by Jennifer Fontaine – Once coveted by health mavens in secret back aisles of expensive health food stores, freshly-squeezed juices can now be enjoyed by the gallon in the most mainstream grocery stores around the world. I’ve even been on the streets of Istanbul, where you can pay less than a dollar to appoint a gleeful Turk with the duty of juicing a vibrantly ripe pomegranate that makes the taste buds sing.
More now than ever, many juicing enthusiasts are opting to invest in their very own equipment, making delicious and nutritious homemade juices in the comfort of their own kitchen. Joining this unofficial club can cost anywhere from $30-$500, but whether you choose DIY or fresh-from-the-store, there is no doubt that juicing is a wonderful addition to any healthy lifestyle.
Benefits of Juicing
The benefits of fresh juices are plentiful, but they offer an even more significant reward to those who don’t necessarily enjoy eating their fruits and vegetables. Juicing can be a fun, new way to include vital vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients in your diet that are found in whole versions of those foods.
While a diet including these essential plant-based nutrients can help protect our bodies against a host of ailments, it’s also important to note that juicing alone does not provide a sufficient amount of recommended daily fiber and can also radically boost your sugar intake. So juice away, but only as a supplement to an already balanced, healthy diet.
Juicing isn’t just for drinking either. You can also experiment by adding them to your broths or muffin batter, or boil your pasta in it for fortification. And it’s a great way to double up on immune-strengthening vitamins during cold and flu season.
Here are 10 wonderful additions to your juicing recipe cards that will revitalize, recharge and relax you. Happy juicing!
Morning Sunshine
- 2 Ruby Red Grapefruit
- 2 Oranges
- 3 Gala Apples
- 1 2-inch piece of Ginger
Afternoon Cooler
- 4 Persian Cucumbers
- 6 Stalks of Celery
- 5 Large Swiss Chard Leaves
- 2 Gala Apples
Evening Calm
- 4 Large Carrots
- 3 Beets
- 5 Apricots
- 1 Bunch of Parsley
Beet Carrot Apple Juice
- 2 medium raw beets
- 2 Granny Smith apples
- 3 carrots
- 1/2 of an English cucumber
- 2″ piece of fresh ginger
Cherry Mango Juice
- 1 cup frozen sweet cherries
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup frozen mango
- 3/4 cup water
Glowing From The Inside Out
- apples
- oranges
- lemons
- ginger
- turmeric
- water
- ice
Purple Juice
- 1 bunch purple kale
- ¼ head red cabbage
- 1 red beet
- 1-2 carrots
- ginger, 1 inch piece
- 1 lemon
Pineapple Kale Juice
- ¼ Pineapple
- 4 Kale leaves
- 4 Swiss chard leaves
- 1 Lime
Strawberry, Watermelon, and Cucumber Juice
- 8-10 strawberries
- 1 cup watermelon, cut and cubed
- 1/4 peeled cucumber
Cilantro Super Green Juice
- 2 oranges
- 5 leaves swiss chard
- 5 stalks celery
- 1 handful cilantro
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 inch fresh peeled ginger
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Jennifer Fontaine is the founder of Outdoor Families Magazine, publisher of MommyHiker.com, a blog to encourage outdoor activities with children, and an activist filmmaker inspiring dynamic change in the world. She lives in Southern California with her family.
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