How Juicing Transformed My Health + Top 4 Recipes
Juicing used to feel like a fad, some unnecessary component of a healthy lifestyle. Vegetables were always a favorite of mine, but I could never fathom not actually eating them. Little did I know that juicing could completely transform my health. It allowed me to easily increase my intake of nutrient dense vegetables, even when my digestion was at its worst. Juicing provides a powerhouse of nutrients in one glass, without overworking our system. This is How Juicing Improved My Health + Top 4 Juice Recipes.
HOW JUICING TRANSFORMED MY HEALTH + TOP 4 RECIPES
JUICING JOURNEY
Oddly enough, my journey began with a love of smoothies. I often favored the simplicity of a creamy flavorful smoothie, especially when used as a nutritional aide. In my 20’s I moved towards green smoothies to help battle digestive issues and nutritional deficiencies. This was my first introduction to vegetable drinks, and I was quickly hooked.
As my health continued to decline, I fully adopted a real food lifestyle. The focus on eating nutrient dense high quality foods eventually lead me to discover the power of vegetable juice. Especially in the early days, I struggled to consume large quantities of vegetables daily. My taste buds and digestive system couldn’t handle all that at first. I began purchasing raw cold pressed juice when I could get my hands on it. I loved it then, but had no idea that it could seriously enhance my healthy lifestyle.
As a studious researcher, I quickly dove into the details. I was shocked to find loads of testimonials and community support for juicing. If it has helped thousands of people, surely it could help me too, right? Let me tell you, it more than surpassed my expectations.
TRANSFORMATION
The benefits of juicing vary by person, and are also based on what foods you are juicing. For instance, some need help with detoxing heavy metals, or cleaning up their liver. For me personally, I often need help assimilating nutrients from my food. When my digestion was at its worst, even though I was eating extremely clean, I still suffered from deficiencies. My body couldn’t break down many of the raw or cooked foods I was consuming, so I missed a ton of nutrition from my food.
Even now that my digestion is much improved, juicing saves me when I get a flare. It allows me to nurse my system back to health, and give it the nutrients it needs until things are back to baseline.
Additionally, I put an emphasis on juicing foods that reduce inflammation.
Even when I am feeling well, juicing is a huge bonus. It proves a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. This extra boost helps my body run efficiently and fill in any gaps from my diet. I have seen incredible benefits from the power of juicing, and know you will too. Next we will take a look at how the practice can help enhance our healthy lifestyle.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Think of juicing as nature’s multi-vitamin. A real food source of nutrition that imparts tons of health benefits. Here are just a few of my favorites.
- Instant fuel for our cells. Because juice digests quickly, your body quickly converts the vitamins, minerals, and compounds into energy.
- Balances our body’s pH. Vegetable juice is also very alkaline, which balances out what is usually an acidic environment.
- Concentrated nutrition. You’re packing pounds of produce into one serving of juice, so you get the benefit of all that nutrition in a single bottle. This is why juicing has been likened to a nutritional IV. It can quickly make up for nutritional deficiencies and supercharge your system into balance.
- Improves digestion. For those of us with digestive issues, fresh juice is a great way to make up for lost nutrition. Many times digestive disorders impair our ability to assimilate vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and compounds from raw and cooked food. Juicing removes the fiber, thus giving our digestion a break while our body reaps all the benefits.
- Supports diet diversity. Ideally, we would consume a large variety of fresh produce to expand our nutrient profiles. This is difficult for many of us to incorporate, but juicing can help. Juicing vegetables and fruit you may not otherwise consume, still allows you their benefits.
- Reduces inflammation. Juicing anti-inflammatory foods can help boost your body’s healing ability. Juicing food such as turmeric, ginger, leafy greens, and citrus fruits, are all powerful anti-inflammatory foods
JUICING 101
I caution preparation before jumping in. Juicing may not be right for everyone, so be sure and consult with your medical team before getting started. There are a few additional guidelines that will help make your juicing experience more beneficial.
- Consider your specific health needs. If you suffer from sugar issues, insulin resistance, or endocrine disorders, you may need to take extra precautions. For those that need to manage their sugar intake, consider sticking to vegetables only. Use lemon, lime, and ginger to help flavor juice, instead of sweeter fruits. Green apple is another great low-sugar flavor enhancer.
- Don’t replace all your meals. I personally don’t recommend replacing meals with juice often. Although it is a great form of nutrition, our bodies also need fiber, protein, and fat to survive. Think of juicing as a way to enhance your current lifestyle, versus replacing valuable real whole foods.
- Get organized. You may not be cooking food, but you certainly have plenty of prep to do. This is where key ingredients and equipment come into play. More on this in the next section.
Prep
Juicing may seem like a lot of work, especially for your first times. And it is, I won’t discount that. But the benefits are worth it, 100%. Thankfully you can cut down on time and effort by being prepared.
- Plan ahead and stick to a budget. Juicing can get expense, but it doesn’t have to. Juicing single vegetables or fruits at a time will cut down on the amount of items you need to buy at once. Plus, you can then also purchase these specific items in bulk. Also set a weekly budget for your juicing, and figure out how to incorporate it into your current routine. Perhaps you give up that daily gourmet coffee for a green juice with a serious dose of nutrition.
- Consider splitting tasks. In order to cut down on some of the prep time, I typically wash and cut my produce the night prior. This helps saves me several steps the next morning. Play around with a routine and figure out where you can create efficiencies for your schedule.
- Involve the family. Fresh juice is great for everyone in the family, even kids. This is also a great way to sneak in greens for picky eaters who may not normally eat veggies. Involving young juicers in the prep and overall process is a fun task for them, and sometime you can enjoy together.
As with any recipe, fresh, high-quality ingredients make all the difference. Here are a few tips to help you secure the best produce for your juice:
- Buy seasonal + local. Locate farmers markets in your area, or join a local CSA. Not only will you ensure the most nutrient dense products, but you will also support local business. Bonus that seasonal and local also means more affordable.
- Stick to organic fruit and vegetables. Yes, they are more expensive. But you don’t want to drink a pesticide soup with your fresh juice. Organic produce means no pesticides and usually non-GMO. This is especially important when you are using the entire item, skin and all. Worst case, follow the Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen list each year.
- Invest in good equipment. I began with using a high-powered blender and nut milk bag. This method works great as well, just requires a bit more manual maneuvering. This also works best for softer vegetables and fruits. Eventually I invested in a Breville Juicer. An actual juicer is helpful when you are using multiple items, especially tougher items like leafy greens and beets.
- Enjoy your juice right away. If possible, consume your juice immediately after you make it. As soon as fresh juice is exposed to air, it begins losing its potency and even some of its nutrients. If you need to store juice for later, fill a glass mason jar to the very top and seal tightly with a screw top lid. Bear in mind that fresh juice is raw and unpasteurized, so it will spoil quicker than cooked foods.
FAVORITE RECIPES
LIVER RESCUE
All these foods are powerful liver detoxifiers and are a great boost to cleanse your system. This one can be bitter, so add extra ginger, lemon, or even a green apple if needed.
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 large raw beet, or 2 small
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 bunch dandelion greens
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1-2 inch piece raw ginger
- 1 lemon (optional)
Instructions
- Wash and prep all ingredients. Juice, squeezing out damp pulp through a nut milk bag if needed, and enjoy immediately.
Happy Tummy
These ingredients are a mix of anti-inflammatory and healing foods that are great for digestion.
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 fennel bulb, with stalk and frawns if possible
- 1 inch piece raw ginger
- 1 inch piece raw turmeric (be careful, this stains!)
- 1 lemon
- Handful pineapple chunks (optional)
Instructions
- Wash and prep all ingredients. Juice, squeezing out damp pulp through a nut milk bag if needed, and enjoy immediately.
Daily Greens
This is one of my favorite daily mixes that provides a ton of hydration and mix of vitamins and minerals from leafy greens.
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 bunch green leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, or romaine
- 4 large kale or Swiss chard leaves, or several handfuls arugula
- 1 whole broccoli stalk with florets
- 4-6 stalks celery
- 1 green apple (optional)
Instructions
- Wash and prep all ingredients. Juice, squeezing out damp pulp through a nut milk bag if needed, and enjoy immediately.
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