3 Day Smoothie Cleanse

By jsides

What this is about is making your body feel good. It's more of a reset, but we can call it a cleanse because trust me - all of the fiber from the greens and fruits will make you feel cleansed.

{Read this, on the difference between juicing and smoothie-ing if you haven't already}

Each smoothie recipe makes about 6 cups, which provide 3 2-cup servings for each day. In addition to this, you should also snack on healthy foods if your body craves it. I did this exact cleanse for 3 days and felt amazing afterward - though I did not stick to only smoothie.

Ingredients

• see below

Details

Adapted from bysarahashley.com

Preparation

Step 1

Day 1: Everything Green

Between the kale, parsley, and spirulina (an algae powder that's basically like taking the green of vegetables in its most concentrated form), this is the super-green smoothie. This variety of kale is less bitter than curly, but it's still pretty bitter so I usually combine it with spinach to lessen the burden. (If you hate it, go for all spinach!) I like throwing in green grapes, an apple, and a pear for even more green goodness - but when I don't have those on hand, I go for frozen blueberries. Parsley is great for you but you can also try dandelion greens on occasion for an extra detox boost; they are on the bitter side, so I like to add frozen pineapple when I do that to balance the flavor.

2 cups (packed) lacinto/tuscan/dinosaur kale leaves
1 cup (packed) spinach leaves
1 large handful parsley (about 1/2 bunch)
1 frozen banana
1 green apple, cored
1 pear, cored
1 cup green grapes
2 teaspoons spirulina
1/4 cup raw almonds
1 to 2 cups coconut water or unsweetened almond milk
4 or 5 ice cubes


Day 2: Beets 'n Berries

Without the greens, this would be a gorgeous shade of red - and with them, well, it's not the prettiest. But it does taste good! Swiss chard is pretty mild, compared to kale, so you can use it on its own or in combination with spinach if you prefer. You can usually find the beets precooked in the produce section at Whole Foods; I'm not gonna lie ... without those, I'd probably be too lazy to add them. Be sure to use ground flax if you're not using a VitaMix. Cacao powder - yes, chocolate! - is packed with antioxidants. More than blueberries, red wine, tea, etc.

3 cups (packed) Swiss chard leaves
3 cooked beets
1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup flaxseed
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
1 to 2 cups coconut water or unsweetened almond milk
4 or 5 ice cubes


Day 3: Peach/Avocado/Ginger

This might just be my all-time fave smoothie in terms of flavor. I love, love, love the heavy dose of ginger - and it's perfect with peaches. A little avocado adds your healthy fat for the day, though I like to throw in some cashews, too. Try replacing some of the peaches with frozen mango to switch things up. Maca powder is good for energy and stamina, as well as sexual health for both women and women. Can't go wrong with that!

3 cups (packed) spinach leaves
1/2 avocado, pitted
3 inches fresh ginger, peeled
1 frozen banana
2 cups frozen peaches
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 teaspoons maca powder
1 to 2 cups coconut water
4 or 5 ice cubes