Blog

The Joy of Juicing!

The Joy of Juicing!

By : Lee Leibowitz

Our beautiful Produce Department is bursting with organic fruits and vegetables that are alive and densely packed with nutrients… but alas, not everyone has the time to eat the 2-4 servings of fruits and 3-5 servings of vegetables per day that the USDA recommends!  In fact, studies suggest that most Americans take in less than half that amount, resulting in a national diet that is deficient in vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and other compounds that help fight disease. 

Perhaps as a way to address that issue, juicing is growing in popularity.  One glass of juice each day can provide a tremendous boost to the body’s immune system, reducing the risk of several serious, chronic illnesses and providing countless other benefits.  Increased energy, glowing skin, healthier hair and nails, and a reduction in cravings (for sweets and fried foods) are some of the many perks our customers have attributed to their juice habit.    

As you walk through our aisle, feel free to ask an associate about anything new and unfamiliar to you!  The juice recipes below feature our many varieties of greens and root vegetables.  These can get you started on a new path to wellness or enhance the journey you’ve already begun.  We suggest washing all ingredients thoroughly and a quick stir just prior to drinking!

Kale Juice

At Healthy Living, we love kale.  It is a nutritional powerhouse!  A single cup of this dark, leafy green supplies more than twice the daily dose of vitamins A and C, a megadose of vitamin K, as well as smaller doses of calcium, B6, copper, potassium, and magnesium.  Our greens case has  wonderful curly kale (the most common), lacinato kale (a sweeter and more delicate variety), and red kale (also more tender than the curly type).  Try out all three to see which you prefer!

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ·         1 bunch dark lacinato kale or curly kale
• ·         ½ bunch celery
• ·         ½ bunch cilantro or parsley
• ·         1 cucumber with ends removed
• ·         1 lemon with peel removed
• ·         2 inches of fresh ginger root
• ·         1 green apple (optional for added sweetness)

Juice each vegetable in this order – kale, cilantro/parsley, celery, ginger, cucumber, lemon, and stir before serving.

 

 

Rainbow Juice

Rainbow swiss chard is a heritage leafy green also referred to as a leaf beet.  That’s because it actually IS a beet, but one that has been cultivated to grow robust stalks with juicy leaves instead of thick roots.  Like its name suggests, rainbow chard is beautiful and bright to behold, a dazzling display of red, orange, yellow, purple and white.  It is high in vitamins C, K, E, beta-carotene, and the minerals manganese and zinc, as well as polyphenol antioxidants.

This juice is heavy on the garlic, which we like for its immune boosting effects, but you may wish to experiment with a smaller quantity first or save this juice for after work/dinner.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ·         1 bunch rainbow chard
• ·         ¼ head of cabbage
• ·         ½ bunch celery
• ·         2 garlic cloves
• ·         1 cucumber with ends removed
• ·         1 lemon with peel removed

Juice each vegetable in this order – rainbow chard, cabbage, celery, garlic, cucumber, lemon, and stir before serving.

Sweet Morning Beet Juice

Dr. Oz calls beets a “super source of antioxidants” that “boosts the brain and revs up the libido”.  He also notes that “a lot of people hate beets” due to the way they were served as a bland, boring side dish on a plate when we were children.  Watch this video for his entire presentation on the amazing health benefits of this neglected vegetable.  And check out our colorful selection of red, orange, pink, and purple varieties!

http://vimeo.com/59835177

This sweet carrot and beet juice is a perfect way to start the day.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ·         5 carrots
• ·         1 beet with stems
• ·         ½ bunch celery
• ·         1 cucumber with ends removed
• ·         1 green apple cored
• ·         2 inches of fresh ginger root
• ·         ½ kale bunch (optional)
• ·         ¼ parsley bunch (option)

Juice each vegetable in this order – carrots, beets, celery, apple, ginger, cucumber (If you are adding kale or parsley, do those first and then the rest).

Dandelion Juice

Another potent source of vitamins and minerals you may be unfamiliar with is dandelion leaf.  What is commonly seen to be a weed is one of nature’s most powerful sources of calcium, iron, protein, and lutein.  The Mayo Clinic suggests that increased lutein intake may protect against macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss in Americans age 60 and over!  This recipe may be strong to those of you new to juicing, so add a pear or an apple to the recipe if you want to sweeten it.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ·         1 bunch of dandelion greens
• ·         ½ bunch celery
• ·         ½ bunch cilantro
• ·         1 cucumber with ends removed
• ·         1 lemon with peel removed
• ·         2 inches of fresh ginger root

Juice each vegetable in this order – dandelion, cilantro, celery, ginger, cucumber, lemon

Turmeric Tonic

Turmeric is best known as a culinary spice, but we carry the whole, fresh root in our Produce Department for its many wonderful health properties.  A 2007 study by the University of Texas stated that its active ingredient – curcumin – “has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities and thus has a potential against various malignant diseases, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic illnesses.”  As its taste can be very bitter, this juice blend incorporates cucumber and romaine lettuce to create a more refreshing drink.  Some people claim it works as well as an Advil!  Let us know what you think….

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ·         2 inch piece of turmeric
• ·         1 bunch romaine lettuce
• ·         3 carrots
• ·         1 cucumber with ends removed
• ·         1 lemon with peel removed

 Juice each vegetable in this order – turmeric, romaine, carrots, lemon, and cucumber

Cheers!