When I make a smoothie, it needs to satisfy three basic criteria:
1. It needs to look gorgeous: We eat first with our eyes, and nobody wants to drink anything that looks like swamp water!
2. It needs to be mind-blowingly delicious: Life is too short to eat food that isn’t scrumptious.
3. It needs to be nutrient-dense with awesome ingredients.
My Favorite Ingredients for Detox Smoothies (and Why):
1. Coconut Water:After plain filtered water, coconut water is my go-to liquid for smoothies. Low in calories and carbohydrates, and almost completely fat free, coconut water pairs well with most fruits and veggies. It’s also a natural energy drink that’s rich in electrolytes that keep you hydrated.
2. Spinach:
Loaded with iron and other minerals, vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, protein, antioxidants, fiber, and anti-inflammatory power, this leafy legend is an immunity boosting cleansing champion. With a mild taste that’s easily masked by fruits and vegetables, spinach is my top choice for introductory green smoothies. You can add 1 to 2 cups into any blend without really changing the flavor.
3. Beets:
Rich in iron, copper, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, fiber, and dietary nitrates, beets build mineral-rich blood to dial up detox. Grate raw beets for the smoothest texture with conventional blenders, or lightly steam them to make them more palatable.
4. Apples:
Pectin is a soluble fiber in apples that help sweep the colon for digestive health. Apple pectin lowers the body’s demand for insulin, keeping apples’ glycemic index low. Many of the nutrients and fiber in apples are concentrated in the skin, so include the peels!
5. Strawberries:
Strawberries are relatively low in sugar, while still providing tons of flavor. Rich in phytonutrients, vitamin C, mineral buffers, and omega-3s, these righteous red berries are bursting with antioxidants ammo to combat inflammation in the eyes, muscles, and blood. Full of fiber, strawberries are great for digestion and detox. Strawberries add sweetness to smoothies; throw them in fresh or frozen.
6. Pineapple:
Bromelain, the protein-digesting enzyme in pineapple, bolsters the power of its vitamin C content to help clear respiratory congestion, suppress coughs, loosen mucus, flush out toxins, reduce swelling and bloating, and stimulate circulation for a deep-dive detox. Use pineapple fresh or frozen.
7. Lemon:
Low in sugar and full of nutrients, lemons are detox divas. Lemons are amped up with antioxidant vitamin C, antibiotic phytonutrients, and B vitamins. The citric acid in lemons aids digestion while ascorbic acid fights free radicals.
Lemon peels are particularly rich in antioxidants, so throw some zest into your shakes for an additional “booster” of nutrition and flavor.
8.Cayenne Pepper:
I seize every opportunity to add a pinch of cayenne to smoothies. It adds crazy-amazing flavor and healing potential. As one of the most powerful detox foods, cayenne heats the body to sweat out toxins. Naturally antibiotic and anti-fungal, cayenne is also a powerful immune booster.
Throw some in your weight-loss shakes, too, as it helps burn fat!
9. Broccoli:
Broccoli is one of the richest sources of glucosinolates – some of the most powerful toxin tackling compounds found in foods. Armed with an arsenal of antioxidants, minerals, flavonoids, carotenoids, omega-3s, and fiber, these fierce florets combat inflammation, oxygenate the blood, and banish bad bacteria for better digestion.
I boost most smoothies with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of raw frozen broccoli. As our taste buds are temperature sensitive, we can’t taste the full dimension of flavors at extremely cold temps, so you can slip frozen florets into smoothies unnoticed.