I just recently started juicing and am figuring out the combos I like best. Some recipes you will find are focused on taste, which are great too. BUT I was set out to focus on something that was EXTREMELY beneficial for me. When it comes to juicing in my opinion, I am making a supplement and medicine for my body.
In this recipe you will find two bunches of celery, one lemon, one-inch cube of ginger, and one cucumber.
Celery: Loaded with vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, and vitamins B6 and B1. Celery based juices (like this one) are great to drink after a workout and help replace the electrolytes lost. Celery is helpful to lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, and has anti cancer properties.
Lemon: Great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, potassium, folic acid, and flavonoids. They also contain a phytochemical called limonene, which is thought to be an anti cancer property.
Ginger: Besides helping with digestion and nausea, ginger contains anti-inflammatory compounds, helps reduce arthritis inflammation, clears sinuses, and can also help fight cancer.
Cucumber: These are mostly water but they are a good source of silica, which is a trace mineral that helps strengthen our connective tissues that hold our body together. They also contain Vitamin C and A, reduces cholesterol, promotes digestion, and can help with headaches.
BUT why juicing and not blending? Which by the way, I do still blend up quite a bit but it tends to be fruit with my protein shakes when I am using it as a meal replacement.
Juicing allows you to consume a much larger volume of produce per serving versus blending or eating. The nutrients are quickly absorbed into the body because there is no insoluble fiber.
Juicing Pros:
– More hydration gives the body a liquefied boost of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, and phyto-nutrients.
– Easier to digest.
Blending Pros:
– You get everything; insoluble fiber (helps move bulk through the intestines and balance the pH level in the intestines) and soluble fiber (helps promote the stomach emptying time so sugar is released and absorbed more slowly).
– You get full much faster and have minimal waste.
Juicing Cons:
– Minimal insoluble fiber.
– Can spike blood sugar.
Blending Cons:
– Fruits and vegetable texture can make smoothies difficult to drink.
– Less nutrient absorption.
– Some vegetables don’t blend well.
Here are a few juicing tips to follow when making this recipe:
1.When you juice a vegetable or fruit, you need to drink it right away to be the most beneficial for you (Maybe another reason as to why I look at it as medicine?!?!)
2. Choose organic as often as you can.
3. Pour over ice- I think it taste better that way J
4. If you want to make this in large batches, fill up a mason jar all the way to the top and cover with an airtight lid to prevent the oxidation
5. Shop what is on sale and on season for the best bang for your buck
6. Skip the juicing of kale, spinach, or any other type of green for that matter. They do much better in the blender!
