Why should we all juice?

Why Should We All Juice?

Virtually every health authority suggests that we should eat at least 6-8 servings of vegetables and fruits per day.   Most of us consume only a portion of that.  Juicing is an excellent way to make sure we get the recommended amount.

There are many excellent reasons why you should consider implementing juicing into your daily routine.

• Fruits and vegetables have high concentration of enzymes, as well as vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients all of which are essential for a healthy body.  Heat, such as cooking and baking, destroys these valuable enzymes.  To get the maximum benefit, most vegetables should be eaten raw.  Juicing is an excellent way to achieve that.
• Juicing allows you to consume a wide variety of vegetables in the most efficient manner.  You could juice vegetables that you normally wouldn’t eat whole and this way you can obtain a diverse array of nutrients.
• Raw fruits and vegetables are the building blocks to build a robust immune system.  They naturally detoxify your body and increase your body pH level to an alkaline state.  Having an alkaline internal environment protects you from a host of diseases, including viral, fungal and bacterial infections as well as providing a hostile environment for most types of cancers.

It is wise to choose organic whenever possible. According to the Environmental Working Group, the vegetables that are loaded with the most pesticides are (starting with the most contaminated):

1. Celery
2. Spinach
3. Kale
4. Collard Greens
5. Lettuce
6. Carrots
7. Cucumber

It is highly recommended that you purchase vegetables and fruits that are organically, if possible locally grown, and consume them within a day or two to obtain the maximum nutrient density.  Juices should be consumed immediately or stored in an airtight container to prevent oxidization and damage to the nutrients.

Vegetable juicing provides the best benefits.  Fruits usually contain high concentration of sugar therefore they should be used only sparingly, especially if you have diabetes, candida or cancer.  To make your juice more palatable you could add some ginger, cranberries, lemon or lime wedges.