A Green Smoothie Every Woman Needs for Hormone Health
Hormonal imbalance can manifest in everything from mood swings and cravings to PMS, cramps, and even infertility. 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 cool and so luscious that you’ll be 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 for hormonal health and balance.
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 may make you grimace! There's a fear factor with greens. We are afraid that they're going to taste gross and so we avoid them!
Enter the gorgeous green smoothie. It's 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 those greens! A high-powered, high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Nutribullet can be extremely helpful here because the texture is key to making a gorgeous green smoothie that everyone will love. We want smooth and creamy smoothies. Gritty, grainy green smoothies will sooner hit the trash than warm your heart, so make sure you start with the right equipment.
Balance is the other key to the gorgeous green smoothie’s success as a hormone helper. Fat, fibre, and protein are a powerhouse combo that helps stabilize blood sugar, remove toxins and excess hormones and supply the building blocks for hormones.
· Blending retains the fiber (juicing does not). Fiber 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 fiber 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% of the cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol is the precursor to steroid hormones and is critical for hormone balance!)
The Ingredients for Your Hormone-Balancing Smoothie
· 1 cup baby spinach, baby kale or Swiss chard OR a combination
· 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
· One peeled fresh or frozen banana
· 1 Tablespoon organic dandelion greens
· 1/3 cup chia seeds
· 1/3 cup hemp seeds
· 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries/cherries or pineapple
· 1/2 cup of filtered water
· Liquid stevia, if needed, to sweeten
Benefits of the Hormone-balancing Smoothie
1. The Base Greens
· Kale – Kale is a superfood that contains indole 3 carbinol and calcium D glucarate. Both help to detoxify and metabolize estrogen.
· Spinach – Spinach is rich in iron, magnesium, and micronutrients.
· Swiss chard – is rich in antioxidants like beta-carotene and lutein. Antioxidants help the liver produce glutathione, which is a powerful detoxifier.
2. Herbs and their Benefits
Our green smoothie includes dandelion greens and parsley – both known to support the liver. Both herbs are 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. Cherries and strawberries are lovely, but if you need to mask the green flavour, opt for pineapple! 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.
Are you 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), 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and one cup of coconut milk. Blend. Sweeten with a few drops of liquid stevia 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 snickerdoodle cookie flavour to a chocolate bombshell by adding 1 teaspoon of raw cacao. Raw cacao is known to help stabilize cortisol levels, balance blood sugar, improve mood and help with hormone balance.
Your health & wellness coach
Christine Phillips