How Juicy! The Benefits of Juicing (And a Few Great Recipes)

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Sep 10, 2024

We all know that we should eat our fruits and vegetables, and plenty of them. Are you one of the many who finds it a bit, let’s say, impossible to get them all in? Juicing can help!

You’ve heard it a million times (and you probably say it a million times too), “Eat your vegetables and fruit!” You know it’s good for you, but some people just can’t seem to measure up to the USDA’s recommended servings of fruit and veggies.

But don’t let that get you down. It’s easier than you think to get the recommended servings of fabulous fruits and vital veggies each day, not only by eating them, but you can drink them, too! Juicing (and blending, too) is the way to go!

Juice Can Be an Easy Way to Get in Your Daily Servings

 Fruit and vegetable juices are not only an easy way to get in your daily dose, but are also simple to make at home, too.

Vegetable juices contain much less sugar than fruit juices

If you make a beeline to the fridge for a tall glass of fruit juice, you may be taking in more sugar (and calories) than you really want. Vegetable juices contain far less sugar than pure fruit juice. Many vegetable juice recipes will include fruit to help make the drink a bit more palatable, but most of the juice will be from vegetables. If you’re watching your sugar intake and counting calories, keep track of the fruit juice you’re drinking.

Working on weight loss?

You know that starving yourself is no way to whittle down your weight. Vegetable juice can be a nice complement to a healthy nutritional and exercise plan. Vegetable juice is low in calories, has no fat and is full of healthy vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and enzymes. A nice vegetable juice can help curb your appetite when the desire for snacking strikes, and can also help maintain your energy level.

Fresh juice is best

In order for commercial juices to have a shelf life for shipping purposes and once in the stores, manufacturers pasteurize them to keep germs and bacteria at bay. This helps prevent spoiling and buys the juice some time. However, the pasteurization process sometimes diminishes beneficial vitamins, minerals and enzymes. No need for pasteurization when you juice at home! But take note: you should only make enough juice to drink immediately since exposure to air breaks down the juice and can expose it to pathogens.

Go Green, Go Fresh and Enjoy!

Use organic vegetables and fruits when juicing and make sure to wash them before using them. Green veggies make great juices! You can experiment with your veggie and fruit combinations, and also add things to taste, like grated ginger, garlic, parsley, and lemon juice.

Check out these tasty OA recipes:

White Nectarine Juice

Organic Grapefruit Ginger Juice

Blender Blueberry Banana Smoothie

More juice recipes to mix up:

Carrot Juice Medley

  • 5 carrots
  • 1 bunch parsley
  • 2 stalks asparagus
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 2 Brussels sprouts

Blend all together and serve

Emerald Glow from Jack LaLanne

  • 1 cup spinach
  • 3 kale leaves
  • 2 cups green seedless grapes
  • 1/4 pineapple (rind removed)
  • 1, 2-inch piece of aloe (rind removed)

First juice the aloe. When you’re finished with the first step, remove the aloe pulp from the pulp collector and pour it into the juice cup. Continue by juicing the remaining ingredients. Mix together well and enjoy! 

Green Machine Blender Smoothie (for a blender) from Whole Living

Makes 2 servings

  • 6 chopped Romaine leaves
  • 4 chopped kale leaves
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley sprigs
  • 1/2 cup chopped pineapple
  • 1/2 cup chopped mango
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1-1/2 cups water

Add all to a blender and blend until smooth

Kiwi-grape Juice from Martha Stewart

Makes 4 servings

  • 6 ripe kiwis, peeled
  • 2 cups green grapes
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into large chunks
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Peel, then cut the kiwi into large chunks. Add everything but the lemon juice to the juicer. Pour the juice into a pitcher with ice and serve immediately.

It can be hard to eat your fruits and veggies. But don’t let that stop you! Consider juicing to help you along!

Image: chelle’s view

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