Juicing: Get Your 5-A-Day Fast!October 03, 2011

Filed under: Natural Living, Organic, Recipes - greenacres @ 12:55 PM

As fall rolls around, our bodies crave less of the fruits and vegetables that they did in the heat of the summer.  It can be hard to convince your mind and body that you really should eat those carrot stick with lunch or reach for an apple rather than crackers for an afternoon snack.  But luckily modern technology has provided us with a quick and painless way to get all the benefits of our fruits and veggies without the hassle of gobbling down tons of roughage.

There is no doubt that fruits and vegetables are a healthy source for a whole array of vitamins and minerals, but many people don't realize that much of the nutrition in whole vegetables is bound by fiber.  While fiber is good for us and has many benefits for the body, vitamins that are trapped in it are difficult to assimilate.  For this reason, many of the vitamins in whole vegetables pass through the body unused.  When these whole vegetables are juiced, however, the vitamins and minerals are freed from the fiber, so the body can process and absorb them much more easily.  Fiber also makes it difficult for the body to use the water in vegetables, but fresh homemade vegetable juice contains plenty of this vital element. 

While most conventional bottled juices are pasteurized at high temperatures (or contain additives and preservatives) juicing preserves the enzymes that are present in live produce.  Enzymes are naturally occurring, and are an important part of all processes that happen in our bodies.  They help us to digest our food and absorb all the nutrients to allow them to work most effectively in our bodies.

Another up-side to fruit and vegetable juicing is also closely tied to the lack of fiber consumed from juicing as opposed to eating the whole fruit.  Many juicing recipes contain many different fruits and vegetables, so they provide an extensive variety that is vital to total health.  It can be unexpectedly difficult to get your five servings a day, but when you juice you are able to include a whole spectrum of fruits and vegetables that you might not otherwise take the time to prepare.

But juicing can also be a great tool for those trying to maintain a healthy weight, or even shed a few pounds.   Many juicing recipes contain far fewer calories than the sum of the vegetables within them, including fat-burning and metabolism-boosting ingredients like lemon and other citrus, or additives like protein powders and chia seeds can help you burn more fat and calories while maintaining satiety to curb cravings.

And don’t forget: when you’re juicing, it always pays to go organic.  It’s important to remember that organic versus conventional is a question of system and process.  Produce grown conventionally has been sprayed since its infancy with fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.  That means it’s not just surface contamination that affects us; these chemicals are present in the innermost fibers of conventional produce.

For starters, try out this awesome juicing recipe that was featured in our July Newsletter: 

Green"Acres" Lemonade

This lively green drink will satisfy your craving for lemonade while helping maintain your body alkalinity.  Some claim this beverage is a terrific beverage, while others say it satisfies their sugar cravings and leaves them fulfilled.  Either way, it is surely a terrific snack that will leave you energized and refreshed!

Ingredients:

• 1 organic lemon
• 2 organic fuji apples
• 6 organic kale leaves
• 1 bunch organic celery
• Mint sprigs (for garnish)
• Ice cubes

Directions:

Wash thoroughly the lemon, apples, kale and celery.  Cut into pieces that will fit into your home juicer chute.  Juice everything into a large cup and mix well.  Pour over ice and garnish with fresh mint.   Serves 2.

Don’t have a juicer at home?  Check out the options in the store!  We also have special discounts on juicing cases for staples like apples, carrots, and wheatgrass available all the time, as well as most fruits and vegetables available for special order by the case.  Talk to us today to find out more by calling the store at (316) 634-1088.  Enjoy your juicing adventures!