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In today’s world when people can’t help sharing every picture they take for the world to see, our curiosity is often piqued by the things we see on social media. It’s also obvious that we are now becoming more conscious of our health and more people are now into the green wellness revolution.
Whether it is a food or drink, you’ll come across different concoctions on your feed. The most popular one nowadays is the color green, as in green juice. People now drink their veggies. As they say, it is better to drink your vegetables than have nothing at all.
What’s a Green Juice?
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Green juice is a drink made with a combination of dark leafy greens, green sprouts, and other healthy fruits and veggies that are processed in a juicer. You can mix and match different green produce when making a green juice of your choice. Take note that you don’t use a blender here, but a juicer. If you want to know more about juicing, check out our juicing and juicing benefits article here
Since modern living has negatively affected our diet, drinking a glass of fresh and organic green juice can supply our body with numerous instant vitamins and minerals that our body needs. Green juices are also excellent sources of beneficial digestive enzymes, antioxidants, and phytonutrients you didn’t get with the classic diet loaded with fat and sugar.
According to Dr. Barry Popkin, a nutrition professor at the Chapel Hill School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina, green juice is very healthy. He emphasized that juicing vegetables is not a big health issue since it is low in sugar, unlike most fruit concoctions. Dr. Lydia Bazzano, a Doctor and Director of Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine’s Center for Lifespan Epidemiology Research, published a study revealing that green juices made from green leafy vegetables lowers the risk of developing diabetes while drinking fruit juices increased a woman’s risk of developing the condition.
Why should you Drink Green Juice?
Since green juices are loaded with chlorophyll, they are also very alkalinizing. An alkaline body is a good sign of a healthy body. According to doctors, scientists, and researchers, inflammation and illness thrive in an acidic body. By drinking green juice every day, you can help your body cope with challenges your diet and health face daily.
What is Chlorophyll?
Green juice is rich in chlorophyll, the deep green pigment that is naturally found in plants. Studies revealed that both chlorophyll and hemoglobin’s molecular structure are almost the same. Hemoglobin is a protein molecule that transports oxygen to the different cells and tissues in the body.
For healthy cell functioning, an adequate oxygen supply is a must. By adding chlorophyll into your daily diet, it aids in the production of healthy red blood cells (RBCs) as well as helping to regenerate poor blood cells.
Benefits of Chlorophyll
- Natural detoxifier
- Antiseptic
- Cleanser
- Anticancer properties
- Internal deodorizer
- Intestinal regulation
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Reduce cholesterol
- Regulate blood sugar
- Blood builder
Benefits of Green Juice
- Green Juices Detox – Is there a better way to detox than drinking lots of green juice? Green juice is loaded with antioxidants. The Korean Journal of Nutrition suggests that green juice intake can improve lipid status and prevent peroxidation, thus reducing oxidative stress among smokers and their risk of different chronic diseases according to a 2003 study published in the journal. (1)
- Green Juices for Weight Loss – Juicing has been touted by many as an excellent way to lose weight without sacrificing important nutrients and minerals your body needs. The acclaimed documentary “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” is an example of how juicing can help with weight loss. Many obese individuals have turned to juicing after seeing this movie.Losing weight using juicing alone can be done in two ways: by doing a juicing fast, wherein you only consume juice that is preferably green juice for a certain period of time. The other one is less drastic and only entails incorporating juices in your current lifestyle. You change your food choices by giving up artificial, sweetened, and processed foods and switch to healthier green juices. This lifestyle change and higher intake of nutrient-rich juices can ultimately contribute to your weight loss.
- Green Juices for Diabetes – Because diabetes is often lifestyle-induced, drinking green juice can help you say goodbye to your sugar cravings for good. By removing all the sweets, especially processed and artificial ones and drinking green juice instead, you make it easier for your body to transition from an unhealthy diet to a healthy one. Just remember that the bulk of your juice should be vegetables, since natural fruit juices can still put you at risk of developing diabetes. Also, including cinnamon in any of your juices can increase weight loss since research suggests it can aid in keeping your blood sugar in check.It was published in Diabetes Care in 2008 that consuming green juices reduces the risk of acquiring diabetes in most women compared to most fruit juices. (2)
- Green Juices for Energy – You’d be surprised at how energetic you feel soon after gulping your first glass of green healthy goodness. Green juices restore your system’s alkalinity as well as eliminate the junk from your blood and tissues. Green juices are also rich in chlorophyll, the green pigment found in plants, which oxygenates the blood resulting in increased physical energy and brain function. Because green juices are low in sugar, you no longer have to worry about sugar increases and decreases.
- Green Juices for Skin – Green juices can detoxify your body of harmful toxins leaving you with natural glowing skin especially if you include fruits and veggies with known beneficial effects for the skin. Try adding more carrots, kale, beets, parsley, ginger, watercress and lemons in your juices and enjoy the dded benefit of looking good while staying fit and healthy.
Other Green Juice Benefits
- Rich in nutrients
- Quick absorption
- Boost immunity
- Variety of tastes
- Detoxify the body of toxins
- Return the body to an alkaline state
Important Note To Remember:
Green Juice Cleanses
Green juice cleanse is a great way to detox your body and feel rejuvenated.
But before doing any kind of cleansing it’s advisable to follow few pre-cleansing routings. Try a 3 day green juice cleanse challenge.
Pre-Cleanse:
In order to prepare your body for the cleanse try to eat mostly a vegan diet for few days prior to the challenge.
Include green juices in your diet to get your palette accustomed to the taste.
Wean yourself off the morning coffee and opt for some light green teas instead.
During The 3 Day Cleanse:
Make sure you finish your last juice 2 hours before bed so that you would sleep through the night with no disturbances
Make sure you get 8 hours of sleep every night so you wouldn’t feel tired.
Take daily walks or do some gentle yoga exercises to energize your body.
Consider spending a few minutes in a steam room to sweat out additional toxins
Take one juice every 2 hours to help fight the hunger and the cravings
After The Cleanse:
Stay with the vegan diet for 2 or 3 days after the cleanse period and gradually go back to your regular diet, but keep it as healthy as you can.
A Side Note:
According to Women’s Health Magazine, it’s not suggested to do a longer cleanses because, your body might go into starvation mode after about 4 days.
The following two juices are very powerful to include in your 3 day cleanse.
Wheatgrass Juice
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This is a type of young grass in the family of wheat that is rich in nutrients. It is a potent source of calcium, iron, 17 amino acids, chlorophyll, magnesium, and vitamins A, B complex, C, E, and K. It’s commonly called “green blood” because of its high chlorophyll content, roughly 70% of its chemical constituents. (3)
You can consume wheatgrass as a dietary supplement in the form of a capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. Today, it is often added to juices or smoothies by many health fanatics.
Benefits of Wheatgrass
- Boosts immunity
- Kills harmful bacteria in the GI tract
- Eliminates toxins
- Anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties (4)
- Lastly, wheatgrass is the best source of chlorophyll nowadays.
Kale Juice
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Kale is a closely related to cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Adding kale to juice increases the nutritional value of a typical green juice. Kale contains high levels of Vitamin A, C, B complex, Vitamin K, calcium, iron, copper, lutein, zeaxanthin, Omega-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, antioxidants and fiber.
Benefits of Kale Juice
- Boosts energy
- Anticancer
- Strong bones and teeth
- Improve visual health
- Promote healthy blood cells
- Reduce cholesterol levels
A 2008 study published in the Biomedical and Environmental Sciences suggests that regular intake of kale juice lowers the risk of coronary artery disease in male subjects who have been diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. (5)
Kale juice on its own may be too strong for most people’s taste buds, but when you add other ingredients like pineapple or apples, to enhance the flavor it is easier to consume.
Healthy Green Juice Recipes – How to Make your Own Green Juice?
Green Juice Ingredients
When you’re new to juicing, it may be challenging for you to mix and match different fruits and veggies when you make your daily dose of green juice. Here is an excellent tip on how to make a great tasting green juice every time:
Choose a juice base, a main ingredient (leafy green and veggies) and optional ingredients.
With the juice base, you can mix in some colored veggies and fruits, but only in small amounts. For instance, you can use carrots and green apples. Or, green apples and lemon, cucumber and celery.
The main ingredients should be mostly comprised of dark leafy greens and veggies. Use 2 variants in every glass of green juice you make. Choose from kale, celery, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, capsicum, spinach, collard greens, pumpkin, bitter gourd, asparagus, lotus root, cauliflower, beetroot, grapefruit, lemon and lime, tomatoes, fennel, carrots, sweet potato, wheatgrass, and more.
Lastly, for the optional green juice ingredients, they may already be included in the above list, but if not, use the following sparingly since they may be strong and pungent. If you don’t want them in your juice, that’s also fine. They are garlic, ginger, onion, leek, cilantro, dandelion, lime, basil leaves, mint leaves, pinch of cayenne powder, chia seeds, cinnamon powder, etc.
Green Juice Recipes for Beginners
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For starters, you don’t want to overwhelm the taste buds if you are new to juicing or risk losing interest. The taste of dark leafy greens is not something most people like, which is why it is better to start with a carrot and a couple of green apples as your juice base. For your main ingredient, add a couple of the following: lettuce, cucumber or celery since they are the easiest veggies to drink. As you progress, you can add more greens and veggies into your green juices, not just for variety, but to enjoy more health benefits of the different greens and veggies.
A green juice diet has green juices at its core. Here are a couple of green juice recipes you can try today:
1. Mean Green Juice
- 1 cucumber
- 2 apples
- 4 celery stalks
- ½ lemon
- 6-8 kale leaves
- 1 piece (2.5 cm.) of ginger
The combination of these ingredients is good for your body because of the following health benefits:
- Nutrient rich (Vitamins A, C, iron, calcium, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, and antioxidants)
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Regulates blood pressure
- Hydration
- Promotes eye health
- Anticancer properties
- High soluble fiber content
2. Tropical Green Drink –
- 1 cucumber
- 8 kale leaves
- 1 cup fresh pineapple
- 1 lemon (peeled or unpeeled)
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger
This combination gives you an energy boost, clears any congestion, and is nutrient-rich.
Wash and add each ingredient one by one for both recipes to make any green juice of your choice.
Green Juice Powder
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Many of us are familiar with fresh green juices for quite some time now, but for convenience, there are many other options to get your juices in a dehydrated form. Just add water, shake, and drink.
Organifi Green Juice
The most popular of these juice powders is Organifi green juice. It offers everyone the same health benefits of a green juice in a formula all its own to save you from the hassles of buying a juicer, frequently shopping for fresh produce and making your own juices.
Organifi was founded by Drew Canole and the company only carries one product, organifi green juice. It’s available as a powder or as the company puts it, as a gently dried superfood mix.
Organifi is sold in Amazon
Benefits of Organifi Green Juice
These claims are according to Organifi website:
- Save time
- Improve your health
- Mental clarity
- Detoxify the body
- Reduce stress
- Boost immunity
- Rejuvenate the skin
- Non-GMO, soy-free, gluten-free and vegan
Two Organifi Green Juice Formulas
- Alkaline Greens Blend
- Super Food Blend
The only drawback here is that you don’t really know the ingredients or the specific amounts added to each formula because Organifi does not specify it.
How To Consume The Organifi Green Juice?
These instructions are provided by Organifi:
Adults: Take one to two servings daily in water or added to a low-calorie rice, almond smoothie or milk.
Where Can You Buy Organifi?
Organifi is available through the company’s website or Amazon.com
Juicers
Since you are making a juice, it is recommended that you use a juicer, not a blender.
In our juicing article, we mentioned that a juicing machine extracts the juice from fresh produce leaving the pulp behind.
Types of Juicers
Centrifugal Juicers
Uses a fast-spinning metal blade spinning against a mesh filter that separates the juice from the flesh by way of centrifugal force
Cold-pressed Juicers
Crushes the produce before pressing it to get the most juice using a hydraulic machine
Masticating Juicers
Masticates or grinds the fruit to squeeze out the juice.
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Nowadays, the most in-demand color in the health and wellness world is green, in which is the color of most plants. Many health buffs today think they’re not doing things right when they don’t gulp down green juices daily. At times, these green healthy concoctions can be made into the form of smoothies, just for variety.
Some argue that you need to eat your veggies, not drink them, because that’s how nature designed our bodies to function. Others disagree with that statement saying it’s better to drink your veggies than not have them at all. Whichever side you’re on, the important thing is to take everything in moderation and incorporate as many fruits and veggies into your diet while at the same time, removing the foods that are bad for your health.
