Smoothies are all the rage right now, but that’s not why you should be drinking one every day. Rather, you should be enjoying a cold smoothie every day because of the huge amount of health benefits you can gain. Smoothies allow you to take in more fruits and vegetables than you might if you were eating them whole.
Smoothies for Skin Care
You may be wondering why you should make smoothies part of your skin care routine, particularly when most products seem to focus on fixing the skin from the outside.
However, your skin reflects your overall health. The toxins and chemicals in your body express themselves in a number of ways, and one of the main ways that they get out is through your skin. By treating skin issues from the inside, you can naturally treat the cause of your skin problems, rather than simply covering up blemishes.
There are plenty of delicious smoothie recipes that can help you get glowing, smooth, and evenly toned skin. Give these recipes a try the next time you are craving a frozen treat.
Green Smoothie
Green smoothies are a big part of this trend, and for good reason. This particular smoothie recipe has the leafy greens that your skin needs to stay smooth while giving you antioxidants through fruit. Simply blend the following ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of water
- 2 cups of ice
- 1 cup of spinach
- 1 cup of kale
- 1 cup of green grapes
- 1 peeled banana
- 1 peeled and quartered orange
- 1 pear with the core and stem removed
- 1 teaspoon of chia seeds
Coconut Smoothie
Coconut and coconut oil are two of the best ingredients around for your skin. They are a healthy source of fat, so they give your skin the moisture it needs. This is a great smoothie to try if you have dry skin, fine lines, or wrinkles. Throw the following ingredients into your blender and enjoy a delicious coconut smoothie:
- 4 ounces of water
- 4 ounces of almond milk
- 1/2 frozen, chopped banana
- 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 4 ice cubes
Pumpkin Smoothie
Pumpkin is a natural source of beta-carotene, one of the most essential nutrients when it comes to the health and appearance of your skin. Canned pumpkin has a whopping 17 mg of beta-carotene per cup. Make sure you use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- 1/2 cup of frozen canned pure pumpkin
- 7 ounces of Greek yogurt
- 1/4 avocado
- 1/2 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons of flaxseed
- a pinch of pumpkin pie spice
Mango Smoothie
Like pumpkin, mango is an excellent source of beta-carotene and related nutrients. This is because of the bright hue that beta-carotene gives fruits and vegetables. One serving of this smoothie gives you more beta-carotene than you need for the day. Blend these ingredients together and enjoy:
- 1/4 cup of cubed mango
- 1/2 cup of mango juice
- 1/4 cup of ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup of vanilla yogurt
- 1 tablespoon of lime juice
- 1 tablespoon of raw honey
- 6 ice cubes
Sources:
http://www.prevention.com/beauty/healthy-smoothie-recipes-pretty-skin
Five Beautifying Smoothie Recipes
http://www.thedailymeal.com/10-smoothies-clearer-skin
This Site Was Inspired By An Interest in Protecting the Environment:
We had the privilege and joy of learning from Dr. Charlie Stine who instilled a love for the natural world through incredible field trips with the Johns Hopkins Odyssey Certificate program in Environmental Studies. At the time, the program was endorsed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Sadly, after Dr. Stine retired, the program was phased out. We hope that we honor his legacy by shining a bright light on environmental issues and sharing good news about the success of various conservation programs when possible.
