By now most of us are familiar about the unending health benefiting aspects of juicing. Other than being an easy way of losing weight and getting healthy skin and shining traces it is also an easy way of taking in the nutrients and vitamins form fruits and vegetables for kids and those who are not much into vegetables. Dietitians suggest consuming 2 whole fruits and 3-4 vegetables on a daily basis but most of us fail to stick to this because of our busy schedule. This is where the helpfulness of juicing comes in to play. By juicing your preferred vegetables and fruits into a smoothie you can save a lot of your time while sticking to your daily fruit and veggie consumption target.
Best 8 Health Benefits of Juices:
Fruits and vegetables are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that helps in regulating the metabolism and protecting the body against various diseases, but the best thing about juicing is that you can absorb the goodness of the fruits and vegetables in the raw form. This is because; cooking on high flame considerably destroys the essential micro-nutrients that are extremely important for the body.
Weight Loss:
Delicious fruit and vegetable juices are a great snack for those trying to lose weight in a healthy way. Instead of gorging on calorie rich foods one can have a glass of nutrient rich juice which is easier for the body to absorb and also keeps you satiated for a longer period of time. Moreover, the alkaline nature of the vegetable juices helps in balancing the pH of the body that helps the fat cells to release the acids stored in them.
- The fruits and vegetables that work most effectively for weight loss – apples, lemons, ginger, broccoli, cabbage, radish and turnips.
Detoxification:
A thorough detox is the best way to get rid of all the toxins and bring the body back to balance after a long holiday full of mindless binging. A fresh fruit and vegetable detox juice helps inimproving the immune system and giving a much needed break to the digestive system. It also helps in cleansing the GI tract while helping the body to flush out toxins while losing a few pounds.
- The best fruits and vegetables for preparing a detox juice – carrots, apples, grapefruit, grapes, spinach and cucumber.
Improved Digestive Health:
Digestive disorder has emerged as one of the most widely prevalent chronic diseases in recent times and a majority of the population suffers from at least one of these problems-persistent heartburn, colitis, ulcers, gas, bloating, abdominal pains and nausea. The main reason for digestive disorders is inflammation of the digestive tract that makes it tough for the body to absorb nutrition from the food we consume. Healthy fruit and vegetable juices relieve the digestive system, nourish the GI tract and heal the inflamed linings of the intestine.
- The fruits and vegetables that help in relieving indigestion are – apples, blueberries, cabbage, carrot, mint, papaya and pineapple.
Increased Energy:
We often feel sleepy after eating a heavy meal; this is simply because the body uses majority of the energy to digest these foods. Replacing heavy meals with nourishing fruit and veggie juices means less work for the digestive system, leaving a lot of energy for other important works which helps in increasing concentration, mental clarity and sharpness making us more efficient and productive. Therefore, it is important to choose foods that increases the energy level of the body.
- Best fruits and vegetable for increasing energy are – apples, carrots, ginger, lemon, orange, tangerines and mint.
Improved Immune System:
Fruits and vegetables are the greatest source of vitamins, minerals, beta carotene, anti-oxidants and nutrients that helps in protecting and proper functioning of the immune system. Juicing the fruits and vegetables makes it all the more easy for the body to breakdown and absorb its goodness. The health benefiting nutrients present in these juices helps in protecting the cell membranes and fighting harmful free radicals.
- Fruits and vegetables that help in proper functioning of the immune system are – carrots, apples, pears, tomatoes, kiwi, strawberries and sweet potatoes.
Protects against Cancer and Heart Diseases:
The high level of anti-oxidants like beta carotene, minerals and vitamins like vitamin C and E helps in protecting the body from a range of serious diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The flavonoids present in oranges protect cardio-vascular health by keeping the cholesterol levels under control. Free radicals are a natural outcome of oxidation and it can be caused due to toxins, pollution and smoke. The nutrients present in the juices helps in protecting the cell membranes against the damaging effects of the free radicals.
- Best fruits and vegetable juices for preventing cancer are – cantaloupes, carrots, oranges, strawberries, apricots, broccoli, sweet potatoes and spinach.
- Best fruits and vegetable juices for a healthy heart are – pomegranate, beet, red grapes, cranberry, kiwi and spinach.
Supple and Younger Looking Skin:
Consuming fresh fruits and vegetables in the form of juices helps in flushing out toxins and increases the supply of oxygen to the cells there by making the skin more supple and smooth. It increases skin elasticity by reducing dryness. Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins A, B and C increases blood circulation which improves skin texture and makes it soft and flawless.
- Fruits and vegetables that help in improving skin elasticity are- carrots, cucumber, spinach, lettuce, melons and pineapples.
Shining, Healthy Hair:
A diet that lacks in vital vitamins, proteins, minerals and nutrients can lead to dull, lack luster and limp hair, it can also cause brittleness, split ends and dandruff. Therefore it is important to nourish your hair from within if you want to have healthy and thick shining tresses and the best way to do it though fresh fruit and vegetable juices that not only reduces hair fall but also promotes hair growth effectively. The minerals like potassium, manganese, silica and sulfur along with carotene present in vegetables are essential for hair growth.
- Fruits and vegetables that promote hair growth are – cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, beetroot, cabbage, spinach, green apple and lemon.
15 Best Fruits and Vegetables for Juicing:
Now that we have seen some of the most important health benefits of fruit and vegetable juice, let us take a look at the healthiest fruits and vegetables that we can use for juicing on a daily basis.
Apples:
There is much truth to the age old proverb “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” because apples are a rich source of potassium, vitamin C, B and minerals like calcium, iron and zinc that helps in maintaining the immune system while the phytonutrients in apples helps in regulating blood sugar. In addition, the antioxidants help in reducing the chances of asthma and lung cancer. Apple juice also improves brain functions thereby lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s.
Oranges:
Orange juice is the greatest source of vitamin C along with thiamin, folate, and potassium that helps in boosting the functions of the immune system, reducing inflammation, lowering hypertension and increasing heart health by lowering LDL and increasing HDL in blood. The limonoids present in oranges also helps in preventing various types of cancer such as lung, skin, breast and colon cancer. While preparing orange juice try to retain as much of the white pith underneath the peel because it is rich in nutrients.
Grapes:
Grapes are a rich source of proteins, vitamin K, vitamin A, potassium manganese and iron. Grapes are known for their cleansing quality and helps in cleansing the liver and removing uric acid. Red grapes also contain resveratrol, a phytochemical that protects the body from a number of chronic diseases. The powerful flavonoids in grapes protect the heart by preventing formation of plaque in artery walls and help the body to fight the effects of harmful free radicals. The best way to juice grapes is to wash and drop them in the juicer along with the stems.
Grapefruit:
Grapefruit is a great source of vitamins C and A along with potassium, thiamin, folate, and magnesium. The anti-oxidants and phytochemicals like limonene, limonin, nomolin, and naringenin present in grapefruits reduces the risk of lung and colon cancer. Salicylic acid present in this citrus fruit breaks down the calcium build up in joints thereby relieving arthritis pains. The Vitamin C present in grapefruit also increases the release of citric acid in body thereby lowering the chances of calcium kidney stones. The best way to juice grapefruit is by peeling of the yellow outer part while retaining as much of the white pith as possible and dropping the pieces in the juicer.
Cherries:
These delicious fruits are a rich source of vitamin C and A, minerals like iron, potassium, copper and potassium along with powerful anti-inflammatory agent anthocyanin that helps in relieving painful conditions of arthritis, joint pains and muscle injuries. It is also a great source of anti-oxidant melatonin that calms down irritability in nervous system and helps relieve headache, insomnia and sleeping disorders. The potassium present in cherries helps in maintaining heart health and regulates blood pressure. The best way to juice cherries is by manually removing the pits.
Pears:
Pears are a rich source of vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E, minerals like copper, potassium, phosphorus and iron that make it a perfect fruit for juicing. In addition it is also a powerful source of carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin that work as effective anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that decreases the risk of a number of chronic diseases and health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. The best way to juice pears is to wash them and put into the juicer along with skin, stems and seeds.
Strawberries:
These delicious and flavorful berries are a great source of vitamins A and C, minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and folate that help in reducing the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart diseases. It also helps in restoring the youthfulness and softness of skin, making it look younger and smoother. The folate present in strawberries helps in fighting depression and stress and elevates the mood by reducing the formation of homocysteine that interferes with the functioning of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, the feel-good hormones. The best way to juice strawberries is by washing and dropping them into the juicer along with the stems.
Cucumber:
The cucumber is an amazing low calorie vegetable that is rich in vitamins K, A and C as well as phosphorus, pantothenic acid, manganese, magnesium, and potassium and high water content. It is a great food for weight loss as it helps in reducing cholesterol and also controls the level of glucose in blood. It is also a rich source of silicon that helps in improving the texture of skin and hair and also helps in developing stronger and healthier nails. The best way to juice cucumbers is along with the skin because it contains several health benefiting nutrients.
Beets:
Beet roots are a great source of vitamin C and minerals like iron, calcium, sulfur and potassium along with beta-carotene, phytochemicals and antioxidants. The minerals present in beet roots act as the building blocks of blood corpuscles and boosts the functioning of the immune system. It also helps in increasing stamina and therefore is an ideal drink to consume before sweating it out in the gym in order to maximize the results of the workout. The best way to juice beet roots is to wash them properly, juice the roots, stems and leaves.
Blueberries:
Being a rich source of pectin, Vitamin C, K, manganese, and potassium, blueberries act as amazing colon cleansers that also improves digestion. It is also a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that helps in recovering the damage caused by oxidative stress and free radicals. Blueberries contains 25-30 different types of anthocyanin pigments that makes it a perfect fruit for protecting the functions of the brain that prevents the onset of Alzheimer’s in aged people. The best way to juice blueberries is to rinse them with water and drop them into the juicer.
Broccoli:
Broccoli is an amazing vegetable loaded with vitamin C, A, K, B-complex vitamins and essential minerals like iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium and phyto-nutrients. The high level of vitamin C works as a protection against common cold whereas the phyto-nutrients and antioxidants, especially sulforaphane and indoles help to flush out carcinogens from the body thereby lowering the risk of cancer. Sulforaphane present in this green vegetable reduces oxidative stress and slows down aging. The best way to juice broccoli is by washing it thoroughly and cutting it in to small pieces before putting it in the juicer.
Carrots:
This power food is packed with vitamins A, B, C and beta-carotene along with minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and sodium that are extremely important for proper functioning of the body. Vitamin A and beta-carotene helps in healing skin infections and eczema. Its powerful detoxifying property cleanses the liver and lowers toxicity in blood thereby reducing the breakout of pimples and acne. Beat-carotene also revives optic health and improves vision. The best way to juice carrots is by washing them, cutting off the top and the tips and putting them in to the juicer. You can also squeeze the juice of one whole lemon to add a tangy touch to the juice.
Lettuce:
Lettuce is an amazing weight loss food that is extremely low in calories and rich in vitamins A, C and K along with iron, thiamin, folate, potassium, manganese, riboflavin, calcium, Vitamin B6, copper, and magnesium. Choose Romaine lettuce over Iceberg because it has more health benefitting nutrients. It is grate for skin as well because it supplies the necessary nutrients to the skin and increases oxygen flow. It helps in flushing out toxins from the system while the carotenoids help in fighting cancer. The best way to juice lettuce is by rinsing the leaves and putting them into the juicer.
Spinach:
Spinach is a rich source of protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, folate and vitamin A. The antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid present in spinach helps in lowering blood glucose level and increases insulin sensitivity of the body. The high potassium content reduces high blood pressure by negating the effects of sodium in the body. In addition, it is also a rich source of vitamin K, a vitamin rare to find in vegetables that helps in improving bone health. The antioxidant glutathione found in spinach protects DNA from oxidation and also flushes out pollutants and carcinogens from the body. The best way to juice this intensely healthy vegetable is by rinsing the leaves and putting it in the juicer.
Mint:
Mint is a powerful appetizer that helps relieve indigestion and inflammation whereas its overpowering and refreshing aroma reduces nausea, headache and motion sickness. It also relieves congestion of nose, lungs, bronchi and throat. In addition, it is also a natural stimulant that relieves the feeling of depression, fatigue, sluggishness and exhaustion. Its antiseptic and cleansing properties help in soothing skin infections, itchiness, pimples and acne. Aside to all these, mint is a great stimulant than can help you in your effort to lose weight in a healthy way. The best way to juice mint leaves is by rinsing the leaves and stems and putting them into the juicer.
Now that you know the health benefits of juicing various types of fruits and vegetables, try it out in your home, detox your body in a healthy way and don’t forget to share your special juice recipes with us.
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