Liquid Health - The Benefits of Juicing

The "Stew" Smoothie...
one of the Franklin Ave. Specials

We all know that we should be eating more fruits and vegetables. Beyond the obvious nutritional value of a diet high in fruit and vegetables, researchers are finding that the phytochemicals in plants hold the keys to preventing some of our most deadly diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Yet, there are probably few of us that actually consume the recommended five servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables a day.



Body Cleanser (carrot,apple,beet,ginger) & a shot of WheatGrass



Perhaps a fresh fruit and veggie cocktail is the answer. Approximately one cup of carrot juice is equivalent to four cups of raw, chopped carrots. While not many of us would chomp down that many carrots, almost anyone can swig one cup of carrot juice. The trend in many cosmopolitan cities, health-minded urbanites are bellying up to the juice bar for organic cabbage juice, a cucumber watermelon cooler, or plain ol' apple juice with a shot of wheat grass.

Fruits and vegetables are mostly made of juice and fiber. Juice extracted from a juicer, is separated from the fiber of the plant, eliminating a digestive process. So, if consumed right away, this juice contains 95% of the food value of the fruit or vegetable. The nutrients from such juices are quickly assimilated by your body; estimated to be within twenty to thirty minutes of drinking that juice.

Fresh juices are also a tremendous source of enzymes, which are essential for digestion and absorption of food. Enzymes are easily destroyed by the heat from cooking, so fresh, raw juice is the perfect way to consume these important nutrients. Two glasses of live juice a day is a great way of maintaining health, go for four if you're recovering from an illness.

If there isn't a nearby juice bar in your neighborhood, visit your local health store and talk to knowledgeable staff about what juices would be beneficial to you. Or, if you find you really love juice, it might be worth investing in a juicer. There are many models available and, though not cheap, a juicer makes getting your daily dose of fruits and veggies very convenient.

In doing your own juice, whenever possible buy organically grown produce. That way you can leave the skin on most fruit and vegetables. Some exceptions, of course, are citrus fruits and pineapple, among others. You can also leave most stems, leaves and seeds intact. Thus, juicing allow you to consume almost all of the plant and reap its benefits in a delicious, refreshing way.