The Ultimate Post Festival Detox Smoothie
Pretty bold statement, I know but I 100% stand behind it.
If you’re living in the 21st century you have probably heard a million and a half different detox methods.
Some include:
- Warm water with lemon
- Green juices and smoothies
- Blue green algae
- Raw food cleanses
And everything in between.
This smoothie blends all those methods and then some. It contains several ingredients that are actually scientifically proven to flush mercury and heavy metals out of your body.. and when paired together, the results are out of this world.
Let’s face it- we live in a toxic world. Our food, environment, household products, makeup, skincare and even teeth fillings expose us to toxins, most notably heavy metals. These heavy metals cause chronic fatigue, brain fog, depression, insomnia, and even neurological disease and autoimmune disorder.
So what are heavy metals? No I’m not talking about the genre of music. There are 23 environmental metals considered “heavy metals.” The most common are lead, mercury, aluminum and arsenic. Exposure to these heavy metals cause acute (meaning immediate) and chronic (meaning long-term exposure) toxicity. Acute symptoms include the fatigue, headaches, depression and insomnia that I mentioned, while long-term symptoms include physical, muscular, and neurological degenerative processes that mimic Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Multiple Sclerosis. Yikes.
So how do you test for heavy metals? There are hair tests out there that you can do but they are not always 100% accurate, especially for long-ago exposure. Read more about testing for heavy metals here.
Hate to break it to ya, but we have all had some exposure to heavy metals, whether it’s from eating fish (read all about the high mercury contents in fish) to lead-containing plumbing/ paints,to tobacco smoke or household products with cadmium such as electric batteries. Read more about the risk factor for toxic metal exposure here.
That’s why it’s extremely beneficial to consume this heavy-metal detoxifying smoothie, whether you’re certain you have had exposure or don’t think it relates to you. Truth is, we can all benefit from some detox. Our bodies are always naturally detoxifying so this smoothie helps aid our own natural process. Best of all, there are no negative side-effects so even if you live in a perfect world with zero toxic exposure you’ll still reap tons of benefits from this delicious detox smoothie.
So what does this magical detoxifying elixir contain?
- Pineapple
- Cilantro
- Kale
- Spirulina or Chlorella
- Lemon or Lime
- Water
Let me give you the breakdown of why I picked these culprits.
Why Pineapple?
Say hello to the detox diva of this smoothie. Pineapple helps detoxify your body due to its digestive enzyme bromelain. This potent enzyme is proven to aid in breaking down protein, fat and carbs, all while reducing inflammation. It’s also rich in manganese, which helps aids in your fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, blood sugar regulation and brain/ nerve function.
Why Cilantro?
Cilantro is heavy metal’s arch nemesis. According to the Baseline of Health Foundation, cilantro changes the electric charge on intracellular deposits of heavy metals to a neutral state, which relaxes their tight bond to body tissue, freeing them up to be flushed from the body.
Studies have shown that levels of mercury, lead, and aluminum in the urine increase significantly after consuming large amounts of cilantro [increased metals in the urine mean the metals are being flushed out of the body in the urine]. So you’ll literally be peeing out toxins after this smoothie.
Why Kale?
Detoxers love kale and for good reason. Not only does it remove toxins from the body, but also helps eliminate them due to components called isothiocyanates (ITCs.) These components help remove toxins from processed foods, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, pollution, etc out of the body. It has been proven to detox your body at a cellular level.
In the words of the George Mateljan Foundation, “The two steps in the process are called Phase I detoxification and Phase II detoxification. The ITCs made from kale’s glucosinolates have been shown to favorably modify both detox steps (Phase I and Phase II). In addition, the unusually large numbers of sulfur compounds in kale have been shown to help support aspects of Phase II detoxification that require the presence of sulfur. By supporting both aspects of our cellular detox process (Phase I and Phase II), nutrients in kale can give our body an “edge up” in dealing with toxic exposure, whether from our environment or from our food.” Basically, kale got you covered.
Why Spirulina or Chlorella?
Spirulina and chlorella are blue-green algaes and two superfood powerhouses. Spirulina is the highest food in protein per ounce; in fact, amino acids make up 62% of spirulina. It’s used as treatment after radiation exposure because it is so detoxying. I suggest buying spirulina powder and adding it to your smoothies everyday.
Spirulina can also be rotated with its cousin blue-green algae, chlorella. Chlorella acts as a natural chelator to remove heavy metals and also contains a tons of antioxidant benefits. It strips heavy metals and toxins from blood cells and flushes them out of the system. I recommend buying liquid chlorella and adding it to your smoothies or liquid.
Why lemon or lime?
These sour citruses have tons of detoxifying benefits, making them coveted in the cleanse community. Just a little daily burst aids with weight loss, digestion, controlling blood pressure and balancing pH. Lemons and limes both purify the liver, which is where we store chemicals and pollutants. They also act as a natural diuretic, flushing out water retention, which allows us to cleanse faster. Read more about the benefits of daily lemon or lime water here.
I have many clients ask me: which is better, lemon or lime? Both lemons and limes are great and have very similar nutrition profiles. Lemons are a little sweeter while limes are a little more sour and tropical. I like to use lemons in my water/ tea, while I like lime with my salads and fruit; either work for this smoothie recipe.
To decides which one to use, I invite you to listen to your body. Buy both lemons and limes and give them a try. Then before making your smoothie, ask your body which it can benefit from. If lemons make you salivate, then go for the lemon. If limes are calling your name, then give that a squeeze. Our bodies are highly intelligent and can tell us what they prefer according to our nutrient needs. Let your intuition decide.
Why water?
Because water is the key to life! Most of us are chronically dehydrated and can really benefit from a little more H20 action. I always use water as the base of my smoothie instead of juices, coconut water or almond milk because:
1) it doesn’t contain any sugar
2) it doesn’t add unnecessary calories
3) it highlights the taste of the actual produce in the smoothie.
I would not recommend using a nut-milk in this smoothie, as it’s purpose is to be alkalizing and nuts are acidic. If you’ve never used water as your smoothie base and think it won’t taste good, don’t fret; the pineapple provides us with all the sweetness that we need.
Ready to get sippin? Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 cup pineapple (frozen and thawed or fresh)
- 1-2 cups water (depending on how thick you want it)
- 1-2 cups raw kale
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 lemon or lime, squeezed
- ½ tsp spirulina or chlorella
Instructions
- Blend pineapple and water until smooth.
- Add kale, cilantro, lemon/lime and spirulina/ chlorella.
- Pour into cup and enjoy the detox buzz!
I’ve recently been drinkin’ this bad boy every morning and feel oh so fresh!
