Try these two detoxifying smoothie recipes as a healthy kick start to your day or a pick me up that will satisfy your sweet tooth without the guilt! Packed with superfoods like spinach, ginger and watercress, they are a simple and not to mention tasty way to get your 5 a day!
Deep cleanser
Strawberries make a surprisingly rich and creamy juice and, thanks to the presence of the powerful antioxidant ellagic acid, encourage liver-cleansing enzymes to escort toxins out of the body. Alongside their liver cleansing capabilities, strawberries are rich in B vitamins and vitamin C as well as the mineral potassium, which helps to maintain normal blood pressure and supports the kidneys.
4 handfuls of strawberries, hulled
3 handfuls of spinach leaves
2 handfuls of blueberries
1 large uncooked beetroot/beet, peeled and cut into wedges
2.5-cm/1-inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and halved
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon açaí berry powder
1–2 teaspoons detox greens powder
SERVES 2
Juice the strawberries, spinach, blueberries, beetroot and ginger then stir in the lemon juice, açaí berry powder and detox greens mixture.
Green shot
The vitamin C in the lemon helps the absorption of the iron provided by the spinach and parsley. Iron is an important mineral and aids detoxification that takes place in the liver. The super-nutrient PEITC found naturally in watercress and also in broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage has been found to cleanse and protect the lungs from pollution and cigarette smoke as well as reduce the risk of certain forms of cancer, including ovarian.
4 handfuls of spinach
2 handfuls of parsley
4 handfuls of watercress
3 medium apples, quartered, cored and cut into wedges
2.5-cm/1-inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and halved juice of 1 lemon
1–2 teaspoons wheatgrass powder
SERVES 2
Juice the spinach, parsley and watercress, interspersing them with wedges of apple to help them through the juicer, then juice the ginger and stir in the lemon juice and wheatgrass.
These recipes are from Superfood Juices and Smoothies by Nicola Graimes, photography by Kate Whitaker © Ryland Peters & Small