Meet Maria Ahlgren, beauty and skincare expert who has recently penned new book Beauty Food, a go-to handbook for health and beauty from within. The skin and hair are the body’s window display. Therefore, food has an undeniable role in a beauty routine. Beauty food has long-term effects that cosmetic products, with few exceptions, can rarely match. All of the recipes in this book are designed to optimize the skin’s well-being. Glossy Rapunzel hair, strong nails and a healthy body are likely to come along with that. See some of her favourite smoothies that not only are stylish, taste delightful but also make you look good too!
Green
Dark green leafy vegetables are
a cocktail of vitamins and minerals that are indispensable for beautiful skin. The antioxidant betacarotene protects the skin against external stresses.
Cucumber, avocado, lime, leafy greens, mango and mint.
1 GLASS
1 cucumber
1⁄2 avocado or 75g frozen, diced avocado juice of 1–2 limes
A generous handful of mint
About 25g baby spinach or kale
1⁄2 banana, sliced and frozen
100g frozen mango chunks
Splash of plant-based milk, if required
Peel the cucumber if it’s not organic. Cut the cucumber and avocado into pieces, then blend with the other ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Add a splash of milk if the consistency is too thick.
Purple
Red and purple fruits and vegetables get their vibrant colour from anthocyanins, which are an entire army of age- and inflammation- fighting molecules. Vitamin C accelerates collagen formation.
Blackberries, vanilla and red beetroot.
1 GLASS
175g frozen blackberries
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla powder
50ml red beetroot juice or 1⁄2 cooked red beetroot,cubed 300ml plant-based milk
Blend all the ingredients together in a high-speed blender until smooth.
Blue
Fat-soluble vitamins need (surprise!) fat to be absorbed by the body, so using nut butter, avocado or coconut oil in a smoothie maximises the beauty effects.
Blueberries, almond butter, banana, vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom.
1 GLASS
200g frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 banana, sliced and frozen.
300ml plant-based milk.
Yellow
Yellow is not ugly. On the contrary, studies from the University of St Andrews show that three servings of yellow fruit or vegetables every day make us even more beautiful. After six weeks, the test subjects felt that they had firmer, more radiant complexions. The secret is collagen-boosting vitamin C and betacarotene, which protects and repairs cells. Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
Lemon, orange, mango and ginger.]
1 GLASS
2.5cm piece of fresh root ginger juice of 1–2 lemons
Juice of 1 orange
225g frozen mango chunks
200ml plant-based milk
Peel the ginger, then slice into smaller pieces. Blend with the other ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
Pink
Strawberries are brimming with Vitamin C, which protects against external beauty saboteurs and gives a boost to collagen.
Strawberries, peanut butter, vanilla and goji berries.
1 GLASS
1 tablespoon of goji berries 200g strawberries 1 tablespoon peanut butter 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder 300ml plant-based milk
Soak the goji berries in water for 20 minutes. Drain then blend the berries with the other ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Beauty Food by Maria Ahlgren is published by Mitchell Beazley, £14.99
Imagery credit: Lina Eidenberg Adamo
