Your liver is pretty important (aka, essential) for maintaining good health. It is in charge of clearing out all the toxins that we put in our bodies through food and drinks, plus what we ingest through polluted air, water, cleaning products, air fresheners, makeup and lotions, etc… That’s a lot of possible toxins going in, so maybe we should help get them out, yes?
This smoothie sounds like it could be a little nasty but it’s really not! And plus, how nasty was that shot of whiskey? You swallowed that no problem! Show your liver some love and drink this for breakfast every once in a while.
Here’s why this smoothie will give your liver a little help:
Turmeric is amazing. It’s got a gingery taste that works so well in all sorts of sauces, smoothies, soups, and dressings. It works with your bodies enzymes to help move toxins out of the body, and thus detox the liver. It’s a powerful antioxidant and also increases the production of your bodies own antioxidant enzymes. It’s also a major anti-inflammatory agent. Inflammation has been linked to almost all major prevalent western diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Beets are also high in antioxidants, but they also contain pectin, a fibre that helps make sure that toxins eliminated by the liver are flushed out of your system rather than being reabsorbed. Because of this, it’s often recommended to eat beets in their whole form, as opposed to juicing them. Beets also help cleanse the liver because they have betalains, which stimulate the liver cells to eliminate toxins. Betain, an amino acid found in beets is also good for your brain! It’s used to make your bodies natural antidepressants, so eat up and stay happy.
Apples also contain pectin to help with that whole flushing out toxins rather than reabsorbing them thing, and are a good source of antioxidants.
Lemons actually stimulate your body to naturally release stored toxins. This is why a lot of people recommend starting your day with lemon water. Speaking from experience, this definitely helps with digestion, which is your bodies way of eliminating waste. Pooping is good for you. There, I said it.
Spinach has a significant amount of glutathione, which helps detox the liver. Make sure to eat it raw though, as cooking it seems to get rid of the glutathione.
Chia seeds have a ton of health benefits, but for detoxing, they contain a lot of fibre which helps your body clear and remove toxins. (You know, that whole poop thing). Plus they are a great source of Omega-3s, which is important for a healthy and happy brain. Happy is always good. (More on the importance of Omega-3s here!)
I decided on cherries because they are really sweet and blend nicely when frozen to make really tasty smoothies. Plus the red cherries with the red beets is just really pretty. However, they are also great for detoxing because they’re high in antioxidants and fibre, helping the body eliminate free radicals through digestion. Winning!
| Liver Detox Smoothie | | Print |
- 1 inch of fresh turmeric
- ½ cup raw shredded beets
- 1 packed cup raw spinach leaves
- ½ a fresh apple, or ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 cup frozen cherries
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, milk of choice, or coconut water
- Juice of ½ or 1 full lemon, depending on your preference
- Roughly chop turmeric and apple, and shred beets with a cheese grater.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high until completely smooth.
- Best tasting when enjoyed immediately, but stays pretty well in the fridge over night if you want to prep ahead.
my name is jerry ,my liver emzymes are high from drinking and got to get the toxics out /im drinking nomore and wanting to detox my liver and cleanse it and get the swelling to go down /thankyou for any info and other powerful drinks …..
Hi Jerry, I’m glad you found my blog. I hope it inspires you to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables along your healing journey. That is amazing that you are taking the initiative to improve your health! Way to go! Detoxing is not something to take lightly or do on your own without guidance. I’d highly recommend getting in touch with a naturopath or holistic nutritionist for some guidance! If you want to work with me on a professional basis, please email me: diane@insightfulbite.com Best regards and be well!
I have been diagnosed with a moderate fatty liver, will this help lower the fattyness
Hi Joshua, thanks for stopping by the blog. A diet full of whole foods, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, is definitely the way to go to support your fatty liver! Make sure they’re organic as well! Keep in mind, your entire diet needs to be whole, quality foods. Just drinking 1 healthy smoothie a day without any other changes won’t do much. You can do it!
Can I use ground turmeric instead of whole turmeric?
Yes you can! I would use no more than a teaspoon!
Yes but I’d only use about a teaspoon at the most!
For how many days should I drink the juice?
Hello Yessica! What are your goals in drinking this smoothie?! You could drink it every day if you like it, hah! But this is not a specific meal plan, just a delicious healthy drink to add to your health routine.
You say lemons actually stimulate your body to naturally release stored toxins but don’t include a lemon in the ingredients. Should there be some lemon juice in the smoothie?
Oh my goodness! Yes, there’s supposed to be lemon juice in there! I’ve updated the recipe 🙂 Thanks for catching that!
I just made it, it’s pretty tasty.
Awesome, glad you like it! I know “detox” food can be a bit much sometimes hah!
Is this as effective as juicing? Also if I make 2 servings can i drink the next day?
Hi Samantha!
Smoothies and juicing are quite different as smoothies still contain all the fibre and juicing eliminates the fibre in order to give your digestive system a break, allowing the body to absorb nutrients more easily/quickly. So it depends what you’re goal is for me to say how “effective” it would be; As effective for what?! If you’re going to make a double batch, I’d store the extra in a glass jar, like a mason jar, and fill it all the way to the top. The less air it comes in contact with, the better it will keep. Of course, the frozen banana makes it more creamy, so you’ll loose that extra touch, but it should still taste pretty good the next day! Hope that helps!
I’m going to give it a try, my hubby desperately needs it but hates beets…
How often do you drink the liver detox smoothey.
Hi Michele! Thanks for stopping by the blog! There’s no set number of days or times, it’s just a smoothie to enjoy when you’re feeling like you may have overdone it on liver-taxing things, such as alcohol, or just too much junk food! You won’t overdose on vegetables, so feel free to have it as much as you like until you’re feeling better! Personally, I’ll have it a few days in a row for breakfast when I’m feeling sluggish after a holiday or celebratory weekend!
This looks yummy! I totally need to clean out my liver. But, you probably already know that 🙂 I guess I need to get a blender now!