The Best Fruits and Vegetables for Juice Diets
Juicing is a great way to get vital nutrients without spending a lot of time in the kitchen preparing food. Diets based around drinking healthy juices are becoming increasingly popular, and if you are thinking about starting a juice diet of your own it is important that you know what the best fruits and vegetables for a juice diet are.
Celery, Cucumbers, and Fennel
Celery, cucumbers, and fennel
are great ingredients for beginner juicers. They are high in water content and have
decent amounts of potassium, antioxidants, and vitamin C. The taste of the juice
is mild, so this is perfect for novices.
Green Leafy Vegetables
Green leafy vegetables are known as
nutrient powerhouses, and are ideal for juice diets. Leafy greens like spinach,
collard greens, bok choy, chard, escarole, and kale are all packed with vitamins
and antioxidants. Because the darker greens can taste somewhat bitter, first time
juicers may want to use lettuce as it has a more mild taste.
Beets
Beets are often overlooked, but they are an impressive
source for phytonutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein.
They are sweet due to high sugar content, which makes beets great for mixing in
with bitter greens. It is recommended that you juice the entire beet, as the root
has high amounts of maganese, potassium, and vitamin A, while the leaves have iron,
calcium, and beta-carotine.
Fresh Ginger
If you want to add a bit of flavor and spice
to your juice, fresh ginger is a great ingredient to add in. Not only is fresh ginger
known to help an upset stomach and act as an anti-inflammatory, it also contains
antioxidants and helps boost the immune system.
Cabbage
Cabbage is another good ingredient to use in a juice
diet, as it is a great source of folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin A. Studies have
shown that cabbage juice can help treat ulcers and intestinal problems. Incredibly
cheap and easy to find in stores, cabbage also lasts a decent amount of time when
refrigerated.
Blueberries, Strawberries, and Cranberries
Blueberries, strawberries,
and cranberries are commonly used in juices because they add both sweetness and
important nutrients. Blueberries are known as an antioxidant powerhouse, while cranberries
are loaded with proanthocyandins. Strawberries are very high in vitamin C as well
as anthocyanins. Mix these into your juice in case you need to sweeten things up
a bit.
Carrots
Carrots are an obvious choice for a vegetable that
should be included in any juice diet. Known for their high levels of beta-carotine,
carrots are naturally high in sugar. This makes them a great way to sweeten up your
leafy green juice in order to make it more appealing to your taste buds. Studies
have shown that carrots help improve eyesight, promote healthy skin, and help cleanse
out the liver.
Pomegranate
Pomegranate is a fruit that has become very popular recently for the health benefits
that it offers. The fruit is a great source for potassiume, folate, vitamin C, and
antioxidants. In fact, pomegranate is such a great source for antioxidants that
many people believe it is a super food. Other vegetables that are great for juice
diets are wheatgrass, parsnips, garlic, onions, and chili peppers. Keep in mind
that with ingredients like garlic, onions, and chili peppers, a little can go a
very long way. The important thing to keep in mind when starting a juice diet is
that you want to focus on fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants, nutrients,
and enzymes. All of the ingredients listed above are great choices for your juice
diet. Before starting a juice diet you should talk with your doctor or family physician,
just in case there are any health risks in your particular situation.
Guest Article courtesy of Claire. She is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about juicers, like the Omega Vert HD VRT350 Juicer and the Breville BJE820XL Juicer.
