I have been juicing on and off for several years now. For the past 6 months, I always start my day with a celery juice. It has helped me tremendously with my digestion and overall well being.
I prefer to juice vegetables and eat my fruits either in a smoothie or as they are.
Vegetables are powerhouses of nutrition, and juicing them makes the job of accessing those easier for your body.
Some tips before starting on your juicing adventure:
- Buy a high-quality juicer. I recommend Hurum slow juicer and others of that kind.
- Buy organic produce whenever possible. If you cannot find organic produce, be sure to wash thoroughly and peel the skin when possible. You can also soak them in water mixed with apple cider vinegar for 30 min for a quick fix!
- Chop produce into small pieces that easily fit down your juicer chute.
- Don’t rush the juicing process by cramming too much produce down at once. This easily overwhelms the juicer and stress the motor or clog the machine.
- Enjoy juice straight away or within 24 hours for best nutrient content. If you are storing your juice for later, make sure to use a well-sealed and clean jug and put it in the refrigerator.
- Always juice the softer ingredients first. Otherwise it’s easy for the fibers in the rougher ones (celery, fennel ect) to clog up the juicer, extracting less juice!
Here’s my three favourite vegetable juices at the moment. Oh and by the way, if you are new to juicing veggies, you can always throw in some grapes or an apple to sweeten up the flavour 🍇 🍏
Freaky Fennel
Celery contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and B vitamins. Cucumber contains vitamin B, vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. The fennel adds an interesting flavour, plus it adds in the mineral selenium. This mineral is not found in most other fruits and vegetables (as it is primarily found in Brazil nuts and animal proteins). It contributes to liver enzyme function and it’s said to help detoxify some cancer-causing compounds in the body.
Makes one big serving or two small
- ½ bulb fennel
- 2 stalks celery
- ½ large cucumber
- 1 large handful mint leaves
- 1 lime
Juice it:
- Wash and chop all your ingredients.
- Run them through your juicer.
- Enjoy!
Post Workout Spicy Beetroot
Beet juice is considered a superfood because it can improve athletic performance, control blood pressure, and increase blood flow. Beetroot juice, rich in iron, magnesium, folate and antioxidant properties, is a great post-workout drink that helps you fight off inflammation and any post-workout soreness.
Makes one big serving or two small
Juice it:
- 2-3 medium sized beets (I used 5 small for this recipe)
- 1 whole medium cucumber
- 1 whole big lemon
- 2 inch (5 cm) of fresh ginger
- Wash and chop the beets, cucumber, lemon and ginger. Leave the peels on, there’s nutrients in those too!
- Run all ingredients through your juicer, stirr with a spoon to mix and enjoy!
Parsley Lemon Party
Parsley is anti-bacterial and serves as a powerful anti-cancer agent due to it’s high content of myricetin, chlorophyll and apigenin. Parsley is also a great source of vitamin K, keeping your bones and teeths strong. Added with the lemons vitamin C and the hydrating power of cucumber, you basically drinking a cup of health!
Makes one big serving or two small
- 3-5 sprigs of parsley
- 1 lemon, peel and all
- ½ large cucumber
- 2 handfuls of any leafy greens, I used summer spinach
- 1 inch (2 cm) piece of fresh ginger
Juice it:
- Wash and chop all your goodies.
- Run through your juicer.
- Stirr with a spoon to mix and enjoy 🍋
