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^ ummz not that i know better or anything but arent u having too much sugar there? :/ (like pick one of the, either banana or tbsp of honey, but not both?) bcz i thought the main idea about green smoothies is the greens and for acne u need to eat less sugar stuff so u might put more spinach and greens there instead imo :/sounds yummy however =P
This is a good point!! Avery, if you find you're not getting the results you want, you might definitely consider that you have too many sweets in your smoothie (there is more information about this in the very first post). You might check your rice milk and see what kinds of added sweeteners are in it - be careful if it has processed ingredients or added sugars. However, for now, the main thing is that you're enjoying the greens smoothies, and that is key to making them a habit in your life. Down the road, you can work on making them less sweet if you think that will help, but if the extra sweeteners are necessary in order to get in your blended greens, then so be it. 🙂
Sometimes adding a more flavorful fruit instead can help reduce sugar. Strawberries or blueberries are low in sugar, but high in flavor, so they can add a touch of sweetness and tart while making the greens bearable.
Once you get used to it though, it's pretty easy just to throw some greens into a blender and call it good (even things like kale and collards). I only add fruit for the extra vitamins.
I've read this thread before and was always tempted to try the smoothies but never did because I didn't have a blender until recently. Now that I have one I want to give the smoothies a try but have no idea what recipe to use. I tried to read through the thread for some ideas but was a little overwhelmed.
Can someone give me a good beginners recipe?
Thanks!
SMT12483,
I'm glad you want to try a green smoothie! The main thing when starting is to have a greater ratio of fruit to greens so that the fruit masks the taste of the greens. I always recommend starting with spinach, as it's mildest in flavor.
A super easy recipe would be one (or two) banana, a small handful of spinach (can do more greens as you get used to them), enough water to blend (about 1 1/2 cups) and some honey to sweeten. This has a milkshake flavor - one of my favorite green smoothie recipes! You could blend in some frozen mango or berries as well.
Below are some more easy recipes - you do not have to follow these exact - you can substitute different greens, fruits, or leave out an ingredient (except for greens of course! hehe).
I hope this helps. If you have any questions or get discouraged, please post again! 
Examples of other fruit-based smoothies:
Peach-Pear Delight
¯§ 1 pear
¯§ 1 cup frozen peaches
¯§ 1 handful baby spinach
¯§ 2-3 cups water
¯§ 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pineapple-Raspberry Paradise
¯§ 1 apple
¯§ ‚¾ cup frozen pineapple
¯§ ‚½ cup frozen raspberries
¯§ 3-4 flat kale leaves (de-stemmed)
¯§ 2-3 cups water
¯§ ‚¼ tsp cinnamon
Heavenly Chocolate Smoothie:
¯§ 1 banana
¯§ 1 cup frozen mango
¯§ ‚½ cup frozen raspberries
¯§ 1 handful spring mix
¯§ 2-3 cups water
¯§ 2 tbs cocoa powder
Fresher than Fresh Green Smoothie:
¯§ 1 bunch parsley
¯§ ‚½ cucumber
¯§ 2 pears
¯§ 1 lemon (Peel away skin and remove large seeds before adding)
¯§ 3 cups of water
So I made my first smoothie and put in one green apple, some pineapple, some mango, water and a handful of spinach...does that sound okay? It's hard for me to believe that some spinach a day would help that much...just want to make sure I'm not missing something. Is it when you work your way up to two hands of greens that it makes a difference? Is there a green that works best?
i did this smooothie crap for months. and i can say with absolute certaintiy. that is barely made any difference in my skin.
There is obviously some other factor causing your acne. Sorry to hear.
I myself have been on this green smoothie diet for one year now and I am saying with absolute certainty that I should be sticking to this for a very long time. I am a long time acne sufferer and it is finally under control.
SMT12483,
That sounds like a perfect smoothie! I hope you liked it! Definitely opt for cruciferous greens like collards and kale, but spinach is wonderful to start with and does get great results. Eventually you can start adding more variety of greens and a higher content as well. One handful may be all you need, but if your acne is moderate to severe, I would definitely opt for at least 2 large handfuls a day. The more greens, the better!
Mindwitch,
I'm sorry to hear the smoothies weren't your ticket to clear skin. 
I agree with kaiji88 that you must have other factors involved. Smoothies are a great starting point, but for some, a diet makeover needs to also take place. I'd be happy to evaluate your diet if you'd like and offer suggestions if you'd like to send me a PM. I know it's really frustrating to try different things that don't work... I've been there.
kaiji88,
Thank you so much for posting - I love so much hearing from people that have cleared their skin just by adding blended greens to their diet. I wish more people knew about the power of greens! I'm really glad your skin is doing so well.
this is fabulous information that i will definetly be trying...i've been gluten/dairy/soy/processed foods and sugar free for 3 months...my skin is prone to clogged pores mostly in my chin and dry red rosacean skin on the rest of my face...im 43 and have suffered for 30yrs and im tired...very tired...This green smoothie diet should be very easy to incorporate into my diet...i need to see some changes as my current diet has not changed my skin at all and im falling deeper into depression and retreating from so many things
wicky,
I am so very, very sorry to hear of your struggles. There are a lot of people that can identify with how you feel. You aren't alone. Acne on the chin area is related to hormones, and greens actually help to regulate hormones, so I'm hopeful that you will get some relief from the smoothies. Definitely give them some time to work, and you might consider supplementing with DIM (naturally found in cruciferous vegetables) if you don't get the results you're hoping for, as DIM helps with hormones.
Are you getting good oils into your diet? Make sure you are getting a good DHA oil (I like Carlson's fish oil), and you might consider borage oil as well.
I would be more than happy to help you with your diet and offer suggestions - just send me a PM. Also, I think you'd find help and encouragement as well by reading Alternativista's posts (she has some in the stickies section at the top of the forum). Your story reminds me of hers.
You have already made amazing changes in your diet - that is definitely an accomplishment. Don't lose hope, as it can sometimes take several months before changes are seen. At least you know that in the meantime, you are making wonderful strides for good health and doing such a positive thing for yourself. You are on the right road. I would focus now on getting as many high-nutrient foods into your diet as you can. It's actually really simple to do and very tasty as well. With time, I think you will get there. Again, I am more than happy to help.
^ haha!! No worries - it was the arugula that made it taste bad! I love arugula, but I don't use it in smoothies, because it has a very strong flavor. I'd stick to spinach to start out with as it's mild in flavor, and then graduate to kale, collards, and beyond! Do try again!! Glad you posted!!
^ haha!! No worries - it was the arugula that made it taste bad! 🙂 I love arugula, but I don't use it in smoothies, because it has a very strong flavor. I'd stick to spinach to start out with as it's mild in flavor, and then graduate to kale, collards, and beyond! Do try again!! Glad you posted!! 🙂
I bought a single-serve blender a week ago and made my first green smoothie today. Baby spinach, banana :banana: , greek yogurt, and milk. It was yummy 🙂
It'd be great if it improved my skin... but if it doesn't then that's fine too 'cause I feel better just knowing that I'm putting good stuff in my body 😉
^ Your avatar is sooooo cute!!!! Your smoothie sounds delicious! I love Greek yogurt even though I don't eat it very often!!! hehe Do keep in mind that dairy is a huge contributor to acne though! The first post gives a link that explains more if you're curious. I hope the smoothies help with your skin and that you notice other health benefits as well! Thanks for your positive post!
ABG FAIRY dont leave this website I'll probably have more questions/comments soon! Here is one: How much veggies would you say a handful is? Do you mean as much as you can grab, or like a palm full? Sorry if the question is a little ambiguous. Anyways, It might be placebo, but about 20 min after i drank the disgusting arugala smoothie (lol) I felt energized and happy...not a bad sign!
So too much kale and broccoli makes me gag I just add broccoli and spinach now, and I find that having the fruits slightly frozen or refrigerating the drink makes it much easier. The sugar in the fruit isn't really a problem for my skin. I do think it's definitely helped with my overall health! This is what I put in mine. This makes 2-3 smoothies.
1-2 handfuls of spinach
1 handful of broccoli
1 ounce of Reservatrol
1 ounce of chlorophyll
1 cup of blackberries
1/2 cup of blueberries
1 orange
1 banana
1 apple
Maximus0,
Sorry, you had asked this question earlier, and I forgot to answer it! A handful doesn't have to be as much as you can grab, but your hand should be plenty full. I'd say a handful is about 1-2 cups greens, but don't try to measure, as it's easier to just grab a big handful. If in doubt, do large handfuls for now until you see that your skin is making a difference. Really glad you got an energy burst from the arugula!!!! That's great! Keep us updated on how you do, and no worries, I won't be going anywhere - happy to answer any questions I can!
tim12,
That sounds like a really healthful smoothie!! Do try to mix things up. It's a good idea to get variety. Keep it up!!
Thanks for the info! My skin is pretty clear from topicals (90%), but i'm hoping to get it so i have absolutely no breakouts...cause no matter what I do I still breakout once in a while...and i'm a guy so i can't blame it on the whole "once a month thing" lol. PLus...if this works really well maybe I can start cutting out my topicals too! I made another one this morning and it was MUCH better, it tasted great!
Handful of frozen mango
2 cups of water
banana
bunch of red kale
one pear
Pretty basic but it tasted good!
In your experience, how long do the leafy greens last in your refrigerator?
^ Sounds like your acne is very mild! That's great, and I bet you'll be seeing improvements soon! Greens can last anywhere from about 4-7 days I'd say. They can actually last longer if you put a paper town in with cut up greens, and there are devices/bags out there that can help them to last longer as well, such as the FoodSaver system. I know Whole Foods used to, or still does, sell produce bags that help them keep longer. Your smoothie recipe sounds great! Keep it up!
I find frozen raspberries are wonderful as their strong flavor overpowers everything else (good for me because I LOVE raspberries) plus they hide green color.
I haven't had any for like a week because we ran out of spinach but grocery store tomorrow yay!
I also add walnuts to mine...no added flavor and as long as you blend long enough no texture but great source of omega 3s!
RockingRedhead,
Yes!! I totally agree about raspberries!! They are also great to use in sorbets for that reason! I love making sorbets in the Vitamix with orange juice concentrate. Great idea about the walnuts! And if you just barely pulse walnuts into small pieces, you can add them to dishes as a meat substitute too - love those!
Maximus0,
Yum!!!!!!!