Drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juices is an easy way to boost your nutrition. Juices make it simple to get a concentrated dose of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that your body thrives on.
Whether enjoyed alone or along with meals, nutrient-packed juices offer a host of science-backed health benefits. They hydrate better than water, revitalise skin from within, and protect your cells from damage that leads to disease.
Read on to discover more about why you should consider drinking wholesome, homemade juices to nourish your body, prevent illness and energise your days.
Key benefits of drinking juice for health
Drinking freshly made juices every day provides a range of science-backed health advantages:
Improves Hydration: The water in juices from fresh fruits and veggies provides better hydration than plain water. Juices also contain beneficial minerals that energise muscles.
- Aids Detoxification: The antioxidants present in the juice help remove toxins, metabolic waste and excess hormones from cells. This cleanses the body at the cellular level.
- Enhances Immunity: Compounds like Vitamin C equip the immune system to better defend against bacteria, viruses, infections and harmful free radicals. This lowers the risk of illness.
- Elevates Energy Levels: Natural fruit sugars like glucose boost energy rapidly, but unlike caffeine, it lasts for hours without big crashes. This steady energy makes juicing ideal before workouts, too.
- Protects Heart Health: Drinking vegetable-based juices can lower blood pressure while enhancing circulation. This significantly lowers the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
- Supports Digestion: The enzymes, fibre, and fluids in juices facilitate improved digestion and regularity. For those with sensitive stomachs the nutrition absorbs easier as well, preventing issues like bloating.
- Fights Diseases: The flavonoids and antioxidants defend healthy cells against damage linked to diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers.
Nutrition powerhouses for juices
|
Ingredient |
Key Nutrients |
Health Benefits |
|
Apples |
Vitamin C, Antioxidants |
Boosts Immunity |
|
Carrots |
Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A |
Eye Health |
|
Beets |
Nitrates, Folate |
Increase Stamina |
|
Citrus |
Vitamin C, Potassium |
Anti-inflammatory |
|
Leafy Greens |
Chlorophyll, Magnesium |
Removes Toxins |
Handy tips for preparing juice at home
Follow these pro tips when preparing fresh, healthy juices yourself for the best flavour and nutrition:
- Wash all produce before making juice.
- Remove peels from non-organic fruits and some veggies to minimise pesticides.
- Chop produce into smaller pieces to fit through juicer openings.
- Alternate soft and hard produce.
- Juice softer ingredients first, then harder items last.
- Drink juice immediately after making it for maximal vitamins and antioxidants.
- Store any leftover juice in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 72 hours.
Getting the most out of your homemade juices
To retain the maximum vitamins, enzymes and nutrients when preparing juice for your fruits and veggies:
- Mix different produce items to blend more nutrients.
- Add fresh herbs like parsley or mint for flavour and health benefits.
- Try not to add too much fruit to prevent blood sugar spikes.
- Use more vegetable-based ingredients.
6 rejuvenating juice recipes to try
Try whipping up these nourishing juice combos at home:
Immunity booster juice
Packed with protective antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds like flavonoids and Vitamin C.
Ingredients:
- 3 Carrots, tops removed
- 1 Orange, peeled
- 1 Grapefruit, peeled
- 2-inch Turmeric root
- 1-inch Ginger root, peeled
To make the juice:
- Wash all the produce thoroughly.
- For the turmeric and ginger, use a spoon to peel the skin first.
Cut the carrots, orange, and grapefruit into smaller pieces to fit through your juicer openings easily. Juice the ingredients together in your blender or juicer according to the manufacturer's directions. Pour into a glass.
Add some ice, and enjoy immediately! Drinking this vibrant orange Immunity Booster Juice gives your body a hefty dose of Vitamin C, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Carrots, orange, grapefruit, turmeric, and ginger all contain powerful compounds to boost immune cell function and protect against oxidative damage and infection.
Energy boosting juice
The natural carbohydrates in the fruit get absorbed rapidly for sustained energy and stamina.
Ingredients:
- 3 Apples
- 1 Cucumber
- 5 medium Carrots, greens removed
- 1 cup Spinach
- 1 stalk Celery
To prepare, chop the apples, cucumber, carrots and celery to fit them through your juicer's feeding tube. Juice the apples first, as they are the softest, then follow with the carrots, cucumber, celery and spinach.
The natural sugar in apples and carrots gets absorbed rapidly, providing an instant energy boost. This is sustained over time, unlike an espresso shot.
Spinach is rich in chlorophyll, which resembles haemoglobin and helps improve oxygen transport. This gives you an edge when powering through your day or workouts. Stay alert and energised by sipping this vibrant green juice! It's perfectly sweet and savoury.
Red & green detox juice
Vitamin and mineral-rich green veggies help flush toxins and purify the body. Beets improve liver function for better detoxification.
Ingredients:
- 1 Lemon, peeled
- 1 inch Ginger, peeled
- 2 Apples, cored
- 4 stalks Celery
- 1 medium Beet plus greens
- 2 cups Spinach
Wash all the ingredients thoroughly before making juice. Chop the apples, beets, celery, and spinach leaves into smaller pieces to pass through the juicer spouts with ease. Juice the lemon and ginger first, followed by the apples, celery, beet greens and spinach.
The beetroot gives this juice a rich, vibrant reddish-purple colour. Beets specifically contain B-vitamin folate, which supports healthy liver function for effective detoxification of toxins and waste from your blood.
The minerals and antioxidants in green veggies like spinach, celery, and lemon help further flush out waste. Ginger adds an anti-inflammatory boost, which is ideal while cleansing.
Lean & green juice
Lower in natural fruit sugars, this is optimal for weight loss. The greens help regulate appetite hormones.
Ingredients:
- 1 Cucumber
- 5 stalks Celery
- 1 inch Ginger, peeled
- 2 cups Kale, ribs removed
- 1/2 Lime, peeled
- 1/2 Apple, cored
To prepare, chop the cucumber, celery, kale leaves, lime and apple into smaller pieces to fit through your juicer. Juice the apple first since it's the softest, then follow with the cucumber, celery, lime, kale and ginger.
This crisp, tangy green juice is naturally low in calories and carbs but high in fibre. Compounds in ginger have been found to help stop appetite. Meanwhile, the celery, kale, cucumber and lime contain antioxidants, vitamins K and C, to nourish your body.
Sipping on this nutrient-packed Lean & Green Juice is a great way to stay hydrated, control hunger cravings and incorporate more plant nutrition into your diet to maintain a healthy weight. Pairs perfectly with a morning workout session!
Purple power juice
Rich purple pigments of blueberries and cabbage contain potent antioxidants that defend cell health. This is anti-aging and good for the skin.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Blueberries
- 1/2 small Beet, scrubbed well
- 4 carrots
- 1 cup red Cabbage
- 1 Ginger root, peeled
Bring all ingredients to room temperature before preparing for juice. Wash thoroughly before prepping. Chop the carrots, beet, cabbage and blueberries into smaller pieces that will fit into the juicer feeding tube with ease. Juice softer ingredients like blueberries and ginger first.
The blueberries and purple cabbage give beets their rich colour. Sipping this free radical fighter helps prevent premature signs of ageing, including fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. For an added beauty boost, Vitamins A and C increase collagen production for glowing skin.
Drink this anti-ageing purple juice every day. The antioxidants will help your cells stay strong and youthful. Your skin will glow vibrantly, too!
Digestive aide juice
Aloe vera juice has an intestinal healing effect, while anti-inflammatory ginger and turmeric improve digestion. Apple cider vinegar adds probiotics.
Ingredients:
- 2 Apples, washed & cut out cores
- 1 cucumber, washed
- 1 cup Aloe Vera juice
- 5 carrots, greens removed
- 1 fresh Turmeric root
- 1 fresh Ginger root
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Wash all the produce. For the apple cider vinegar and aloe vera juice, pour into the blender. Chop the remaining fruits and vegetables into small pieces to fit through the juicer, taking care to peel the turmeric and ginger.
The thick gel from aloe vera juice coats and soothes away any irritation in the gut. This helps heal inflammation in the digestive system so it stays healthy.
Ginger and turmeric have similar anti-inflammatory benefits on the digestive tract, reducing symptoms like gas, bloating, cramping and nausea. Apple cider vinegar introduces gut-healthy probiotics while aiding digestion as well.
Conclusion
Drinking fresh juices from fruits and vegetables is a great way to fill up vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These nutrients are super good for your health. Juices can help you stay hydrated, feel more energetic, and even keep your heart healthy. They're also great for cleaning out toxins from your body, boosting your immune system, and making your skin look better.
Making juice at home is easy and can be very tasty. Just remember to wash your fruits and veggies, mix up different kinds to get all sorts of nutrients, and drink your juice right after making it to get the most health benefits. Whether you're looking to boost your energy levels, support your immune system, or just maintain good health, juicing can be a convenient and delicious part of your wellness routine.
