Here’s a 4-ingredient Green Juice for a Flat Belly and Glowing Skin that will also help you to reduce sugar cravings, support detox and feel more energized & focused.
I know green juice recipes can look intimidating or time-consuming but I promise you, this one is super easy and you don’t even need a slow juicer to make it! A blender and nut milk bag/cheese cloth or fine sieve will do the trick too.
I have it first thing in the morning before breakfast, or as an afternoon snack if I get hungry before dinner.
The base for this green detox juice is a mix of sweet cucumber, licorice-like fennel, popeye power spinach and cleansing herbs such as mint, parsley or cilantro. That’s it, just 4 ingredients. If you want to add more glowing skin and immune boosting nutrients, read on.
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The juice is super refreshing and I even find it to be kind of sweet – not like sugary sweet but more naturally sweet, the kind of subtle flavor you can only taste when you’ve been eating sugar free for a while and your taste buds have adjusted to natural flavors.
If you love sweet sugary food and you decide to make this juice, I might suggest adding apple or pear until you’re used to the green flavor ;-) For a kids-proof version, I’d say to start with just cucumber, apple/pear and mint. Unless they love all things green, of course.
I also like to add celery, for its salty flavor and numerous health benefits. Celery consists almost entirely of water and provides lots of additional nutrients such as phosphorus, iron and zinc. Thanks to its unique combination of mineral salts, amino acids and vitamins, celery has been proven to hydrate our body twice as effectively as a glass of pure water. As little as two or three stalks of this mineral-rich vegetable are needed to effectively rehydrate and rejuvenate our body and skin.
Another ingredient I love to add is lemon or lime. They add a refreshing touch to this green detox juice and are packed with vitamin C that will support your immune system and help your body’s to better absorb the minerals from the greens.
If you love spicy food, you can add a knob of fresh ginger root. It will warm you up from head to toe and has really powerful antibacterial properties (great if you have a cold or sore throat).
If you’re an adventurous eater, you can try this juice with a piece of fresh turmeric root and/or chili pepper as well. Turmeric has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda because of its exceptional medicinal properties. It is said to improve digestion, reduce inflammation and support detoxification, great if you’ve had a glass of wine too many. ;-)
Last bot nut least: if you want to super boost this green detox juice, add a spoonful of moringa powder. I’ve recently started adding this superfood to my smoothies, breakfast porridge, matcha latte and even guacamole. I find it very energizing and the green flavor is surprisingly subtle compared to other detox superfoods like chlorella, spirulina or wheat grass.
Moringa powder is made from the leaves of the moringa tree, also called ‘the tree of life’ because of its remarkable nutrient content.
It is said that dried moringa leaves contain:
- 5 times more potassium than bananas (very important mineral if you eat low carb)
- 4 times more fibre than oats
- 14 times more calcium than milk
- 12 times more iron than spinach
- 8 times more protein than yoghurt
Scientific studies have also shown that it helps to lower blood sugar levels, which is great if you’re trying to beat sugar cravings and reach + keep a natural healthy weight.
Ok, enough talk, let’s get to the juice!
Enjoy this energizing green goodness and speak to you soon,
Julie
Green Juice for a Flat Belly & Glowing Skin
DIRECTIONS:
- Feed the ingredients one at a time into the slow juicer. Serve the juice as fresh as possible.
- Don’t have a slow juicer at home? You can use a blender too. Just place all the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth with a little water to get everything blended.
- Place a fine-mesh sieve, nut milk bag or cheesecloth over a mixing bowl. Pour the smoothie into the sieve. Use a spoon to press the pulp against the strainer to extract as much juice as possible.
- I love adding a spoonful of moringa powder to my juice for an extra energy and detox boost, but it’s totally optional!
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
- The fresher you drink your green juice, the better. You can store it in the fridge for 24 hours but it will have lost part of the nutrients.
- Are you serving this juice to children? Start with cucumber, mint and apple/pear/ pineapple to make it more palatable and sweeter to taste. Unless they’re used to green foods and slurp it all up. :) I would omit the chili though and be very careful with the ginger/turmeric because children’s taste buds are way more sensitive than ours.
Are you a green juice lover or do you find it too time-consuming; not the making, but the clean-up? ;-)
Would you like me to share more meals, snacks and tips to beat sugar cravings?
Let me know by leaving a comment down below.
