Benefits of Juicing: Advantages and Juicing Recipes

Benefits of Juicing: Advantages and Juicing Recipes
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Benefits

According to the National Cancer Institute (a branch of the National Institutes of Health), we should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Unfortunately, the average American does not even come close to that. In some countries, where diets are high in fruits and vegetables, certain diseases that afflict Americans simply do not exist. For instance, British researchers could not find a single case of colon or prostate cancer, among other diseases, over a 30 year period.

The benefits of juicing include:

  • It is an easy and effective way to meet the daily recommendations.
  • Fruits and vegetables are fresh and uncooked. Heat can destroy important nutrients and enzymes.
  • Juicing removes indigestible fiber, allowing more nutrients to be absorbed by the body.
  • Juices are a healthy way of hydrating the body.

Choosing Fruits & Vegetables

The National Cancer Institute recommends eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. This helps ensure you get all the nutritional advantages.

Choose:

At least one serving rich in vitamin A per day (such as carrots, cantaloupe, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, apricots, mangoes, mustard greens, collards, kale, spinach, and romaine lettuce).

At least one serving rich in vitamin C per day (such as tomatoes, broccoli, pineapple, watermelon, oranges, cabbage, plums, spinach, grapefruit, honeydew, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, apricots, kiwi, mangoes, cantaloupe, mustard greens, collards, strawberries, tangerines, and bell peppers).

At least one serving high in fiber per day (such as blueberries, blackberries, grapefruit, pears, oranges, prunes, raspberries, strawberries, apples, brussels sprouts, carrots, cherries, kiwi, dates, figs, sweet potatoes, and spinach).

Several servings of cruciferous vegetables per week (such as cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower).

Juicing Recipes

Good for the bones:

1/2 apple, 4 sprigs of parsley, 4 kale leaves, 5-6 carrots

Good for the immune system:

1 handful of parsley (or 1/2 handful of parsley and 1/2 handful of wheatgrass), 1 celery stalk, 1/2 beet with greens, 3 carrots, 1 apple

Good for nausea:

1 1-inch knob of ginger root, 4 apples

Natural laxative:

1 pear, 2-3 apples

Helps cleanse the body:

1/2 cucumber (or 1/2 zucchini), 1/2 beet with greens, 2-3 carrots

Good for the blood:

6 spinach leaves, 5 carrots, 1/4 turnip, 4 lettuce leaves, 4 sprigs of parsley

Purifies the blood:

8 strawberries, 3 sweet apples

Good for the lungs:

1/4 potato, 5 carrots, 4 sprigs of parsley, 4 sprigs of watercress

These 3 juicing recipes can help prevent and treat the common cold:

1 orange (discard the peel), 2 apples

3-4 tangerines (discard the peels), 1 1-inch thick pineapple round

4 kiwis, 2 apples

Tips

Tips to get the best benefits of juicing:

  • If possible, buy organic fruits and vegetables.
  • Choose firm, ripe fruits and vegetables.
  • Wash all fruits and vegetables before juicing (even if it is organic).

Photo Credit

Image courtesy of CC-BY-SA-3.0 / Memorino at Wikimedia.

Disclaimer

Please read this disclaimer regarding the information contained within this article.