Easy Papaya Smoothie Detox Recipe

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Detoxing is all the rage right now, and for good reason. We are constantly exposed to toxins in our environment, and it’s important to give our bodies a break from time to time. A detox smoothie is a great way to do that, and this easy papaya smoothie recipe is one of the best.

It uses simple ingredients known for their detoxing properties: green tea, papaya, pineapple, parsley, and lemon peel. And it’s delicious, too!

Why We Love This Easy Papaya Smoothie Detox Recipe

We are big smoothie lovers in this house, and nothing quite says “tropical smoothie” like papaya. It’s not an ingredient that a lot of people are familiar with, but it’s totally worth trying because it’s really delicious.

This smoothie is one that I love to use when I’m detoxing. When I’m feeling sluggish, have just come home from a vacation, or haven’t been eating the best, I love to do a three day detox with smoothies and juice, and this papaya smoothie is one of my favorites.

Why Detox with Smoothies?

Detoxing with smoothies is a good idea for a few reasons.

First, smoothies are a great way to pack in lots of nutrients in one easy drink. Rather than eating several cups of fruits and vegetables, which could take you all day if you get through them at all, you can enjoy lots of produce in one glass.

They are easy to digest, which is important when you are detoxing. We want to give the GI tract a break, and liquids are a great way to do this. You can also use fresh juice, but I find that smoothies are better for me because they contain fiber and can help move things along.

And finally, they are delicious and refreshing, which makes them a great choice for a detox drink. You won’t dread detoxing, instead you’ll look forward to your drinks.

So if you’re looking for an easy and delicious way to detox, I highly recommend giving this easy papaya smoothie recipe a try, along with our other great detox smoothies!

Ingredients in Our Papaya Detox Smoothie

Papaya

Papaya is the star of this smoothie. It’s a tropical fruit that is high in fiber and antioxidants. It’s also known for its digestive benefits.

You can pick up a fresh papaya for this recipe or you can buy frozen papaya chunks. Either one will work in this recipe.

Pineapple

Pineapple is added for sweetness and added tropical flavor. It’s also full of antioxidants and bromelain.

I like to use frozen pineapple for this smoothie, but you can use fresh or canned if that’s what you have on hand.

Parsley

Parsley is wonderful for detoxing. It can help reduce inflammation, protect against free radical damage, improve digestive problems and much more. (source)

You can pick up fresh parsley at any grocery store in the product section, and you just need to give it a quick rinse before tossing it in the blender. Even better, you can grow your own!

Lemon

Lemons are also well known for their detoxification properties. It is said to help the liver and fight free radicals in the body. The Vitamin C in lemon is also great for the skin and gums. (source)

In this recipe, we are using a quarter of a whole lemon. What? Yes! Believe it or not, you can use a whole lemon in a smoothie, and you get way more health benefits than just using the juice or zest. (See our guide to juicing a whole lemon here, including the health benefits)

Green Tea

Green tea is my favorite detoxing ingredient. It’s the liquid used in our popular Pineapple Cucumber Detox Smoothie that’s gotten rave reviews.

It’s full of antioxidants and polyphenols, which are known for their detoxifying properties. It’s also thermogenic, which means it helps to boost your metabolism and burn fat. (source)

How To Make Our Papaya Smoothie Detox Recipe

Making this smoothie is really easy. Just add all of the ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth.

You can make it as thick or thin as you like by adding more or less liquid. I like to add a little bit of water to help the blending process, but you can also use almond milk, coconut water, or juice.

If you want to make it ahead of time, just blend everything up and store it in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours. I like to make a big batch and drink it throughout the day.

Cheers to your health!

You’ll Love These Other Detox Smoothies…

How to Customize This Papaya Smoothie for Detox

Make it a green smoothie: Add a handful of spinach or kale for a nutrient boost. I love to add in greens to almost every smoothie because they add so many nutrients and fiber. Spinach is my favorite because it hides so well, followed by kale.

Make it creamy: Add a frozen banana or some non-dairy yogurt for a creamier smoothie. Also try Greek yogurt if you can tolerate dairy. You can also add ice to thicken this smoothie if you like, or use chia seeds or hemp seeds.

Make it fruity: Toss in some berries, mango, or other fruit for extra sweetness and flavor.

Change up the liquid: Use coconut water or milk such as dairy milk, coconut milk, almond milk or any other nondairy milk. When you add vanilla milk to this it’s like a papaya dreamsicle. Yum!

Make it protein-packed: Try Greek yogurt, protein powder or nut butter such as almond butter or peanut butter.

Add in other detox ingredients: Try a pinch of turmeric or some fresh ginger root.

Final Thoughts about Detox Smoothies

There are so many ways to make a great tasting smoothie. This easy papaya detox smoothie is just one example.

If you’re looking for more ideas, be sure to check out our other detox smoothie recipes. We’ve got everything from berry to cucumber and beyond.

Happy Blending!
Amanda