetables, nuts, and other solid food.
So how does the Shred Power Cleanse work? The aim of the program is to give the body a reset, break old bad eating habits, and clean the system of accumulated toxins.
A description of the cleanse is to eat clean, which means no processed foods.
The cleanse lasts 2 weeks, and it is claimed that people who have previously followed the program lose between 8–10 pounds in weight.
The majority of participants also reported feeling more energetic at the end of the 2 week period.
Some people following the Shred Power Cleanse program noted lower blood pressure, and a drop in cholesterol levels and some diabetics experienced lower blood sugar levels.
The program provides for 4 meals per day and allows 2 snacks. The system works by including certain whole, unprocessed foods in the smoothies, shakes, and meals allowed as part of the cleanse.
These ingredients are added to soups, smoothies, shakes, and salads and include bee pollen, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, and ginger among others. They each contain lots of nutritional value but for a small cost.
Most are affordable and accessible ingredients that many people will already have in their kitchens.
For the most part, these ingredients can be added to liquid or solid food and leave no obvious or detectable taste.
What’s So Good About The Shred Power Cleanse?
Dr. Ian Smith was aware that most detox programs involved the participants just drinking smoothies, albeit reasonably healthy ones in some cases although not all.
He wanted to include solid food as part of a cleansing system to ensure that participants were getting the right amount of fiber and enough calories, vitamins, and minerals.
The Shred Power Cleanse took the detox plan to a whole new level by including solid food.
He provides more than 50 smoothie recipes which include ingredients like bee pollen, chia seeds, and flax seeds.
This ensured that anyone on the plan was getting enough protein and fiber. These ingredients help to keep energy levels high and boost immunity.
Foods Included In The Shred Power Cleanse
The inclusion of some so-called superfoods in the Shred Power Cleanse is claimed to help participants lose weight, and lower blood pressure, and cholesterol.
They also are said to keep energy levels high and boost the body’s natural immune system.
Let’s take a closer look at what each of these superfoods brings to the Shred Power Cleanse program.
Bee Pollen
Pollen is what bees collect from flowers and take back to their hives to feed their young.
Specially constructed traps in hives harvest some of this pollen as the bees enter the hive, and it is collected in a drawer beneath the hive.
The bee pollen is then dried, packaged, and sold as powder, granules, or pills. It contains many nutrients, depending on the plant species the bees collected from.
But in general bee pollen contains three major nutrients, carbohydrates, fat, and proteins. Other nutrients include some B vitamins, copper, and antioxidants.
Put it in soups, smoothies, and shakes as part of the Shred Power Cleanse without actually tasting it.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds come from the flowering plant Salvia hispanica which is part of the mint family and indigenous to Mexico and areas of South America. The seeds are very small and maybe black, white, or dark brown.
To demonstrate their nutritional value, one ounce of chia seeds contains almost 10 grams of fiber and more than 4 ½ grams of complete protein.
This means that the protein contains all 9 essential amino acids.
They also contain iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids.
Chia seeds also have the ability to stabilize blood sugar levels meaning they don’t rise too quickly.
Flaxseed
Despite its diminutive size, flaxseed is packed with nutrients including vitamin B1, copper, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, and selenium.
It also contains fiber and antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Hemp Seed
As the edible part of the hemp plant hemp seed is full of nutrients. Some scientists believe it is one of the most natural, balanced non-animal sources of complete protein, amino acids, and essential fats.
Other nutrients include fiber, calcium, iron, omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, and vitamins E, A, D, and B.
Ginger
Ginger has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, increasing its movement which contributes to its cleansing action.
It enhances the transport of food and any toxins so that they can be eliminated from the body.
It also contains folate, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese. Studies show that people who eat ginger are fuller for longer and eat less.
Blueberries
Blueberries are well known for their high nutritional value relative to their low-calorie content and for their antioxidant benefits. This is why they are known as a superfood.
Strawberries
Strawberries are packed with vitamin C and have many nutrients that help the body eliminate unwanted toxins.
They also contain iodine, manganese, folate, potassium, copper, magnesium, and omega-3 fats.
Spinach
Packed full of nutrients including vitamins A, B, C, E, and K as well as folate, spinach is one of nature’s most nutritious green vegetables.
It also contains iron, copper, manganese, selenium, zinc, potassium, and calcium.
Kale
Kale is well known for being included in many detox smoothies and rightly so. It contains many phytonutrients including folate and vitamins A, C, and K.
It is low in calories and provides a good source of fiber and protein.
Swiss Chard
Swiss chard contains 13 different antioxidants one of which is shown to aid the regulation of blood sugars. A single cup contains just 35 calories but offers 3 grams of fiber and the same amount of protein.
Nutritionally it contains vitamins A, C, E, and K as well as copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, and manganese.
Rolled Oats
Rolled oats deliver important phytonutrients which help the cleansing process. These include vitamin B1, magnesium, chromium, zinc, copper, phosphorus, biotin, and molybdenum.
Adding a quarter of a cup of rolled oats to a smoothie will give 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.
Pros & Cons Of The Shred Power Cleanse
Below are some of the pros and cons of the Shred Power Cleanse.
Pros
- Participants eat solid food not just liquid e.g. salad roasted vegetables, power snacks such as air-popped popcorn, almonds, olives, oysters, and hummus
- Works in just 2 weeks not 30 days like other detox plans
- Foods are affordable and accessible, most people already have them in their kitchen
- Enhances the body’s natural cleansing through the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and skin
- Aids weight loss
- Provides 75 recipes in the book
Cons
- After the 2 weeks, the weight will tend to come back, so you need to ‘graduate’ to the ‘regular shred program’ which lasts for another 6 weeks. You can add regular foods back but in a controlled way
Final Thoughts
The Shred Power Cleanse provides a detox plan that ensures that participants are getting the right amount of nutrients while cleansing their systems.
We hope that you have enjoyed this review of the Shred Power Cleanse program.