Smoothies. Delicious. But even better good for us and our hormone balance. We talk a lot about this around here because we specialise in getting gorgeous and keeping our weight stable and for that, we need balanced hormones.

FACT: happy hormones, happy weight, happy skin.

Hormonal imbalance can manifest in everything from mood swings and cravings to that wee pot belly. From the annoying to the devastating, the truth is that hormonal imbalance doesn’t have to be part of your reality.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was something quick, easy, and tasty that could help support your hormones? Something creamy and luscious that will have you licking your lips and wondering, “how on earth can this be good for me?” Well, you’re in luck! I’m going to share my tried and true Gorgeous Green Smoothie that every woman needs.

Before we jump into the recipe, let’s take a moment to dish about the WHY behind this choice. Why is my Gorgeous Green Smoothie the perfect choice to help balance your hormones?

Green smoothies are all the rage (and rightly so)! Dark leafy greens are among the most nutrient-dense and nutritious foods out there. If you’re like most people I know, the idea of eating more greens can sometimes seem overwhelming! So this is an easy way to pump up the greens for calcium, antioxidant power, fibre and super glowing skin.

My Gorgeous Green Smoothie is the secret weapon you’ve been waiting for and the one you’re going to blend for years to come (promise!)

Blending is part of the magic. Blending breaks down all the ingredients, which is especially helpful with greens! A high-powered, high-speed blender can be extremely helpful here because the texture is key. We want smooth and creamy smoothies.

Balance is the other key to the Gorgeous Green Smoothie’s success. Fat, fibre, and protein. I give them the FFP acronym – they’re a powerhouse combo that should form the basis of every lifestyle. They help stabilise blood sugar, remove toxins and excess hormones and supply the building blocks for hormones in the body.

Points to note:

• Blending retains the fibre (juicing doesn’t). Fibre acts as a mop in the intestines and helps bind to toxins and waste products cast off by the liver and the digestive process so they can be excreted. When excess hormones are in the body, they can wreak havoc, so fibre becomes an ally that helps get them out.
• The base greens are great for vitamins and minerals.
• The bitter greens help stimulate the liver which is the organ largely responsible for cholesterol production. The liver produces almost 80 percent of the cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol is the precursor to steroid hormones and is critical for hormone balance!

 

The Ingredients for Your Gorgeous Green Smoothie

• 1 cup baby spinach, baby kale and rocket or watercress
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• One peeled fresh or frozen banana
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 1/3 cup hemp seeds
• ½ cup of frozen strawberries/cherries or pineapple
• ½ cup of filtered water
• Brown rice syrup or liquid stevia, if needed, to sweeten

Benefits of the Gorgeous Green Smoothie

 

1.   The Base Greens

• Kale – Kale is a superfood that contains indole 3 carbinol and calcium D glucarate. Both help to detoxify and metabolise estrogen.
• Spinach – Spinach is rich in iron, magnesium, and micronutrients.

2.   Herbs and their Benefits

Our green smoothie includes parsley which is known to support the liver. Parsley is considered bitter, and bitter stimulates the liver in a good way.

3.   Fruits and their Benefits

Fruits help balance out the earthy, bitter taste of the greens. All are rich in fibre, vitamin C, antioxidants and flavonoids which support healthy hormones.

4.   Chia and Hemp Seeds

Both of these seeds are great sources of fibre, omega-3 fats, and protein. Balanced blood sugar relies on all three. Balanced hormones do too! Hemp seeds also contain an especially beneficial type of omega-6 fat called gamma linolenic acid or GLA for short. GLA is a direct building block of good anti-inflammatory hormones.

Get your smoothie on by blending all the ingredients in your high-powered blender until super smooth and creamy. Colder seems to be better from a flavour standpoint, but you can make a big batch, store it in the fridge and sip throughout the day.

Looking for something simpler?

Here’s a bonus! Combine one teaspoon of maca powder, two tablespoons of hemp seeds, one peeled banana (fresh or frozen), ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and one cup of coconut milk. Blend. Sweeten with a few drops of liquid stevia or brown rice syrup if needed.

This smoothie is sweet and mild with a bit less on the phytonutrient side, but it has hormone-balancing ingredients that are positively perfect! If you find that your energy needs a boost, take this from a mild banana-y flavour to a chocolate bombshell by adding one teaspoon of raw cacao. Raw cacao is known to help stabilise cortisol levels, balance blood sugar, improve mood and help with hormone balance. Woot woot!

 

Comment down below and let me know which smoothie ingredients you use in your hormone balancing smoothies! Bonus points if you snap pics of your smoothie creations and tag me on Instagram or Facebook @youologynz

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Yours in health & happiness ☺️

 

Main picture Image by Evita Ochel from Pixabay