We all desire beautiful, clear, youthful skin, but many of us are going about getting it the wrong way! Great skin doesn’t require expensive and exotic skin care products. All you need is a great diet and a healthy lifestyle!
Although sleep, exercise and stress relief are vital factors to work on over the longer term, making nutrient-rich smoothies is one way you can get a quick boost in skin health. Try to have a smoothie five to seven times per week to pack in plenty of vitamins, minerals and good fats that support beautiful skin. Since different-colored fruits and veggies contain different nutrients, we recommend rotating the color of your smoothie each day. For example, you could start with a green smoothie, then make a yellow-orange one, and then have a red or purple one the next day.
Some of the key nutrients for great-looking skin include:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B3 (niacin) and Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K2
- Zinc
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Other nutrients such as biotin, sulfur, selenium and silica
Here are five of the best smoothie recipes, packed with the key nutrients for beautiful skin. Consume on a regular basis for a complexion that is clear, bright and youthful!
Glowing Green Smoothie
This smoothie is very hydrating and helps improve skin tone, with leafy greens and vitamin-rich fruits.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup plain coconut water
- 2 frozen ripe bananas
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- 1 cup chopped mango
- 2 cups spinach or kale
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil
Instructions:
Peel and slice bananas and avocado.
Wash and roughly chop leafy greens.
Add all ingredients to blender and blend on high for at least three minutes to create a thick, frothy emulsion. Add more coconut water if the mixture is too thick.
Citrus C Smoothie
Vitamin C helps keep skin elastic and bright! This smoothie is packed with flavor and skin-supporting nutrients.
Ingredients:
- 1 frozen ripe banana
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 oranges
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1/2 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or frozen)
Instructions:
Peel and slice the banana and oranges.
Start the blending process with the banana and orange juice. Blend for three minutes until smooth and frothy.
Add the oranges, mango and pineapple, and blend until creamy.
Purple Antioxidant Smoothie
This recipe is packed with the perfect ingredients for skin health. Pomegranates improve circulation and digestion, while almonds provide flavonoids, which are known to improve complexion. Blueberries stabilize blood sugar, which is an important function for great skin.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 fresh pomegranate
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 large handful kale
- 1 large handful spinach
- 2 to 3 cups natural unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1/2 cup ice
Instructions:
Peel the pomegranate, and roughly tear or chop the greens.
Blend all ingredients together for two to three minutes until frothy and smooth.
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Zinc-rich pumpkin seeds make this delicious drink great for your skin.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked for four hours
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup frozen cranberries
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds, soaked in 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes
- dash of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Begin by making pumpkin seed milk — simply blend the soaked seeds with the honey and 2 1/2 cups of water until liquified and creamy.
Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until frothy and smooth.
Sweet-Tart Smoothie
This unique recipe will delight your taste buds and your complexion, too!
Ingredients:
- 1 pink grapefruit
- 1 cucumber (peeled if not organic)
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1/2 lime
- 1 pineapple
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions:
Peel grapefruit and lime. Peel and core pineapple.
Blend all ingredients until smooth, adding water if necessary.
Smoothie-boosting tips for clear skin
Try adding some of these high-power ingredients in small amounts to improve the detoxification and skin-supporting activity of your smoothie:
- Cayenne pepper
- Bee pollen
- Fresh lemon juice
- Fresh ginger
- Turmeric
- Kefir (water kefir or grass-fed milk kefir)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Spirulina or chlorella
Make daily smoothies a habit and you will see improvements in your skin in a matter of days! Want more? Essential oils are another way to take care of skin naturally.
-Liivi Hess
Liivi is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and is training to become a doula. She inspires women to find peace and personal power by taking control of health and fertility naturally. Liivi‘s passion is ancestral nutrition and primal lifestyle design. She and her partner Will live between Toronto, Canada and Queenstown, New Zealand.
Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10800421?dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17598002
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/niacin
