Contrary to popular belief, eating your recommended daily fruits and vegetables doesn’t get any easier when you are an adult. But before you try to digest three salads a day, there’s a faster way to digest all the good products: juicing. Read on for a nutritionist’s tips for making better, healthier juices at home, plus 12 healthy juice recipes to get you started.
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You can make juice from almost any product. So your home juicer menu will rely heavily on what’s in season, what you want to use before it goes bad (we see you burying withered spinach in the vegetable drawer), and what you like. But whatever you use, it’s important to juice a range of live products whenever possible. “The more colorful the fruit and vegetables, the more phytonutrients end up in the juice,” says Dr. Felicia Stoler, DCN, a registered nutritionist, nutritionist, and exercise physiologist.
Making juice is easy enough with the right equipment, but is it good for you? The short answer is yes – with one caveat. Juice provides vitamins and minerals, as well as essential fiber, if you also juice hides, peels, and seeds. But Stoler reminds us that most of the time juice is just a serving of pure carbohydrates, plus some amino acids when it contains vegetables. While there’s nothing wrong with a glass of carbohydrates, it’s better to chew your products than drink them to make sure you’re getting all of the fiber in them. “It takes longer to eat and digest [whole food] to drink as a pure liquid that leaves the stomach faster and gets into the bloodstream faster, ”explains Stoler. “Think of a cup of apple juice that has about 100 calories. A medium-sized apple has almost the same calories, but it takes a lot longer to eat and you will feel full afterwards. “
Even so, juice is okay every now and then, especially if you’re struggling to include fresh produce in your diet. Here are 12 ideas to get you started.
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Pineapple offers carrots rich in fiber and vitamin A and spicy ginger a sweet and spicy tropical taste.
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Create the celery juice trend to the intestinal healing powers of vegetables. It is also said to reduce inflammation and keep you hydrated.
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Speaking of trendy, tiny bottles of this magical elixir can be found in countless supermarkets these days. But it turns out these turmeric-infused immunity boosters are a breeze at home.
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A large Granny Smith apple dampens the bitterness of fresh greens and herbs. If necessary, add a light dash of honey.
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Don’t sweat it out getting a fancy juicer for it: watermelon is soft enough that you can juice it in your blender instead. (It’s also a great base for a margarita … just so to speak.)
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You would be shocked at how many greens there are in one glass of this sipper. Fresh citrus fruits and tart, sweet apples make it tastier.
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An agua fresca requires cutting fresh juice with cold water to make it milder in flavor and easy to drink. Add a dash of agave if you have to, but we bet it tastes great even without it.
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Like brunch for your immune system. This mixture of carrot, orange, nectarine and ginger will become an integral part of your breakfast table in no time at all.
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Like Bloody Marys? Then this is the one for you. Think fresh tomato juice meets spinach, herbs, and lots of charged spices.
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Bring vitamins, folic acid, and polyphenols. Add a splash of unfiltered apple juice if you like it a little sweeter.
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Psst: this three-ingredient juice would be twice as nutritious if you add a handful of vegetables, like kale or spinach, to it.
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If you want to cut down on your soda consumption, try flavoring plain seltzer water with pomegranate juice.
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