Benefits of Juicing - Part 2

Below is part 2 of my cheat sheet on the benefits of the fruits and vegetables I regularly juice. It is a continuation from part 1 where I covered parsley, cucumber, celery, kale and spinach.

Carrots - Organic

1. Rich source of vitamin A. Vitamin A is very helpful during pregnancy for fetal development.
2. Also contains B vitamins and foliate.
3. Great for eye health due to its abundance of luetin, beta carotene, zeaxanthin, antioxidants and phytonutrients.
4. Natural diuretic.
5. Boosts the immune system.
6. Reduces mucous from the ears, nose and throat, and clears away phlegm to aid breathing.
7. Cleanses and restores the liver.

Broccoli

1. Vitamins: C, A, iron and calcium.
2. Contains sulforaphane which prevents peptic ulcers and is also known to ease gastritis and indigestion.
3. Contains more calcium than milk per ounce.
4. Contains an anti-estrogenic compound known as glucosinolates which helps rid the body of excess estrogen associated with certain types of breast cancer.
5. High in antioxidants and lutien important for eye health.
6. Is thought to help prevent breast, colon, lung and stomach cancer.

*Juice away, it's impossible to drink too much broccoli juice.

Green Apples - Organic

1. Vitamins: A, B & C.
2. High in Pectin which can help lower cholesterol and prevent colon cancer.
3. High in Boron which prevents calcium loss and stimulates brain function.
4. Natural diuretic and laxative effects.
5. Apples also help to balance out the bitterness of dandelion greens and kale.

Ginger

1. Contains over 12 types of antioxidants.
2. Natural anticoagulant.
3. Natural aphrodisiac - better than viagra for S-E-X!
4. Soothes the symptoms of the common cold and cough.
5. Helps to relieve many digestive ailments including heartburn, nausea and indigestion.
6. Can be helpful for relieving muscle pain and soreness.
7. Anti-infammatory.
8. Can help lower cholesterol.
9. Helps to control diabetes.
10. Thought to prevent and slow the progression of cancer.

Beets - Organic

1. Loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C. The greens have a higher nutritional content than the root so be sure to juice them as well.
2. The greens have a higher iron content than spinach and are also high in chlorophyll.
3. Also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, copper phosphorus and sodium.
4. Blood purifier and blood builder that helps with the creation of red blood cells.
5. Dissolves liver, kidney and bladder stones.
6. Increases the production of glutathione which helps the body detoxify cancer-causing agents.
7. Regulates blood pressure.
8. Protects against stomach and colon cancer.
9. The cellulose beets contain helps to relieve constipation.
10. Contains choline, making it an excellent liver detoxifier.
11. Prevents varicose veins.

Dandelion Greens - Organic or from your yard if you don't use chemicals.

1. Ranked in the top 4 of all green vegetables and listed as one of the top 50 power herbs.
2. Vitamins: loaded with K, A, potassium and calcium.
3. Rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin - important for eye health.
4. Natural diuretic.
5. As good as milk thistle for liver detoxification.
6. Controls blood pressure.
7. Contains hormone balancing elements called taraxerol and taraxasterol. Can help to alleviate PMS.
8. Contains taraxacin which triggers the gall bladder and liver to create bile and stimulates the digestive system.
9. Thought to help treat indigestion, hepatitis, depression and irritability.

I try to buy organic fruits and vegetables as much as possible to reduce the amount of pesticide intake. It can get expensive but if you try to juice foods that are in season it helps keep the cost down. I also grew my own zucchini, beets and cucumbers in my garden this summer. 

*I am not a medical professional and claim no medical expertise. You should always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any diet.

Dandelion Greens & Juicing

Today I added dandelion greens to my morning juice after reading about all of its benefits. Next to milk thistle, dandelion greens are one of the best liver detoxifiers out there. They are also thought to be a strong diuretic, improve bowel function, dissolve kidney stones, lower cholesterol and support gastro-intestinal health. Not to mention they are loaded with vitamins and minerals. One cup of greens contains 10% of the RDA for calcium. Other vitamins and minerals include A, C, E, K, B6, iron, zinc and copper.

I found them at my local healthfood store. You can use the ones growing in your backyard as long as you don't spray your lawn with chemicals/pesticides. You should also note that they don't last very long in your refrigerator so once you buy them they need to be used within a couple of days.

Below is a picture of all the items including the dandelion greens (on the left) I juiced this morning. Obviously I didn't use the whole bag of kale, only about 3 handfuls. The other items are parsley, ginger, 4 celery stalks, 1 green apple, 2 carrots and a beet.

All of the above makes about 1 1/2 glasses of juice (see below). If you have never juiced before don't be turned off by the color. It does actually taste good or at least not bad. This one was slightly bitter from all the kale & dandelion. I think next time I will replace the kale with spinach when using dandelion greens and also maybe add an extra carrot.

*Please note that I am not a medical professional and do not claim any medical expertise. You should always consult your healthcare professional before starting any diet program.