Grapefruit "Detox" Smoothie

We’re suckers for a sweet, red grapefruit. Long before the days before becoming registered dietitians and personal trainers and before knowing how great grapefruits are for our skin, hair and for flushing wastes from our stomach, our Mom used to serve them a lot at breakfast—she’d cut the grapefruit in half and section out the little individual pieces. And then we’d have fun scooping out the delicious insides and popping each piece in our mouths! 🙂

Then there was 2 year phase in Atlanta when we lived together after being reunited when we completed our nutrition internships and we’d split a grapefruit and an orange and we’d each have the other half nearly every day with our lunch—um, yum! So when we recently had one of the sweetest ruby red grapefruits we’ve ever had, it inspired us to make this delicious little number! (Psst… if you want to check out some of our other grapefruit-inspired recipes, try our Grapefruit, Avocado and Kale Salad with Pepitas or our Roasted Asparagus and Grapefruit Salad. Or for more clean-eating beverages, try our Grapefruit Rosemary Detox Infusion or our Apple Cider Vinegar Detox Drink.

Today’s recipe is a delicious, simple, and refreshing smoothie; it’s exactly what we look for when we want to feel lighter, less bloated and to get back on the healthy track. Juicing can be messy and by extracting the fiber, it’s a waste of valuable nutrients that are pivotal for fighting disease and aging and detoxifying the body. Fiber has a cleansing effect on the intestines—it flushes wastes, toxins and bloat out of the colon (hello, flatter stomach!) and counteracts a bloated stomach from constipation since fiber is not absorbed. Fiber also is really important when it comes to weight management (it fills your stomach for a small amount of calories), as well as lowering cholesterol, balancing blood sugar, aiding regular digestion and elimination. This is why this isn’t a detox juice; it is more like a smoothie so we all can reap the benefits of the fiber!

Other reasons to feel good about drinking this smoothie?

The apple contains phytonutrients that help to regulate blood sugar, as well as flavonoids like quercetin which also assist in regulating blood sugar. Additionally, these phytonutrients fight cancer and heart disease.

The grapefruit and lime–, and all citrus fruit for that matter, are rich in immune-boosting Vitamin C. Vitamin C also helps to keep skin more youthful as it plays a role in collagen formation. However, citrus fruits are rich in limonene, which may help to prevent cancer. To further the benefits of grapefruits, ruby red grapefruits are high in cancer-fighting lycopene. Lycopene also acts as a natural sunblock and protects skin from sun damage.

Grapefruit “Detox” Smoothie

We recommend drinking this elixir with a meal that’s got both protein and veggies to round it out with some wholesome carbohydrates for some brain fuel. You’ll feel light, refreshed and satisfied.

(Yields 1 drink)

Ingredients: