Green Juices and Smoothies for Optimal Skin Health
Written by Rachelle Fordyce on August 22, 2011 – -
Eat Your Greens for Healthier, Younger-Looking Skin
- by Tracy Neely
Healthy skin starts with clean blood and requires strong and steady blood flow. Your blood circulation brings your skin cells nourishment, and clears away waste products that your skin cells are constantly generating.
Eating mostly fruits and vegetables is essential to experiencing strong and steady blood flow. The water, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients found in these highly nutritious foods all promote optimal blood circulation to your skin and throughout your body.
Heart Health: A Sticky Situation
I know we’re all told to eat dark green leafy vegetables to have optimal health, and that is absolutely true, but here is something that I find truly shocking: Americans on average eat over 200 pounds of meat per year, while the average person eats only 20 pounds of leafy greens per year.
It’s well-known that an over-consumption of meat intake can lead to increased cholesterol due to the high saturated fat content. Cholesterol can make the blood sticky, clog arteries, and impede circulation and blood flow. So for the love of your heart, eat your greens! <3
Gorgeous Greens
Leafy greens are vital to healthy skin. They’re in a class all their own when it comes to the water content and the nutrient density profile. Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins A, C, E, K and many of the B vitamins and a small source of Omega-3 fatty acids. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among other effects.
A Dermal Detox
Detox and elimination are the keys to clear healthy skin. The high fiber content in leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables, helps the body eliminate toxins and possible carcinogens, while the phytochemical quercetin has anticancer and antioxidant properties.
Eating different types of leafy greens will also support beautiful, healthy skin. Vitamin A minimizes the production of sebum, helping to limit acne. This nutrient also strengthens the skin’s protective tissue and helps to flush out toxins. Vitamin E also protects skin cells from free radical damage.
A Green Smoothie A Day Keeps Blemishes Away!
A great way to get in a few servings of leafy greens per day is by drinking green juices and green smoothies. Both are sure to nourish you and your skin with vitamins, minerals and powerful antioxidants.
For an incredibly immersive green smoothie experience and absolutely amazing glowing skin, sign up now to join the Green Smoothie Queen and thousands of other spinach-slurping superheroes for our most popular program: The 21-Day Green Smoothie Detox!
Tags: 21-Day Green Smoothie Detox, detox, Green Juices, green smoothies, Greens for Healthy Skin, healthy skin, leafy greens, Optimal Skin Health, skin health
Posted in Raw Food Health, Raw Food Recipes | 5 Comments »
By Raw Antonia on Aug 25, 2011
Great advice, i love greens and they’re undoubtedly useful for the skin. In fact, when i was younger and had acne problems, i would make my own facial masks with all natural ingredients, including greens, to clear the skin and give it a natural hydration.
Instead of make-up removal creams which are loaded with parabens and other chemicals, try removing make-up by using homemade low-fat yogurt! It works perfectly for any type of skin and it does not leave any residue, like other make-up removal lotions.
You can also make a green facial mask by blending moist green salad leaves until you obtain a paste you can then smear over the skin. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse with rose water for maximum effect. Your skin will feel great!
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By Rachelle Fordyce on Aug 25, 2011
Thanks for the tips, Antonia!
For those who are vegan, would a soy or nut-based yogurt work as well?
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Reply by Jennifer on October 14th, 2011
I’m vegan and I do sometimes use yogurt mixed with cornmeal as a face mask (works great, your skin will glow!) But to remove my makeup (even sticky black eyeliner) coconut oil works like a charm! I wish I had found out about coconut oil earlier. I use it to cut essential oils, as conditioner (or for dry scalp since I live in such a dry climate) as body lotion, to shave with, massage just about everything! And I have SUPER sensitive skin and plain, unrefined coconut oil has never made me break out or get hives or anything. Love it! Hope that helps.
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Reply by Jennifer on October 14th, 2011
Hi, I use coconut oil for EVERYTHING including makeup removal and my skin is super sensitive so it should work.
Hope that helps!
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By Raw Antonia on Aug 25, 2011
Hi Rachelle!
Glad i could help.
To be honest, i haven’t tried with a vegan yogurt, but i suppose if it spreads well, it should also dissolve make-up much like a milk-based yogurt. I know that soya lecithin can work as a surfactant and dissolve fat, therefore a soy-based yogurt should definitely work. I might try it out sometime just to make sure.
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