Juicing for health benefits has become increasingly popular over the last few years as people from all walks of life start to realize the many advantages that juicing can bring. Whether you’re hoping to lose some weight, whether you just want to feel more energetic or whether you want to get closer to your 5 a day target, juicing represents the perfect solution.
What Is Juicing?
The concept behind juicing is very simple. It simply involves extracting juice from raw vegetables and fruit to obtain all of the vitamins and nutrients that they contain in an easily digestible and delicious form. Juices contain no pulp, seeds or skin, so they are smooth and easy to drink.
What Are The Benefits Of Juicing?
Juicing benefits are many and varied. They include:
Nutrients
We can obtain 95% of the enzymes and vitamins our bodies need from raw vegetable and fruit juices. In just one 16 ounce glass of juice, you can get the equivalent amount of nutrients that you would gain from eating 8 pounds of spinach, 10 to 12 apples and 2 pounds of carrots, all in one easy to drink package.
Easy Absorption
When you drink freshly extracted juices, all the enzymes, minerals and vitamins are absorbed immediately into the bloodstream. Since digesting liquids takes a lot less energy then digesting solids, you’ll be allowing your digestive system to rest while getting a quick boost.
Happiness And Mental Alertness
Juices improve your blood circulation, allowing oxygen to be more easily transported through the body and into the brain to keep you alert and buzzing. You’ll get a positive boost and this will make you feel better about yourself.
Weight Loss
Many people lose weight by using special juicing recipes for weight loss. Incorporating juicing into your daily diet can help you to maintain a healthy body weight.
An Easy Way To Get Your 5 A Day
Even if you don’t particularly enjoy fruit and vegetables, you’re sure to enjoy the taste of fresh juice. Juicing also makes it much easier to consume the recommended number of servings every day in a quick and simple way.
Detoxing
Juices are naturally alkaline, and this means they can draw out acid within the body, releasing toxins through the lungs, skin and kidneys for better health and well-being.
Prevents Diseases
The nutrients which you absorb from drinking fresh juices protects the body from a host of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and a number of inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. As juicing raises our body’s pH level, it can also help to prevent conditions which are linked to acid imbalances including diabetes, osteoporosis and kidney disease.
Boost The Immune System
Fruit and vegetables are packed with vitamins that can boost your immune system. As you can pack in a lot of fruits and veg in a single glass of juice, you can get all the vitamins you need in their potent raw form.
Energising
Thanks to all the nutrients which you absorb through fresh juice, you will feel more energised and less exhausted.
Choosing A Juicer
Before you can enjoy juicing, you need to buy a quality juicer. There are two main types available for sale today: Centrifugal models which are affordable and popular, and masticating or cold press juicers. Both types have their own benefits. Centrifugal juicers are user-friendly, low maintenance and affordable, however masticating juicers are better for juicing leafy greens and for getting more nutrients out of the produce. They also ensure you get more juice from your ingredients for the best value for money. Once you’ve chosen the right juicer for you, you can get started with your first juicing recipes!
Juicing For Weight Loss
One of the reasons why many people try juicing is to lose weight. Juicing can help you to lose excess weight by helping to reduce your cravings for sweet and sugary foods. However, while it is possible to boost your weight loss through juicing, you need to be careful over which ingredients you use in your juice. Many fruits contain high levels of sugar and, while consuming plenty of fruit is good for you, the calories can mount up if you choose the wrong types. If you are juicing for weight loss, it’s best to focus primarily on green juices. These tend to have a lower sugar content and therefore a lower number of calories. In general, if you try to include more vegetables than fruits in your juice you will find that it will be more beneficial in your weight loss regime.
At first it may be difficult to include more vegetables in your juices – after all, if you’re used to the taste of store bought orange or apple juice, it can be quite a shock to taste a juice with kale in it! However, if you start slowly and gradually work up to using the more bitter leafy vegetables, you’re sure to see the benefits and learn to enjoy the taste. Juices which use a lot of vegetables still add a small amount of fruit or other ingredients such as ginger or cinnamon to give a kick and a lot of flavour.
Some Delicious And Healthy Juicing Recipes
Here are a few healthy juicing recipes that will get you started with your new juicing lifestyle. You’re sure to love them!
Deliciously Trim Green Juice
Ingredients:
2 apples
4 carrots
1/2 peeled beetroot
1 cucumber
1 stick of celery
1″ piece of ginger
1 lemon
Add all your ingredients to your juicer and you’re ready to go!
Turbo Express Juice
Ingredients:
1″ cucumber piece
1/2 rib of celery
1/2 pineapple
1 piece peeled lime
1 handful spinach
1/2 avocado (ripe)
2 apples
Ice cubes
Put the apples,lime, spinach, cucumber, celery and pineapple in your juicer while you blend the avocado flesh with the ice. Add the juice to the blender and blend till smooth.
Green Super Juice
Ingredients:
1/2 cucumber
2 celery sticks
1 handful spinach leaves
1 teaspoon wheatgrass powder
1 orange slice
ice cubes
Put the cucumber, wheatgrass powder, spinach and celery in your juicer. Put the ice in a glass and pour the juice over the top. After every mouthful, bite the orange for an extra sweet flavour.
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