Juicing is a great way to get the required servings of vegetables and fruits into your diet. There is a variety of fresh produce you can use and endless juice combinations so everyone can find something they like. If you don’t like eating vegetables, juicing them is a good way to get the nutrients you need. Juicing helps your body absorb vitamins easily and faster than when your body naturally breaks down food through chewing and digestion. With juicing, every cell in your body is nourished for optimal health. When I drink juice, I literally tingle, as if my body has woken up with energy and it tastes great.
The health benefits of eating fresh raw fruits and vegetables are amazing and juicing helps you reap those benefits. Digestive problems are a concern for many people. Juicing helps cleanse our digestive system and gives it time to rest and heal. Juicing helps reduce the buildup of toxins in our bodies that have a negative impact on our health. Getting the nutrients from juices increases heart and brain function and boosts our immune system to prevent disease. Green leafy vegetables contain chlorophyll which helps heal wounds, cleanses the liver, helps prevent cell damage, increases red blood cells and is high in nutrients. The vitamins we get from fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants to help prevent arterial plaque or increase our bad cholesterol. The health benefits are many because we are feeding our body what it needs to function and support its actions. These are just some of the health problems that are solved with the consumption of vegetables:
- Carrots-Skin, Liver Arthritis, Bladder, Asthma, Cancer, Heart, Eyes, Colon Health
- Cabbage heart, bladder, skin, ulcers, lung, fatigue, constipation
- Kale-arthritis, liver, circulation, skin, anemia, ulcers, heart, cataracts, stroke
- Cucumber skin (acne, psoriasis, eczema), joints, hydration, kidney
- Celery-liver, insomnia, kidney, lung, constipation, diuretic
- Lettuces-liver, insomnia, anemia, constipation
- Radish-lung, sinus, skin, thyroid
- Turnip greens: joints, skin, circulation, lungs, liver, eyes
- Red and Green Bell Peppers-Circulation, Skin, Eyes, Joints, Heart
- Garlic-immune, skin, heart, antibiotic, cholesterol, kill bacteria and fungi
- Ginger: immune and digestive systems, colds/mucous membranes
- Parsley-urinary, anemia, liver, skin, joints, circulation
- Mustard greens: bone health, muscle relaxant, asthma, menopause
- Spinach-liver, eyes, skin, kidneys, circulation, digestion, thyroid, heart
- Beet-circulation, skin, bladder, fatigue, kidneys, eyes
- Chard-heart, bones, antioxidant, muscles, anemia
- Fennel skin, blood, nausea
- Zucchini-bladder, hydration, kidneys, colon cleanser
- Wheatgrass-antioxidant, joints, fatigue, ulcers, hypoglycemia, liver, bones,
- Tomato-heart, cholesterol, prostate, cancer, antioxidant, cardiovascular
I don’t juice a lot of fruit due to its high sugar content. I use it mainly to add sweetness and more vitamins to my vegetable juices. Listed below are some of the fruits I use and the problems they can help with:
- Apple-diabetes, cholesterol, antioxidants, tumors, viruses, bone health, heart, lungs
- Blueberries-heart, memory, constipation, blood sugar, antioxidants
- Grapes-Antioxidants, Arterial Health, Heart, Blood Flow, Eyes, Kidney Stones
- Cantlope eyes, cholesterol, blood pressure, immune system
- Citrus heart, skin, scurvy, blood pressure, lungs, immune system, colon
- Mango-digestion, antioxidants, thyroid, memory
- Peaches-digestion, constipation, cancer, stroke
- Pineapple bone health, colds, digestion, diarrhea.
- Strawberries-heart, memory, calming effect, cancer
- Watermelon-cholesterol, blood pressure, prostate, stroke, kidneys
- Blackberries: joint health, arthritis, heart, blood pressure, immunity.
- Kiwi-anemia, dental health, heart, ulcer, immune
- Pears-sore throat, cholesterol, colon, fatigue, inflammation
- Raspberry joints, skin, antioxidant.
Those are just a few of the fruits and vegetables you can juice, but these are my favorites. You can receive these health benefits whether you eat the whole product or juice it, but to meet all of our daily requirements, I find juicing helpful. Always wash your produce well. I peeled my carrots and anything with a waxy skin that goes on to preserve the produce, but I leave the skin on just about everything else. I cut the peel off citrus because it can be bitter. Buy fruits and vegetables in their whole form. Buy green leafy vegetables with their stems still on. Avoid buying pre-packaged vegetables and carrots, celery, etc. processed (cut or grated). I remember once buying some grated carrots because they were on sale. When I juiced those carrots, I got literally no juice. They were nothing more than dried pieces of an orange vegetable. So always buy the freshest whole produce available and organic if possible. Some vegetables taste bitter or may be something you don’t like, so add a small amount of fruit. An apple is my favorite fruit to add to my vegetable juices. Experiment with what tastes good to you and what your body tolerates. Here are some combination suggestions:
- carrot, celery, beetroot, spinach, apple – this is my favorite and I take it every day
- spinach, parsley, carrot, celery
- carrot, ginger, apple, celery
- carrot, celery, garlic, parsley
- apple, grape, lemon
- carrot, apple, beetroot
- beetroot, grape, apple, lemon
- tomato, spinach, red/green pepper, parsley
- carrot, beetroot, lemon, parsley, celery
- carrot, beetroot, cuc, celery, pineapple, ginger, parsley
- apple, ginger, celery, parsley, lemon
- apple, beetroot, carrot, berries
- carrot, celery, cabbage
- lettuce, peppers, celery, cuc
- tomato, carrot, cuc, spinach, celery, cabbage, pepper
- spinach, cuc, carrot
- celery, beetroot, coriander, spinach
- carrot, spinach, lemon
- carrot, apple, cuc
- spinach, cuc, apple
- cuc, spinach, celery, parsley, lemon
- kale, collard greens, cuc, celery, carrot, tomato, apple, berries, lemon
Find your favorite combinations. Wear what is in season and looks fresh. If your doctor has put you on dietary restrictions due to allergies or medications you are taking, then do not use those certain foods. Always consult your doctor if you are not sure. Green juices are low in calories and sugar. Adding carrots and beets increases the sugar content. A fruit juice has the highest sugar content (lemons and limes are fine) and should be consumed in moderation, so eat all the fruit.
Homemade juices use raw fruits and vegetables so they have more live enzymes. This helps the body digest our food more easily to get the nutrients our cells use for energy. Store-bought juices, even though they say they are “natural,” are processed and contain condoms and just aren’t as good for you as homemade juices. The fresh juice should be consumed as soon as it is made. If it is not possible to drink it right away or if you want to take some with you for later, store it in an airtight container, preferably glass. Do not store juice for more than 24 hours because nutritional value, enzymes, and flavor have decreased.
There are three types of juicers:
- Chewing: This machine grinds or chews the food and retains more plant fiber.
- Crushing: the juice is compressed out of the food.
- Centrifugal-grinds fruits and vegetables to extract juice.
I have the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Deluxe. I’ve had it for about six years. I love it and have no problem with it at all. As with any juicer, it is very important that you clean it thoroughly after each use to prevent bacteria and mold from growing. It takes a few minutes to clean it up, but I think the juice is worth it. If you don’t know which one to buy (if you don’t already have one), ask your friends and family which one they like. They vary in price, but you don’t always have to buy the most expensive ones to get good quality. I bought mine online for around $100. Always read the reviews to see if the one you’re interested in is worth it. Read the instructions for your juicer to see what is the best use and for more tips.
I hope I have given you some inspiration and direction to start juicing. juice is very healthy only when combined with a regular healthy diet. The juice has very little protein and no fat, both of which are necessary in our diet. If you are using juice for a fast or detox, I suggest only juicing for a few days at most. Juice will give you a great energy boost, it does for me. Share your stories about how juicing has improved your health and your favorite juice recipes.