I'll have to try raspberries! That should completely cover the green taste that occasionally makes me gag, blackberries are another powerful one. blueberries don't really add too much taste that I notice. I'll have to try bok choy some time too!

tim12,

Yes, definitely give them a try!! You might try spinach if you haven't yet - very mild in flavor. Also, I know you just said the greens make you gag, but if they tasted really fresh to you, you might feel otherwise and might actually like it. The recipe below tastes sooo fresh with the parsley and lemon. It's very, very refreshing, and parsley is wonderfully healthful!

Fresher than Fresh Green Smoothie:

¯§ 1 bunch parsley

¯§ ‚½ cucumber (optional)

¯§ 2 pears (or just 1)

¯§ 1 small lemon (Peel away skin and remove large seeds before adding)

¯§ 3 cups of water

I'll try parsley and other leafy greens too! I always add in broccoli and spinach, having the drinks really cold helps me get it down. I've always had problems with uncooked veggies, but thanks to desperation of acne I've started eating more fruits and vegetables I'm sure in the past 6 months I've eaten more fruits and veggies than before in my entire life, lol.

Tim,

Glad you're going to try parsley! The broccoli might be why you gag a little. Perhaps you could blend up broccoli with a can of diced tomatoes or chicken broth, heat in a pot, add some beans and vegetables, seasonings, and some vegenaise for a creamy soup? I've actually been eating my blended greens lately in soups - I'm addicted to them! haha Cooked greens are beneficial as well, so you could always do both!

Tim,

Glad you're going to try parsley! The broccoli might be why you gag a little. Perhaps you could blend up broccoli with a can of diced tomatoes or chicken broth, heat in a pot, add some beans and vegetables, seasonings, and some vegenaise for a creamy soup? I've actually been eating my blended greens lately in soups - I'm addicted to them! haha Cooked greens are beneficial as well, so you could always do both! 🙂

You're probably right, the broccoli is very strong in flavor! Perhaps I could cut down on it in the smoothies, maybe half or so, and then add parsley. And I definitely need to start cooking more with vegetables, I'll try that soup, it sounds delicious!

Tim,

I'm glad you're going to try to the soup!!!! I eat soup every night for dinner - that's how much I love it!!!! haha I find too that when eating plenty of cooked vegetables, I don't have food cravings. I always, always have blended greens in the soup base. I usually just blend up frozen broccoli or spinach, collards, or a leafy green mix. Curry and Vegenaise (the grapeseed oil kind) is wonderful with chicken broth and if using diced tomatoes, you really don't need anything else as far as flavor, but I have to admit, the Vegenaise is awesome with the tomato base!! Brown rice is also delicious added to soups!!

Definitely experiment with the broccoli in your smoothies. If you find you just don't like it at all, better to do a smoothie with no broccoli than no smoothie at all! Also, kale and collards are extremely high in nutrients and are also cruciferous greens, so you would very much benefit from those and might enjoy them more.

How much green smoothie would you say that you drink a day? Like one cup?

Maximus0,

Lately, I've been eating my blended greens everyday in soups, and I'm loving it. However, when doing smoothies, just one large handful a day was sufficient to keep my skin clear. When I make my soups, I blend about half a bag of frozen greens with either a can of diced tomatoes or broth. It takes me a day or two to finish my soup. I'm probably eating more greens now than with my smoothies, but it's hard to say! I would say if one is struggling with his/her skin to do at least two large handfuls a day or more until improvements are seen.

Awesome...thank you! I'll just drink my first cup for breakfast, and sip on the rest throughout the day!

Surprised I never post in this topic. I'm drinking another green smoothie right now, and saw this topic and figured I'd check it out. Green smoothies are a staple in my diet. I have around 4-6 cups a day.

It's funny, all these people are so sissy about drinking blended veggies. Hell sometimes I will grind up a bunch of green veggies with only water and drink it. There are very, very little foods out in this world that bother me. A year ago I was a person who wouldn't touch anything that didn't taste like a bowl of sugar. In the past year I've opened up my food buds so much, I just love real food now. I can never eat fake crap again. I'm now in my kitchen cooking 5-6 every day.

My base of my smoothies are spinach, broccoli, kale, romain lettuce. That's always my base and then I add whatever I feel like. That past month it's been flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, hemp protein, shredded coconut, and blueberries.

Oh and thank you so much for the idea of blended greens in soups. Never thought of that. 100% doing that.

Surprised I never post in this topic. I'm drinking another green smoothie right now, and saw this topic and figured I'd check it out. Green smoothies are a staple in my diet. I have around 4-6 cups a day.

It's funny, all these people are so sissy about drinking blended veggies. Hell sometimes I will grind up a bunch of green veggies with only water and drink it. There are very, very little foods out in this world that bother me. A year ago I was a person who wouldn't touch anything that didn't taste like a bowl of sugar. In the past year I've opened up my food buds so much, I just love real food now. I can never eat fake crap again. I'm now in my kitchen cooking 5-6 every day.

My base of my smoothies are spinach, broccoli, kale, romain lettuce. That's always my base and then I add whatever I feel like. That past month it's been flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, hemp protein, shredded coconut, and blueberries.

When I blend brocolli it doesnt really become a homogeneous fluid like with spinach. The leafs (if you can call it that) stay intact. Is this because of my blender, or because I buy the wrong brocolli or because I dont leave my blender on long enough?

And I got to agree to you. Sometimes i just blend only spinach with water and drink 4cups in a row 😀 After a while it just begins to taste good...

It's funny, all these people are so sissy about drinking blended veggies. Hell sometimes I will grind up a bunch of green veggies with only water and drink it. There are very, very little foods out in this world that bother me. A year ago I was a person who wouldn't touch anything that didn't taste like a bowl of sugar. In the past year I've opened up my food buds so much, I just love real food now. I can never eat fake crap again. I'm now in my kitchen cooking 5-6 every day.

yah i agree to u guyz, i don get ppl too, for the sake of getting rid of acne shit id eat or not eat almost anything >_> fe yesterday i had smoothie of just broccoli, water, olive oil, carrot, flaxseed n tomato, no fruits or anything, deff didnt taste like cake awasomness aat aal, but duh i eat it anywayz without ewing or anything >_>

bowl of sugar sounds rly good tho! =3

I disagree, I think that people adjust over time, it's easier that way. Starting of with fruits makes it much easier, and then you add more greens, take some fruits away, add more greens, that sort of thing. Some people don't like seafood, and it can be pretty healthy for you, but if they don't like it, it certainly doesn't make them a sissy. Taste is subjective.

Maximus0,

You are very welcome!!

Thehoper,

Wow, sounds you are doing amazing!! I'm really glad you're going to try blended greens in soups as well!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them in soups!!!! When I'm at home, veggie soup with blended greens is what I almost always have for dinner!

fugleee_dumbBUNNY,

haha, I'm glad you're willing to do what it takes for your skin (and health!), however, do be sure to experiment with different recipes and find what tastes good to you as well. I find that eating plenty of cooked veggies takes care of cravings. If you like sweets and chocolates, try this.... 1 can of coconut milk drained (Asian section at the market), 5 tbs cocoa, 3 tbs honey (if you're okay with honey), 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Blend and store in the fridge for 4-5 days. It's fabulous!! Coconut milk is very healthful for you as well, so I consider this a healthful snack!!

tim12,

You are right in that for some, it's best to ease into this way of eating! Some people are grossed out by blended greens in a smoothie - they might do better having blended greens in a veggie soup, as putting greens, like kale or collards, in soup, probably sounds rather normal to people. Some people can't fathom greens with fruit though, haha.

So i have been making smoothies everyday since I first posted about my arugala one. I think i had some sort of IB or reaction, because for a few days right after i started them I had this rash break out on my arm (non itchy, it just looked weird). Also, my chest broke out a little in acne, and I usually never get chest pimples. However, as I am typing this the rash on my arm is 95% gone, and the pimples that popped up on my chest seem to be drying up. Maybe this was a sign of my body getting used to all the healthy stuff? I hope so, im going to keep drinking the smoothies and see what happens! My face has been pretty perfect though (but i contribute that to topicals more than anything)

Maximus0,

That is so cool! I'm really glad you shared that - definitely sounds like a cleansing reaction to me! I would take it as a good sign for sure. I'm hoping that with the smoothies, you can eventually stop using the topicals!

That would be awesome if it eventually happens! I made with with dandelion greens today, tasted great and those are supposed to be super healthy.

Do you ever go on vacation for a while and cant make smoothies? If so does taking a few days break from the leafy greens affect your skin?

Hey Maximus,

When I went to my friend's house for 3 days I didn't have my green smoothies. I did have my supplements, but overall my skin didn't change much. I did still eat relatively healthy, getting in 3-5 fruits throughout the day, and there was spinach or broccoli with 1 or 2 meals during my stay. I do however feel a difference in my energy and stuff like that, but that may be from the sugar in the bananas and other high sugar fruits.

Also, I wonder if the taste that makes me gag is from the chlorophyll? It has a very "green" type of taste, I know that's a horrible description, but I figured it'd be good to add in since I only have 2 green veggies added in. I'll experiment with tomorrow's smoothie!

Maximus0,

I used to break out after going a few days without a smoothie - nothing bad, but I would see my skin be a little unhappy with me. haha All I can recommend is to eat salads if you can and take some powdered greens with you. Depending on circumstances, you can even bring along a miniature blender. If in the U.S., Walmarts are everywhere and usually carry organic greens, so they are a great source. I really do hate being without my greens!! haha

tim12,

Let us know about your smoothie experiment with the chlorophyll!

I'd just like to mention something I've noticed with my smoothies as a possibility for others looking for an interesting texture. I was on smoothies regularly a year ago when clearing my facial acne. I'm now back on them to fight candida (to clear body acne). Since I'm having garlic cloves in my shakes, controlling the flavor is pretty important.

I've found that if you mix psyllium husks (super high fiber) with a dash of olive oil in your smoothy, instead of the frothy, bubbly liquid I used to get, you instead get what is a kind of drinkable jelly. To get this effect in a decent sized smoothy (1 large handful vegetables, some ginger, garlic, etc) you need 1.5-2 tablespoons of psyllium.

I find this texture preferrable - though strange to drink, it kills the flavor a -lot- and also cuts out the strange green froth I sometimes get on top of my smoothies.

Hope that's of interest

To ~ABG-fairy~ this isn't a facetious comment but a serious question. If you're eating a lot of veg and it's making your stomach full of gas then do you think a green smoothie would be easier for the stomach to digest than eating veg normally? I mean if it's in a liquid form then perhaps the stomach can cope a bit more or am i just thinking optimistically?

After reading the stuff on this thread i'm seriously thinking of buying a blender to make smoothies with (and hopefully it might help my stomach cope a bit better with greens)

Pangarl,

Thank you for sharing your tip! Are you mostly doing low-sugar fruits or mostly veggie smoothies?

Bosie,

Yes! Having the veggies blended will definitely help with that. If they're not blended, you might opt for having them cooked, as cooked veggies are generally easier to digest. Also, are you getting enough acidophilus (probiotics?). If not, you might consider Pearls by Enzymatic Therapy. A lot of people respond really well to those.

Oh, I saw your post as well about grains. It's true that you don't need them, but 1 or 2 servings a day would be okay. However, you might try cutting them out completely. If you're doing smoothies, eating beans, nuts/seeds and lots of veggies, you might find that you don't even miss them. I cut them out entirely for 6 weeks as an experiment, and I was just fine without them.

I'm glad you found the smoothie thread and excited that you want to give them a try! If I can be of anymore help, please let me know!

I really want to start on this green smoothie idea, I've been eating pretty healthy for the past 3-4 months or so, with the exception of dinner-time since I live with my family still so I can't dictate what I want for dinner for myself that's all green and healthy but for breakfast/lunch or snacks I strictly try to stay as healthy as possible. Although, I don't think my diet has ever really had an affect on my acne. I remember when I used to be completely clear, again around 3-4 months ago, I used to eat whatever I want without getting any pimples/break outs. But then I randomly started breaking out pretty bad on my forehead, and I thought maybe my diet was the cause. I started to eat healthy, but I don't think it's done much for my acne, it has gotten better though but idk if it's from the topicals I'm using. Either way, what I wanted to know was, how would you recommend to start this green smoothie regimen, is there anything I should look out for? is there an IB? I would usually read the thread for these answers, but there's like over a 100 pages so I'm just hoping ABG you'll be able to answer these questions

obliviousxsmile,

Glad you're looking into smoothies! So you're saying you started breaking out about 4 months ago, and that's when you started eating more healthfully? The only thing with the smoothies I'd say to look out for is that it's possible it could make you break out a little more, due to a detox reaction. Some here have gone through that. So, I would suggest starting with a small handful of greens a day and working your way up to two large handfuls within about 3-4 weeks. I'd stick with spinach, collards and kale for now - and use spinach first, because it's mildest in flavor.

As for dinner, perhaps you could give your parents some ideas? For example, broccoli is delicious blended up with tomato sauce or in pasta sauce, and most people don't notice it much (it tastes great anyway, haha). Also, blended greens go great in soups. If your parents are receptive, I can help with other ideas.

Anything else, just let me know!