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This Doctor's Green Smoothie Contains So Many Hormone-Healthy Nutrients
I think one of the greatest weaknesses of conventional medicine is not recognizing the liver as the powerhouse that it truly is—especially when it comes to our hormones. Deficient liver energy can leave your hormone levels waning and disappearing, triggering a multitude of side effects.
Here's a green smoothie I always recommend to help support liver function (and optimize those hormones). While it's always best to consult your primary care doctor about your specific hormonal imbalances, this smoothie can be a good place to start.
Green Smoothie for Healthy Hormones
- 1 cup organic kale, spinach, mustard, or Swiss chard (you can rotate to try different flavors)
- 2 tablespoons fresh organic parsley
- 1 tablespoon organic dandelion greens
- 1 organic banana, peeled frozen or fresh
- ½ cup frozen organic strawberries or cherries
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¼ to ½ cup filtered water
- 1 teaspoon raw, local honey (if needed)
Method: Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
A breakdown of the ingredients.
Why is this smoothie so hormone-healthy? For one, I've found it's easier to drink my greens rather than eat them. Thanks to their retained fiber, the greens in green smoothies help flush the liver and the digestive system, metabolizing and binding the bad by-products of hormones. I love to alternate and play with different types of greens. My mainstays, however, are often kale and spinach.
Get your greens.
Kale, as a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, contains indole 3 carbinol1, a chemical that helps to metabolize estrogen. It also contains calcium D glucarate, which can metabolize estrogen and can help to remove carcinogens from the body.
Spinach is high in magnesium and iron, essential micronutrients for healthy hormones, while mustard greens have long been used in Ayurveda to metabolize estrogen. Swiss chard contains a high amount of antioxidants2, especially lutein, xeanthine, and beta-carotene—all of which can help support the liver in glutathione production, a potent liver detoxifier.
Adding in those herbs.
Once you're comfortable with your pick of greens, it's time to pick the herbs. Both parsley and dandelion greens are well-known liver-supporting herbs. Parsley contains chlorophyll, folic acid, and beta-carotene to support the liver and aid in hormone production3. Dandelion greens serve as a diuretic, helping the liver eliminate harmful agents that might be affecting your hormone balance.
Both of these herbs have a distinct taste, so adding fruit and just a splash of honey helps balance the bitter taste.
Fruits for some natural sweetness.
My favorite fruits in green smoothies are usually cherries or strawberries. Fresh, organic strawberries contain iodine, a mineral that supports the thyroid4, while cherries are rich in flavonoids, antioxidants that support hormone production.5
Don't forget about healthy fats!
My green smoothie for hormone balance has so far covered liver metabolism, detoxification, and hormone breakdown. But we're still missing a key component for healthy hormones: healthy fats. Healthy fats are needed as hormone builders6, providing the foundation for the production of hormones like estrogen and progesterone. In this green smoothie recipe, I've added chia seeds as a source of fiber, protein, and healthy fat.
Chia seeds are also a source of omega-3 fats, which can help to combat inflammation7. If for some reason you don't like chia seeds, you can substitute one teaspoon of coconut oil—another healthy fat with medium-chain triglycerides that can support our hormones8.
Finally, add water and a banana so that all these great ingredients can blend together to the consistency you desire. Since my mornings are hectic, I typically don't add more ingredients than what I listed above—but that shouldn't stop you from having fun and playing with different greens, fruits, or herbs to find your favorite smoothie concoctions.
The bottom line.
While you should always consult your doctor if you're experiencing any symptoms of hormone imbalance, this smoothie is a great way to help optimize healthy hormones. It can be easy to get in your greens and healthy herbs, all in one nutrient-dense drink (and it tastes fabulous!).
Dr. Taz Bhatia is a board-certified physician, specializing in integrative and emergency medicine, pediatrics and prevention, with expertise in women’s health, weight-loss, hormone balance and nutrition. She attended Emory University, the University of Georgia and the Medical College of Georgia, and was a recipient of the Emily Gardner Award for Best Pediatric Resident in 2000. She is the author of the Superwoman RX and The 21-Day Belly Fix. Personal health challenges in her twenties combined with a broken health care system motivated Bhatia to pursue an alternative definition of health and healthy living. As a young resident, she was sick and without answers, and began searching for help to heal her health issues. Studying various systems of medicine including Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture and Ayurveda, she found a wealth of information not yet taught in conventional medical schools. It led her to opening her now nationally-recognized practice, CentreSpring MD (formerly Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine). Today, Bhatia and her team work relentlessly to find a patient’s core health problems, their centre, in order to spring them forth in health, pulling from multiple systems of medicine, including integrative, functional, Chinese and holistic medicine.
More from the author:
Functional Nutrition Training
Check out Functional Nutrition Coaching
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Learn moreMore from the author:
Functional Nutrition Training
Check out Functional Nutrition Coaching
A cutting-edge nutrition deep dive taught by 20+ top health & wellness experts
Learn moreDr. Taz Bhatia is a board-certified physician, specializing in integrative and emergency medicine, pediatrics and prevention, with expertise in women’s health, weight-loss, hormone balance and nutrition. She attended Emory University, the University of Georgia and the Medical College of Georgia, and was a recipient of the Emily Gardner Award for Best Pediatric Resident in 2000. She is the author of the Superwoman RX and The 21-Day Belly Fix. Personal health challenges in her twenties combined with a broken health care system motivated Bhatia to pursue an alternative definition of health and healthy living. As a young resident, she was sick and without answers, and began searching for help to heal her health issues. Studying various systems of medicine including Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture and Ayurveda, she found a wealth of information not yet taught in conventional medical schools. It led her to opening her now nationally-recognized practice, CentreSpring MD (formerly Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine). Today, Bhatia and her team work relentlessly to find a patient’s core health problems, their centre, in order to spring them forth in health, pulling from multiple systems of medicine, including integrative, functional, Chinese and holistic medicine.
8 Sources
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/3-indolemethanol
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4816301/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3637085/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4192807/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6928816/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5312216/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4926888/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22975061
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