To juice or not to juice?

Date

Do it regularly and follow a few simple guidelines, and juicing can power and maintain your healthy lifestyle. Juicing can help detox your body and boost your natural energy – no wonder there are so many juice bars popping up everywhere! You might be wondering why you can’t just eat fruit and vegetables as they come and still reap all these benefits? Fruit and vegetables do contain loads of vitamins and minerals, but by juicing them, it’s easier for your body to digest those nutrients. It’s also a great way to flush out toxins and waste (which is what a juice cleanse is all about).  

Image courtesy of Toni Cuenca. Title: Green Apple Beside of Two Clear Glass Jars, uploaded on 14 October 2017. Source: Pexels.com

What are the benefits of juicing?

It’s important to mention that an occasional juice cleanse is a great way to detox your body whenever you feel it needs a reboot. However, incorporating juicing into your day-to-day diet is also a great option – you don’t have to wait for that monthly or yearly cleanse. Regular juicing allows your body to absorb nutrients better, and also gives your digestive system a break from processing fibre. According to multiple health institutions, juicing can boost your immune system and improve digestion, as well as remove toxins. 

Quick and easy juicing tips

  1. Get to know all the different settings on your juicer and what it can do. 
  2. Always wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly.  
  3. Start with the most delicate ingredients first, followed by small, soft items like berries, and only then add harder fruits and vegetables like apples and carrots. 
  4. Be sure to drink your fresh juice the same day – you can divide it into portions if you want to drink juice throughout the day, or freeze it if you have more than you can drink at once. 
Image courtesy of freestocks. Published on 30 May 2016. Source: Unsplash.com

Reasons to love your fruit and veggies

There are some unsung heroes in the juicing world that shouldn’t be overlooked. Here are some of the most popular fruits and vegetables to add to your juicing recipes. 

Apples: fight inflammation and help heart health 

Oranges: a great source of vitamin C and can boost your immune system 

Lemons: reduce the bitterness of dark leafy greens like spinach or kale

Carrots: high in fibre and potassium, they also have vitamin K and beta carotene for improved eye health 

Spinach and ale: packed with vitamins, and have anti-inflammatory properties 

Celery: a great source of fibre and vitamins A, C and K.

Turmeric: this spice has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties

Ginger: helps boost the immune system

Image courtesy of Alexander Mils. Published on 9 June 2018. Source: Unsplash.com

When it comes to juicing there are no rules as to which ingredients can be combined together. You can be guided by what’s in season, by flavour or by colour – let your creative juices flow! However, if you have a specific health goal in mind, like a detox or immune system boost, then check out the “recipes” below:  

The immune booster: orange, celery, carrot, turmeric and ginger

The green machine: apple, lemon, spinach, kale and celery

The detox diva: carrot, ginger, lemon, apple and turmeric 

Image courtesy of Sarah Gualtieri. Published on 12 January 2020. Source: Unsplash.com

Juicing isn’t difficult: all you need is a juicer and some fresh produce. But for those days  where you just don’t feel like going to all that trouble, you can purchase juicing bundles of pre-made , ready to drink juices to suit your needs. The tough part is changing your mindset and incorporating juicing into your daily routine. But if you put your mind to it, the benefits are endless!

More
articles