Heavy metal toxicity can lead to a vast array of symptoms; this heavy metal detox smoothie recipe is a fantastic way to gently absorb and remove these toxic substances while supporting your system in the process.
The vibrant green heavy metal detox smoothie is full of liver cleansing superfoods, including chlorella, spirulina and zeolites, to effectively detox heavy metals from the body. It is so easy to make this detox smoothie that will bind to toxic heavy metals in the body.
Our environment exposes us to heavy metals; they are found in domestic, agricultural, medical, industrial, and technological sectors. The most common being mercury, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead. Although not categorized as a heavy metal, aluminum is another toxic metal of concern that is commonly used.
These toxic heavy metals get stored in our bodies, affecting our overall health. Eventually, they can lead to chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, and neurological disorders such as alzheimers, among others.
Supporting your body with a heavy metal smoothie detox containing spirulina, chlorella, and zeolite is a great way to help eliminate heavy metals that accumulate in our bodies.
Top heavy metal detox smoothie ingredients
Zeolite
Zeolites are one of the key ingredients for removing heavy metals from the body, and I go into significant detail further down in this post!
Chlorella
Chlorella is a single-celled freshwater algae, and it is in this heavy metal detox smoothie recipe for its heavy metal detoxifying properties.
A study involving mice given powdered chlorella showed a significant reduction in methylmercury levels in the kidneys and brain, with a noticeable reduction at day 7 and continuing to decrease the entire 21 days of the study.
Chlorella also has fantastic antioxidant properties and contains omega-3s, carotenoids like beta-carotene and lutein, and vitamin C. Not to mention, it is a significant source of plant protein!
Spirulina
A study administering a combination of spirulina extract and zinc to a group with arsenic poisoning showed a significant reduction in toxicity effects. Specifically melanosis, and keratosis, compared to the control group.
With no lack of research to back it, 58 preclinical studies indicate the antidotal qualities of Spirulina against experimental toxicities of mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium. Additional studies demonstrate protective properties against arsenic toxicity.
Coconut water
Coconut water is rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants to support the detoxification process while delivering hydration on a cellular level, remineralizing, and keeping elimination moving through bowel movements. Heavy metals can bind to minerals and prevent their function in the body, so it is crucial to incorporate essential minerals in the diet to replenish these.
Celery
Celery adds additional fiber to the smoothie while containing important anti-inflammatory plant compounds. Fiber is a crucial component in cleansing the body and keeping elimination moving. Celery gives this drink a refreshing taste that pulls all the flavors together.
Cucumber
Cucumber is well known for their cooling and anti-inflammatory effects. It is also high in essential nutrients and antioxidants. Heavy metals put a lot of stress on our systems, and antioxidants combat the free radicals before they cause harm.
Ingredients for this heavy metal detox smoothie
Blend the following ‘heavy metal detox smoothie’ ingredients in a high-speed blender to make this delicious green smoothie:
- Frozen mango – 1 cup
- Pineapple – 1/2 cup
- Large banana – 1
- Celery – 1/4 cup chopped
- Zeolite – 1 tsp
- Spirulina powder – 1/8 tsp
- Chlorella powder – 1/8 tsp
- Cucumber – 1/2 cup chopped
- Water – 1 cup
- Coconut water – 1 cup
- Spinach, loosely packed – 1/2 cup
Nutritional benefits of this heavy metal detox smoothie recipe
While focusing on incorporating liver cleansing foods to help detoxify the body of heavy metals, this green smoothie is also a great source of vitamin C, vitamin A, Calcium, B vitamins, Iron, and Vitamin K, among others! It is also a significant source of protein and fiber, delivering optimal benefits to your body!
Drinking this heavy metal detox smoothie is a fantastic way to begin your day to support your body with heavy metal removal, prevent oxidative damage and deliver potent antioxidants.
The nutrient composition of this smoothie was calculated using Cronometer.
I encourage you to utilize the Cronometer App as a tool on your wellness journey. Think of it as a virtual food diary with added perks. It is the most accurate, comprehensive, and customizable nutrition tracking app you’ll find. It also allows you to sync your fit bit (or similar devices) to input daily exercise seamlessly.
Add in daily foods or specific vitamins & nutrients to calculate your total daily intake and determine which areas you need to focus more attention on. It is fantastic for finding gaps in your diet that can go unnoticed as it compounds throughout the day and gives you a visual of how you nourish your body.
All information on cronometer is from accurate and verified sources, so you can feel confident making informed decisions, getting you closer to achieving the universal goal of a nourished body and full spectrum nutrition.
Symptoms of heavy metal toxicity include:
- Brain fog / Memory loss
- Lower intelligence quotient-IQ / Cognitive impairment
- Delayed/impaired neurobehavioral development
- Decreased hearing acuity
- Speech handicaps
- Insomnia
- Autoimmune disorders
- Poor attention span
- Anti-social behavior
- Depression / Anxiety
- Neurological symptoms; tingling or numbness
- Dementia
- Headaches
- Reproductive system disorders; infertility, hormonal imbalances
- Digestive system disturbances
How are we exposed to heavy metals, and why do we need a heavy metal smoothie detox?
Unfortunately, we are all exposed to these toxic metals and can benefit from the metal-drawing properties of this heavy metal detox smoothie.
The foods we consume can actually contain these heavy metals due to where the specific food is grown and the levels in the soil. For example, mushrooms, liver, shellfish, mussels, cocoa powder, and dried seaweed are most likely to contain cadmium. Although often in low concentrations, with every exposure, we increase the concentration in our bodies.
Cadmium is also in cigarette smoke, so steer clear of secondhand smoke!
Even leading a healthy lifestyle, we can’t escape environmental exposures. For example, many countries have reported naturally sourced well water contamination of arsenic. Agricultural runoff, mining, improper disposal of arsenic chemicals, etc, all lead to groundwater contamination.
If it is in the groundwater, it is in the soil. Arsenic exposure also happens through air emissions such as tobacco smoke, smelters, burning of certain fossil fuels and affects nearly all organ systems when exposed.
A study was done by the EWG on ten babies, testing the umbilical cord blood for toxic chemicals. Between the ten samples, 230 industrial pollutants were found. Lead, Mercury, and PCBs were found in all ten samples.
Additionally, heavy metals can be passed down the family line for many generations!
There is great evidence as to why it is essential to support our system’s detoxifying processes and ensure that we are in optimal condition to clean ourselves out! Simple daily practices, including drinking lemon water first thing in the morning, physical movement to improve lymphatic drainage, and staying hydrated, should be top considerations.
Mercury is found in fish, shellfish, and other foods. Although seafood is a source of mercury, it contains essential omega-3s, and other nutrients, so continue to enjoy these foods in moderation. Choose seafood that is lowest in mercury and limit it to 1-2 meals per week.
Health Canada advises that the following seafood has the lowest levels of mercury: salmon, oysters, crab, clams, scallops, mussels, shrimp, herring, trout, haddock, sole, pollock (boston bluefish), flounder, atlantic mackerel, lobster and lake whitefish.
Another significant source of the population’s mercury exposure is dental amalgam fillings which contain about 50% mercury by weight. These fillings release a vapor (gas) when chewing or grinding, exposing you to mercury vapors that can accumulate and lead to health issues.
Aluminum cans, cookware, and aluminum foil are all common ways we are exposed to the toxic metal aluminum. Using aluminum metal cookware leaches the metal into your foods and can lead to neurological conditions such as alzheimers, inflammatory bowel disease, osteoporosis, and autism, to name a few.
Once exposed to these toxic metals, they pass through into the cells of numerous tissues and organs, where they can stay stored there for years! One of the best ways to detox heavy metals from the body naturally is to incorporate this heavy metal detox smoothie daily.
What is Zeolite? Benefits of zeolite in this detox heavy metal smoothie
Zeolite is one of the top star ingredients of this heavy metal detox smoothie recipe!
Although some zeolites are synthetically made, naturally occurring zeolite is a species of microporous clays found in ancient lakes formed from volcanic ash. Clinoptilolite is the most common form of natural zeolite and is most widely used for its ion exchange and adsorbent properties.
It has detoxifying, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Zeolite has the amazing ability to attract, absorb and remove heavy metals from the gastrointestinal tract. Due to its pore size and adsorption process, it is excellent at removing toxic substances from its environment, all while being considered safe, non-toxic, and biologically neutral!
Data collected from animal models as well as a few clinical trials have shown that using therapeutic zeolite has positive effects on overall well-being due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and detoxifying process in the gut; this action leads to gut microbiota homeostasis and healthy brain activity (considering gut-brain connection).
Recent evidence suggests that zeolite could effectively eliminate toxic metabolites that are the bi-product of pharmaceutical drugs used for chronic conditions such as diabetes, chemotherapy, or cardiovascular disease.
In industrial spaces, it is used as an environmental decontaminate to remove radioactive materials, pesticides, heavy metals, etc. In veterinary medicine, it has been proven to remove harmful substances from farm animals, including mycotoxins, ammonia, and nitrates.
Zeolites for detoxifying heavy metals is a fascinating subject and an exciting tool to continue utilizing. It is even being used in exhaust systems to absorb VOC (volatile organic compounds), therefore aiding in the purification of our air as well as reducing greenhouse gases such as nitrogen dioxide.
A company that I have always trusted with quality products is Harmonic Arts, a family run business out of Vancouver Island, BC. They carry a Premium Activated Zeolite powder if you are looking for a trustworthy brand to purchase from.
They also have quality spirulina and chlorella powder. I am a long-time supporter of their Sea Veg Blend, a blend of dulse, wakame, nori, and sea lettuce that offers a great source of iodine and is fantastic for detoxification support against environmental toxins.
Ways to remove heavy metals from the body
Of course, zeolite, but I won’t go into more detail on that one!
Zinc has been well-studied for its ability to aid in heavy metal toxicity. Because zinc has similar properties to cadmium and lead, it fights for metal absorptive binding sites. It has also been shown to help with oxidative stress caused by exposure to lead and cadmium, and this is believed to be due to zinc being a cofactor of the antioxidant enzyme copper zinc dismutase.
In saying that, zinc deficiency can lead to cadmium toxicity because they are essentially competing. Copper and lead exposure can also lead to the loss of essential minerals like zinc, causing a zinc deficiency.
To up the zinc content of this delicious smoothie, some good options would be to add hemp seeds, avocado, yogurt, pumpkin seeds, or cooked quinoa to this heavy metal detox smoothie recipe.
Another method of removing these heavy metals is traditional chelation therapy, an intravenous treatment using a molecule called EDTA. EDTA is a chelating agent, meaning that it binds to metals or minerals in the body, creating a compound that is excreted in the urine.
Chelation is a method used in conventional medicine to treat severe metal toxicity. This treatment has side effects, and the chelating agent can bind to essential nutrients such as iron, calcium, zinc, and copper, causing serious deficiencies.
Nature has its own chelators, amino acids, and specific plant foods! Dietary fiber, sulfur containing foods such as cruciferous vegetables and cilantro have all been studied for their chelation properties in reducing heavy metals in the body.
Cilantro or cauliflower are both great additions to this heavy metal detox smoothie recipe. You can easily add steamed cauliflower if you have a good high-speed blender. I promise you’ll never know it is there! Steamed cauliflower can also be used used in soups or smoothies to add creaminess and additional fiber.
Research has also shown that deficiencies in Vitamin C, B1 + B6 can attribute to poor tolerance of heavy metals. If you believe you are low in these nutrients (or others), Seeking Health offers high quality supplements that I trust and use with my own family and clients.
It is important to request tests to identify vitamin and mineral levels if you are feeling low energy or have symptoms that could be related. Nutrient deficiencies or imbalances can cause a whole wack of symptoms!
Many of you have probably already heard of the heavy metal detox smoothie created by Anthony William (the medical medium) that contains atlantic sea dulse, wild blueberries, spirulina, cilantro, etc. This would be another great smoothie recipe to try as an alternative flavor profile and a few different detoxifying ingredients.
I created this heavy metal detox smoothie around the powerful action of zeolite, chlorella, and spirulina. Still, both recipes are great and I encourage you to try each of them for the most optimal benefits on your wellness journey!
Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie
Equipment
- 1 High speed blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup pineapple
- 1 cup mango
- ¼ cup celery
- ½ cup cucumber
- 1 tsp zeolite powder
- ⅛ tsp spirulina
- ⅛ tsp chlorella
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup coconut water
- ½ cup spinach
- 1 banana
Instructions
- Measure all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend!
Notes
This spirulina smoothie bowl is antoher great recipe for liver detox 🙂
References:
The Role of Spirulina (Arthrospira) in the Mitigation of Heavy-Metal Toxicity: An Appraisal
Toxic Contamination Begins in the Womb
Chelation: Harnessing and Enhancing Heavy Metal Detoxification—A Review
Enhanced elimination of tissue methylmercury in Parachlorella beijerinckii-fed mice
Zeolite Clinoptilolite: Therapeutic Virtues of an Ancient Mineral
Heavy Metals Toxicity and the Environment
Dietary Strategies for the Treatment of Cadmium and Lead Toxicity
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