Trying to eat healthy on the go can be a real challenge, especially when most people agree that eating a whole food diet is the optimal choice for nutrition. If you don’t have time to spend hours in the kitchen, the next best thing is to whip up a smoothie.
As a detox advocate, I make sure everything I do is complimenting my body’s ability to remove unwanted toxins. That’s why I’m so excited to share three of my favorite detox smoothie recipes.
These quick meals not only taste good, but they’re incredibly satisfying, and they offer your body a robust boost in detox-supportive nutrients.
The Must-Have Ingredients To Include In Your Detox Smoothie Recipe
Detoxification is always happening in your body, but you can do a couple of things to optimize this process and ensure that you are actually eliminating unwanted compounds instead of just maintaining a steady toxic load.
For instance, if you take in toxins from your diet and lifestyle every day (which many people do, knowingly or unknowingly), then your detox maintenance systems (liver and kidneys) can only help you stay in toxin homeostasis. Unfortunately, over time, there is likely a buildup of toxins that will occur as these precious systems get overrun.
Therefore, step one in keeping a healthy low-toxin body is to watch out for what you’re consuming and try to minimize toxic exposure. I’ve written about this at length in other articles, so I won’t go too in-depth here, but watching out for heavy metals, excess sugar, and processed foods is a great place to start.
Once you’ve become a gatekeeper for incoming toxins, the second step in minimizing your toxic load is to support your natural detoxification process with nutrients. That’s where detox smoothies come in.
While a whole foods diet, in general, can do wonders for your health, there are specific nutrients and foods that are designed by nature to enhance your detoxification processes.
Greens
Greens are packed with nutrients that can supply your body with the materials it needs to detoxify.
Broccoli sprouts, in particular, are vital to the detoxification process because they contain nutrients that support both phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification. In phase 1 detoxification, your body liberates toxins from your cells, and in phase two, it pulls them from your circulation to be eliminated.
Broccoli sprouts are a fantastic source of sulforaphane, which assists your body in producing glutathione — one of the most potent antioxidants in your body[1][2][3].
In addition to broccoli sprouts, alfalfa grass, barley grass, chlorella, and kelp are nutrient-dense greens that support your natural detox processes.
Liver Support
In addition to greens, which are generally packed with nutrients, there are a handful of herbs and foods that directly support your liver. Including liver-supportive nutrients into your detox smoothie is one of the easiest ways to ensure that you get these essentials in on a regular basis.
Some of the most well-researched liver-supportive herbs and foods include:
Milk thistle — milk thistle is one of the most widely used herbs for liver health. It’s been used for hundreds of years by herbalists for a variety of ailments, including fatty liver disease, hepatitis, cirrhosis, and to protect the liver from environmental toxins. Research shows that milk thistle serves as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and has antifibrotic activity — all of which work to protect your liver[4].
Turmeric — research shows this spice has strong antioxidant activity and may support the detoxification of heavy metals like mercury[5].
Beets — beets contain phytonutrients such as polyphenols that exert a protective effect on the liver, primarily due to their antioxidant activity. Beet juice has also been shown to support liver enzyme activity and the production of bile, assisting this crucial organ in its detox duties[6][7][8].
Dandelion — dandelion contains polysaccharides that have been shown to support liver health and potentially protect against liver damage caused by chemical insults like Tylenol[9].
An All-In-One-Solution
Making a smoothie is supposed to be a time-saver and make your life easier. However, things can quickly become complicated when you start hand-picking ingredients for the perfect detox smoothie. What’s more, many of the healthiest ingredients out there come with a bitter or otherwise not-so-pleasant taste.
This is one of the primary reasons I created Daily Detox. This detox powder blend includes an all-encompassing array of foods and herbs that provide support for:
- Liver health
- Metabolism
- Digestion
- Anti-aging
- Immunity
Of course, I included all of the research-backed ingredients mentioned above, along with many more, for a comprehensive formula packed with nutrients.
One of my favorite ways to get my Daily Detox in each day is with a smoothie. This not only supercharges your smoothie with nutrients, but it saves you time and money by consolidating everything you need into one powder. That way, you can focus on the fun part of making a smoothie — choosing the ingredients that make it tasty.
Below are three of my favorite detox smoothie recipes.
3 Easy Detox Smoothie Recipes
Below are three satisfying, nutrient-dense recipes that are sure to keep you satisfied while supporting your natural detoxification processes.
1. Turmeric Anti-Inflammatory Boost
If you’re feeling inflamed, this one’s for you. This delicious smoothie includes turmeric along with antioxidant-rich berries to assist in a healthy inflammatory response. You can use either fresh or frozen berries, and to make it lower-carb, you can switch out the banana for berries or avocado.
Ingredients
- ½ frozen banana
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- 2 dates
- Pinch of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional, for an extra anti-inflammatory boost)
- 1 cup water, nut milk, kefir, milk, coconut water, coconut milk, or liquid of your choice
- 1 scoop of Daily Detox person for an extra health boost and to support your liver and detox pathways
Directions
- Add liquids first. You’re going to start by adding the water or nut milk to your high-speed blender first. Adding the liquid first helps to make the other ingredients blend much faster.
- Then, add soft ingredients – dates or honey, turmeric, pinch of sea salt, and Daily Detox. If you are using fresh fruit instead of frozen, add it here.
- Frozen bananas, blueberries, and ice (if using).
- Cover with lid and blend. Turn your blender on – the best part is, if you have a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix, it whips smoothies together in seconds.
- Enjoy!
2. Greenocado Kick Smoothie
If you’re looking for a way to really get your greens in, this smoothie has it all. Leafy greens, avocado, cucumber, plus all of the greens you’ll find in Daily Detox. If you’re not a huge kale fan, you can switch it out for chard or spinach.
Ingredients:
- 2 handfuls spinach or lettuce
- ½ an avocado
- ½ a cucumber
- 1-2 dates or 1 tsp honey (to taste, for sweetness)
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1/4 cup water, nut milk, kefir, milk, coconut water, coconut milk, or liquid of your choice
- Optional: a few ice cubes, to desired consistency
- 1 scoop of Daily Detox per person for an extra health boost and to support your detox pathways
Directions:
- Add liquids first. You’re going to start by adding the water or nut milk to your high-speed blender first. Adding the liquid first helps to make the other ingredients blend much faster
- Next, add the leafy greens, avocado, cucumber, dates (or honey), sea salt, and Daily Detox.
- Frozen ingredients or ice are added last.
- Cover with lid and blend. Turn your blender on – the best part is, if you have a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix, it whips smoothies together in seconds.
- Enjoy!
3. Berry Blast Uber Antioxidant Smoothie
This recipe is packed with antioxidant-rich berries, plus a secret ingredient — ginger. I love this smoothie if I feel like I may be coming down with something; it’s rich in nutrients and will help you kick a cold when you’re feeling under the weather. It’s also a great choice if you’re looking for a daily dose of berries.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/4 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/4 cup frozen raspberries
- 1/4 cup plain unsweetened coconut yogurt (plain yogurt or Greek yogurt work well, too!)
- squeeze of lime juice
- 1/4 tsp crushed ginger (you can buy pre-crushed ginger in a jar, or buy fresh ginger and grate your own)
- 1/4 cup water, water kefir, milk, coconut water, coconut milk, or liquid of your choice
- 1 scoop of Daily Detox for an extra health boost and to support your detox pathways
Directions
- Add liquids first. You’re going to start by adding the lime juice and water (or the liquid of your choice. Good options are milk, coconut water, coconut milk, or liquid of your choice to your high-speed blender first. Adding the liquid first helps to make the other ingredients blend much faster.)
- Add softer ingredients. Add the yogurt, crushed ginger, and Daily Detox. If you are using fresh berries instead of frozen, add them here.
- Add any frozen berries and ice (if using).
- Cover with lid and blend. Turn your blender on – the best part is, if you have a high powered blender such as a Vitamix, it whips smoothies together in seconds.
- Enjoy!
Takeaway
Whether you’re starting a detox protocol or just looking for more ways to get nutrients into your diet, smoothies offer a quick and easy solution. The trick with smoothies isn’t just about adding a bunch of ingredients to a blender; it’s all about which ingredients you choose.
For a well-balanced detox smoothie, make sure you include a good amount of greens, along with liver-supportive nutrients. To make things simple, grab some Daily Detox to ensure that your smoothie is giving you the nutrient boost you’re looking for.
