Top Detox Smoothie Recipes

After the excess of Christmas and the late night parties of New Year, sometimes January gives us the feeling that we need to detox our bodies and clean out our systems.  One excellent way of doing this without resorting to crash diets is to include detox smoothies into our day.  Smoothies are easy to make, can be put into containers to take to work and can be tailored to exactly what you need.  Here are a few suggestions.

Vitamin C Boost

Vitamin C isn’t something the body can produce on its own but it something essential we need to get from our food.  It is vital for protecting our cells and keeping them healthy as well as boosting the immune system.  Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, which helps to protect the body against harmful free radicals that have been connected with arthritis, heart disease and even cancer.

Ingredients:

·         200g blackberries, blueberries or a mixture of the two

·         600ml sweetened soya milk

·         Pinch ground cinnamon

·         1 tsp runny honey

Add all the ingredients to the blender and mix together until smooth then add into a tall glass to enjoy chilled.

Banana, Honey & Ginger Smoothie

Bananas not only offer a fantastic taste to a smoothie and a great colour, but are packed full of helpful minerals and vitamins.  For example, a single medium banana contains vitamins C, B6, dietary fibre, protein and potassium as well as being free of fat, cholesterol and sodium.

Ingredients:

·         Ground ginger (added to your taste)

·         2 tbsp runny honey

·         4 tbsp probiotic/live yoghurt

·         1 medium banana, ripe

·         Juice of 4 oranges

·         Juice of ½ lemon

Add the ginger to the bottom of the blender then add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Add to a tall glass and drink immediately to get the maximum benefit from the goodness in the banana.

Green Smoothie

Some experts say that in winter, our bodies tell us to get plenty of fresh greens to give us the vitamins we need when the sunshine is in short supply.  Greens such as kale and spinach are top of the list but not to everyone’s taste.  By hiding them in a smoothie, the fruit flavours can mask the ‘green-ness’ while still retaining all the goodness.

Ingredients:

·         1 banana, sliced

·         150g green grapes

·         200g vanilla yoghurt

·         ½ apple, cored and chopped

·         50g fresh spinach leaves

Mix all the ingredients together in a blender until it reaches the desired consistency.  If it is still too thick, add a tablespoon of milk, soya milk or juice until it reaches your preferred thickness.

Conclusion

Most smoothies come in tall glasses to get the most out of each drink and this provides a great opportunity for a perfect present for a smoothie-loving friend.  Why not get them their very own ‘Smoothie-Only’ personalised glass for their birthday and print off some recipes to go in the box with it?  That way, they always have everything they need to hand to make the perfect smoothies and get that freshly detoxed feeling.

Recipes:

www.hellomagazine.com

www.allrecipes.co.uk