Greens can be easy to come by in the summer. Summer salads, lettuce wraps and fresh recipes with greens are everywhere. But how, and why, should you consume a variety of greens and our detox green smoothie throughout the winter as well?

Leafy greens and other vegetables offer many beneficial nutrients. They have fiber, antioxidants, and more. But the top reason to eat them may surprise you. Every plant contains compounds that allow it to grow and stay healthy. But, did you know their compounds can work in your body in much the same way.

Do you get your daily dose of chlorophyll?

Here’s why you should continue to eat greens all winter long and why chlorophyll is arguably the top reason to do so.

Keto Zone® Chlorophyll Green Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 scoop Divine Health® Fermented Green Supremefood®
• 1 scoop Keto Zone® Fiber Zone
• 1/4 avocado
• 1/4 cup berries (any kind)
• 1-2 cups spinach
• 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
• juice from 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 cup of water
• organic stevia to taste
• ice, as needed for desired texture

Instructions

Place all ingredients, except sweetener and ice, in your blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Add sweetener to taste. Add ice until desired consistency is reached. Makes 1 serving.

Nutrition info (per entire recipe): 300 calories, 20 grams fat, 3 grams net carbs (16 grams carbs, 12 grams fiber), 4 grams protein

What Makes this Green Smoothie and Must-Have for Winter?

There are many outstanding ingredients in this smoothie that support the detoxification of cells and systems in the body. In fact, all 6 detox systems in the body can benefit from this smoothie. They include your:

• liver
• kidneys
• digestive tract
• skin
• lymph system
• respiratory tract

Detoxification is simply supporting, fortifying and strengthening these specific systems through nutrition. This includes consuming nutrients that help them, and avoiding foods, chemicals and ingredients that hurt them. From there, these systems do the rest.

The vegetables and grasses in Divine Health® Fermented Green Supremefood®, the inulin and psyllium husk in Keto Zone® Fiber Zone, and the fresh fruits, greens, and healthy fats in the recipe all promote health and detox.

What’s more, this Keto Zone Detox Green Smoothie smoothie boasts a vital compound for cleansing the body. It’s chlorophyll, and it’s found in the greens, grasses, and algae. As you might remember from biology, chlorophyll is a pigment that gives plants their green color. Plants use chlorophyll along with sunlight to get their nutrients.

But how does chlorophyll support human health and detoxification? The compound, and the foods that contain it, works wonders for humans as well.

Chlorophyll for Human Health and Detox

Vegetables, grasses, and algae contain chlorophyll. Wheatgrass, chlorella, and spirulina are potent sources of chlorophyll. Spinach and parsley also contain good amounts of chlorophyll. In supplements, chlorophyll is typically added as chlorophyllin, which is a water-soluble derivative of natural chlorophyll. This makes it easier to digest when supplemented.

Whether through supplements or natural foods, chlorophyll supports human health and detox. Here’s how:

Natural Detoxification

Chlorella, spirulina, algaes, wheatgrass, and greens promote natural detoxification in the body. Chlorophyll is one of their main agents responsible for cleansing. In fact, studies have found that these foods support the removal of toxins, heavy metals and other harmful compounds from the body (1, 2, 3).

One 2011 animal study from Japan found that mice given chlorophyll shots excreted much more mercury from their systems than the control group after exposure to it (4).

Heavy metals can accumulate from ingesting them through foods and supplements, inhaling them from the air, or working in toxic environments with harmful chemicals.

Experts believe chlorophyll promotes cellular and blood detox by binding the heavy metals and helping the body excrete them (2).

In addition, chlorophyll may reduce the amount of other non-metal harmful chemicals in the body. For example, chlorophyll has been found to reduce blood levels of dioxin, a known hormone disruptor (5, 6).

Blood-Building Properties

Hemoglobin is often measured to assess the iron status, oxygen, and health of a person’s blood. Chlorophyll is chemically similar to hemoglobin.

In fact, researchers have suggested that supplementation with chlorophyll through wheatgrass may improve hemoglobin levels when deficient. This means better energy, health, and well-being!

Anti-Aging and Skin Health Compound

As a topical application, chlorophyll may reduce signs of skin sun damage. A study found that a topical chlorophyll gel improved skin condition for 12 days after its application (7).

What’s more, it may be effective against blemishes and enlarged pores. One study found that a gel containing chlorophyllin helped reduce facial blemishes and large pores (8). Yet another study concluded that the combination of phototherapy and chlorophyll resulted in fewer blemishes and less oily skin (9).

One of the primary ways the body deals with toxins is through the skin. As chlorophyll helps the body rid itself of toxins, it may also promote skin health.

Wound-Healing Properties

When the body is healthy, it has an amazing ability to heal itself. A 2008 review found that chlorophyll supplements promoted better wound healing, fewer wound odors, and potentially fewer infections in wounds (12).

Natural Deodorant

When toxins are present in your body, you may also experience more body odor.

Researchers have studied chlorophyll for its potential as a deodorant for many years. Studies have found that chlorophyll supplementation may reduce body odor from digestion (in the case of a colostomy) and skin (10, 11).

In fact, some deodorants and mouthwashes now contain chlorophyll to help reduce body odor through toxin removal.

Alkaline Environment

Lastly, chlorophyll is highly alkaline and promotes an alkaline environment in the body. How does this help with detox, cleansing, and overall health? Alkaline diets can (13):

• Improve the potassium-sodium ratio in the blood, which supports bone health, muscle growth and maintenance, and healthy blood pressure
• Increase human growth hormone production which supports cardiovascular health and brain health
• Improve levels of intracellular magnesium which supports enzyme production, vitamin D activation, and hormone balance

As you add more chlorophyll-containing foods and supplements to your diet, you can support whole-body health, cleansing, and detox!

Potent Sources of Chlorophyll in our Green Detox Smoothie

Chlorophyll is found throughout the ingredients in our green detox smoothie. The most potent sources are found in Divine Health® Fermented Green Supremefood®. These include (13):

• spirulina
• chlorella
• wheatgrass
• spinach
• kelp
• parsley
• spinach
• kale
• green tea

In addition, fresh spinach, lemon juice, and the inulin and psyllium husk found in Keto Zone® Fiber Zone are potent cleansing agents in our Chlorophyll Green Smoothie.

Bottom Line

Ready to add more detoxifying greens in your diet? Look no further than Divine Health® Fermented Green Supremefood®. There’s no reason to not get in all the nutritious compounds, and specifically chlorophyll, this winter. Make this winter count and rejuvenate your health!