Choose Your Juice by Benefit
Drinking cold-pressed fruit and vegetables is a delicious and valuable addition to any lifestyle. It’s an incredible way to incorporate extra fruit and vegetables into your diet and give your digestive system a rest. Not only is the way your juice is pressed important but what’s also important is the quality of the fruits and vegetables that are being pressed. Choosing a cold-pressed juice ensures that the most vitamins and nutrients are extracted and in your juice!
When you choose cold-pressed, raw juice, you give your digestive system a much needed break while getting a ton of nutrients into your system! This can help with weight management, blood sugar levels which can make you feel less moody and more energetic! They can also boost your consumption of micronutrients and phytonutrients, which can help strengthen your immune system and fight off chronic illnesses.
What Should You Look for in a Juice
When choosing a juice, there are many factors to consider. Many people have juiced or currently juice at home. In these instances, they usually use a centrifugal juicer. This type of juicer uses a fast-spinning metal blade against a mesh filter. It uses centrifugal force to separate the juice and pulp into different containers. The heat generated by the spinning blade destroys the enzymes in the juice. In addition, the heat also oxidizes the nutrients, making the juice less nutritious than cold-pressed juice.
At this point, you may be wondering why it is called “raw” since most juices, regardless of how they are made, are not cooked. The heat added when using a centrifugal juicer effectively “cooks” the nutrients, and therefore the juice is not considered raw. Cold-pressed juice, since it uses no heat, is considered raw juice.
When fruit and vegetables are cold-pressed, they are made with a hydraulic press that uses thousands of pounds of pressure to extract as much liquid as possible from the fresh fruit and vegetables. No heat is used, and no oxidation occurs. In addition, these juices are not pasteurized, so no heat at all is used in the process. Because of this, these juices have a three-day shelf life, ensuring that you are getting a fresh, healthy juice every time you get a cold-pressed juice.
What Fruit and Vegetables Should You Choose
While fruit and vegetables are generally healthy and we should all eat more of them, some fruit and vegetables are better than others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 1 in 10 adults get enough fruits or vegetables in their diets. In addition, research shows that eating 10 portions of fruits and vegetables a day gives you the greatest health benefit. And that the emphasis should be on vegetables rather than fruit.
Benefits of Vegetables Used for Juicing
A quick glance at any juice menu will give you a pretty good idea of the best vegetables used for juicing. Kale, cucumber, celery, spinach, parsley, and carrots are some of the most popular and tasty options. And, they are packed with nutrients, micronutrients, and phytonutrients. Knowing the benefits of each vegetable, fruit, and spice will help you when choosing raw juice for health.
Best Vegetables to Juice
- Kale – reduces bloating, high in antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and K
- Cucumber – helps digestion, reduces inflammation, high in potassium, manganese, and vitamins K and C
- Celery – may lower blood pressure, contains vitamins A, K, and C, and antioxidants
- Spinach – heart-healthy, high in iron
- Parsley – may reduce blood sugar, rich in vitamin A, K, and C
- Carrots – linked to lower risk of eye disease, high in vitamin A, biotin, and potassium
- Beets- may improve blood pressure, high in manganese, potassium, and folate
- Chard – may reduce blood sugar, packed with vitamins A and C
You can juice almost any vegetable, each with its own unique set of health benefits and nutrients. By mixing and matching, you can get more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants into your diet.
Best Fruit to Juice
Fruit is great in juices and is often used when a little extra sweetness is wanted in the juice. That doesn’t mean they don’t have health benefits, but it does mean that some fruit is better than others. Below is a list of the best fruit to juice.
- Lemon – supports heart health, reduces bloating, aids weight management, digestion, high in vitamin C, and fiber
- Kiwi – boosts immune system, aids digestion, lowers blood pressure, high in vitamin C, K, E, potassium, and antioxidants
- Apple – aids weight management, heart-healthy, filled with fiber, vitamins C and K, and potassium
- Pineapple – aids digestion, boosts immunity, reduces inflammation, contains fiber, vitamins C and manganese
- Watermelon – hydrating, reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, high in vitamin C, vitamin A and phytonutrients
- Coconut – heart-healthy, helps control blood sugar, high manganese, copper, and iron
- Berries – improves blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, may lower cholesterol, high in fiber, vitamins C and K1, manganese, and antioxidants
- Pear – may promote gut health, anti-inflammatory, vitamins C and K, provitamin A, copper, folate, and phytonutrients
- Banana – helps moderate blood sugar levels, improves digestion, may aid weight loss, vitamins B6 and C, manganese, and potassium
Spices and Superfoods to Add to Juices
Many juices also contain herbs and spices, both for flavor and health benefits, such as:
- Ginger –decreases inflammation, aids digestion, may reduce muscle pain and soreness, loaded with bioactive compounds and nutrients
- Turmeric – anti-inflammatory, bioactive compounds, antioxidants
- Mint – may improve irritable bowel syndrome, relieves indigestion, contains vitamin A, manganese, folate, and antioxidants
- Cayenne pepper – increases metabolism, reduces hunger, may lower blood pressure, may aid digestion, rich in vitamins A, E, C, B6, K, manganese, and potassium
- Chlorella – aids detoxing, may enhance immune system, may improve overall cholesterol, vitamins B12, C, iron, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals
- Spirulina – anti-inflammatory, lowers cholesterol, may reduce blood pressure, antioxidants, vitamins B1, B2, B3, copper, and iron
Example of a Great Juice
Now that we’ve talked about how raw juice is made, the ingredients, and their benefits, let’s sip on one of Raw Juce’s cold-pressed, organic juce’s.
This Raw Green juce contains parsley, spinach, romaine, kiwi, lemon, gala apple, kale, chlorella, and ginger, all great for you and all great tasting. The parsley, romaine, spinach, and kale, are sources for many of the vitamins and minerals that we need to stay healthy. Gala apples and kiwi add a touch of sweet, tangy flavor, while ginger kicks it up a notch. Chlorella adds important micronutrients.
All in all, this is a great juice to start your day, drink as an afternoon pick-me-up, or as part of a healthy eating plan. You can easily customize for your taste and health.
