Super Green Juice

Juicing. Most people either love the idea or they hate it. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of juicing and then you can decide for yourself if it’s worth a try. Everything is worth a try at least one right? hint hint.

Pros

• super simple way to get TONS of veggies in one tasty sitting
• easy digestion of nutrients
• good way to consume veggies for picky eaters
• good way to consume a variety of vegetables + fruit
• tastes delicious [if you choose the right combo]
• healthy + energizing snack
• can be great for people with digestive issues, especially those who do not do well with fiber

Cons

• can get expensive [ingredients + quality juicer]
• the fiber is lost
• can be time consuming [mainly just the post-juice cleaning]
• unpasteurized, so caution with compromised immune system
• juicing more fruit than veggies can lead to high sugar consumption

 

Okay, so what do you think; are you going to give juicing a try?

 [fresh ingredient line up.]

For me, juicing is more of a summer affair because I crave the refreshing, fresh ingredients. But for some reason this past week I got the juicing itch and I just had to have some. I also knew that I was going to be eating out at a five-course dinner [with wine pairings] that night, so I wanted to make sure I got plenty of veggies in during the day.

When it comes to juicing, it’s important to keep a few things in mind in order to get the most benefit:

[1] Juicing fruit is not as beneficial as juicing vegetables. Using too much fruit will increase the amount of sugar you’re consuming. Yes, it’s natural sugar, but sugar is sugar is sugar. The best veggies to use are your non-starchy, low sugar vegetables like green leafy veggies [kale, spinach, lettuce, swiss chard, etc.], cucumbers and celery. Limit the starchier veggies like beets + carrots. These still provide a ton of nutritional benefits, but are best eaten in their whole food form, or juiced every once in a while. When choosing fruits, I will almost always add a lemon or lime, but in addition, an apple is my go-to. I like a more tart apple like the Granny Smith, but really any apple will do. A general rule of thumb is to use one piece of fruit per juice recipe [not counting the lemon or lime because of their low sugar content].

[2] It’s best to consume green juice on an empty stomach or between meals. Because juicing removes the fiber from the whole fruit or vegetable, you are going to absorb the nutrients quickly [fiber slows digestion]. And if you drink your juice with a meal that contains protein, fiber and/or fat, this will also slow digestion + absorption. So drinking green juice outside of meals will ensure efficient absorption of all those health boosting nutrients.

[3] You’ll get the most nutrients from your juice if you drink it right away. Juicing and then leaving it in the fridge for a day or two is almost counterproductive. Once juiced, the vegetables + fruit will begin lose their nutritional value, leaving you with less of the benefits. So try and either drink your juice right away or at least within a few hours of juicing.

[4] Variety is important. If you are a regular juicer, it’s important to change up the fruits and veggies that you’re using in order to get a variety of nutrients, rather than the same ones over and over again. Your body thrives on variety. Each fruit + vegetable on this earth contain varying levels of vitamins, mineral, phytonutrients, etc. and for different reasons. If you’re an occasional juicer it’s okay to stick with just one of your favorite recipes; just be sure you are eating a variety of whole vegetables throughout the day in addition.

 [mmmmm.]

I personally love green juice for a variety of reasons: [1] for energy, [2] for an extra boost of nutrition, and [3] because it tastes great! I don’t, however, love the latest fad diets that recommend consuming only juice for 3+ days. Now that’s just silly. So please use green juice as a supplement to your diet, not as the only food you eat.

I choose organic ingredients when I juice [and I recommend you do the same] to ensure that I am getting the cleanest and most nutritious fruits + veggies possible. And I wash everything carefully before juicing to get rid of any possible contamination. Some people will add their citrus [un-peeled] right into the juicer. I wouldn’t recommend that. First off, the peel can be extremely bitter which will overpower the juice, and the peels can be dirty and hard to clean properly. You can just slice your citrus in half and squeeze into the juiced mixture, or I like to use a hand citrus squeezer which catches the seeds and squeezes out the most juice possible. I love using citrus like lemons and limes because they are naturally low in sugar, but provide a sweet, vibrant flavor that perfectly balances the otherwise more bitter greens.

 [drink up.]

What’s nice about juicing is that there isn’t much prep other than washing your produce. You don’t have to core your apple or peel anything [with the exception of citrus fruits]. Just chop your ingredients into pieces that will fit into the juicer and let the juicer do all the work. The only time consuming part is the clean up. I highly recommend [did I mention highly recommend] that you clean your juicer immediately after using it. This way the pulp and residue doesn’t adhere to the juicer, and it’s so much easier to clean.

Check out the super simple + super delicious recipe below!

Super Green Juice

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 bunch organic kale, 8-10 leaves
• 3 organic cucumbers
• 1 organic green apple [I use Granny Smith]
• 1 lemon
• 1 lime

Directions

Wash fruit and vegetables well. Juice all ingredients using juicer♦ [except lemon and lime]. Squeeze lemon and lime and add to all other ingredients. Stir and enjoy.

 

♦the juicer that I use is the Breville® Juice Fountain® Plus and I love it! Buy it here!

Did you try this recipe? Let me know in the comments below.