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Juicing

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Juicing is said to be the best way to get your daily vitamin and mineral requirements. Also many of the antioxidants which are so beneficial are only available from plants in the raw state. Also the skin of most fruit and vegetables contain many of the desired constituents and juicing is the best way to release them. This is the case with many of the Superfoods which are in the news at present. Some fresh herbal remedies can also be prepared using this method by incorporating them in a juice drink.

A recent long term study reported in the American Journal of Medicine suggests that consuming fresh fruit or vegetable juice at least three or four times per week can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's Disease. The reason for this is not fully understood, but it is thought that the Falvenoid antioxidants, found mainly in the skins, may be important in this activity. Free Radicals produced by metabolic processes, are involved in the causes of damage to cells and these compounds may be neutralising them.
Juices are a good way of supplementing a diet to obtain some essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Some believe that consuming large quantities of mixed juices can clear a build-up of toxins as part of a "Detox" diet. Normally functioning liver and kidneys are capable of removing all of the toxic by-products produced during the metabolic processes in the body, so it is unlikely that such a regimen has any effect and studies have borne this out.
There is a growing Raw Food movement, the followers of which are usually vegan and eat only uncooked food, often in the form of a juice. Since the cooking process damages many of the natural emzymes and vitamins, it is believed that all of the body's requirements can be provided in a better form in the raw state. Adherants to this diet vary from eating strictly fruit, vegetables and herbs, to those who include some dairy and even meat. However some of those promoting this method may have another motive, that of selling the multitude of suppliments made from exotic algae and other plant extracts that are required to keep the body relatively healthy (along with books and DVDs). The store cupboard of a typical Raw Foodist is stacked with a vast array of these products.

This page gives a brief guide to preparing juices using a juicer or juicing machine.

The peelings of the orange and grapefruit cannot be digested, so the outer coloured portion of the peel should be removed leaving the white membrane (it contains about 90% of the food value).

Remove pips from fruit if possible, esp. apple as they tend to be bitter.

Carrots are used quite a lot as they add sweetness as well as bulk to the mixture. Apples are another base ingredient.

Bananas are not suitable for passing through a juicer, but can be incorporated into a prepared juice in a blender. They should be ripe, ie. when the skins are a bright yellow and slightly speckled brown. For an iced drink remove the skin, break in half and freeze; put the juice and frozen bananas into a blender and spin for at least 45 seconds to produce a smooth liquid.

Only use garlic if you don't mind following juices having a slight taint, as it tends to linger!

Juice ingredients in the order listed, the smallest ingredients should not be last so that following fruit or vegetables can flush them into the mixture. The bulky residue can be used to make soups and stews or added to the compost heap.

Drink slowly and allow the juice to mix with the saliva before swallowing as the latter adds enzymes needed for the digestive process.

Here are a few juice recipies to try, but you can see it's fairly easy to come up with plenty of your own, using apples or carrots as a basis with additions of other fruit or vegetables which contain other benefits.

Apple & Celery Apple & Grape Apple & Pear 1 stalk celery 2 apples 2 apples 1 large bunch of grapes 1 slice lemon with peel 2 apples, pips removed 1 pear Apple & Strawberry Apple & Ginger Banana & Grape 1 apple, cored and sliced 6 strawberries, fresh or thawed ½ orange, peeled and sectioned 3 apples 1 inch piece ginger 2 - Apples 2 - Oranges, peeled, leaving membrane 100g of seedless grapes 2 - Frozen bananas (use blender) Banana & Grapefruit Beets & Carrots Beet Greens 2 - Apples 1 - Hard brown pear 2 - Oranges, peeled, leaving membrane ½ Grapefruit, peeled, leaving membrane 2 Frozen bananas (use blender) 3 large beet leaves 1 medium beet 1 large carrot 1 medium cucumber 50g of beet greens Broccoli & Carrot Broccoli & Tomato Cabbage & Celery 1 small broccoli stalk 1 large carrot ½ medium cucumber (vitamin A) 3 broccoli flowers 2 tomatoes 2 stalks celery ½ green pepper 1 garlic clove ¼ head cabbage (red or green) 3 stalks of celery Carrot Apple + 1 Carrot Apple + 2 Carrot & Apple 2 apples 6 sprigs of parsley 6 carrots, medium ¼ beet¼ green pepper 2 apples 1 handful of parsley 1 handful of spinach 2 ribs of celery 6 carrots 6 carrots 2 dessert apples, pips removed Carrot & Beet Carrot Tonic Carrot, Celery & Spinich 2-3 carrots ½ beet ½ cucumber (optional) (good for the liver) handful of parsley 2 stalks celery 4 carrots 1 garlic clove 1 handful spinach greens 1 handful parsley 2 stalks celery 4 medium carrots (vits. A and C, Potassium and folic acid.) Carrot Cocktail Carrot Supreme Carrot & Parsley 1 partially skinned cucumber 1 small beet ½ rubarb stalk 1 apple 1 pear8 carrots 1 small purple-top turnip 5 celery stalks 1 small beet 1 pear 1 apple small piece of ginger 2 inches max. 4 celery stalks 10-12 carrots 1 small parsnip handful of parsley 6 carrots (an energy booster) Carrot & Kale Carrot Lemonade Carrot & Parsley + small handful of parsley 3 kale leaves 4 carrots (Calcium) 4-5 medium carrots ½ medium lemon 1 mildly tart apple small wedge red cabbage small slice of ginger root 3 sprigs parsley 6 carrots ½ beet (vits. A and C, folacin and iron.) Carrot & Spinach Carrot & Wheatgrass Citrus Cocktail handful of spinach 6 carrots (aids digestion) 6 carrots 1 apple 2 stalks of celery ½ handful of wheatgrass ½ handful of parsley ½ beet ¼ lemon with peel ½ grapefruit (peeled) 2 oranges (peeled) (aids digestion) Ginger & Orange Ginger Ale Lunchtime Juice 1 slice fresh ginger-root 2 medium oranges, peeled fresh ginger (to own taste) 6 large green apples make to 2 litres with sparkling mineral water 4 carrots 2 cucumber,peeled 2 stalks celery 1 beet sweeter juice: 2-4 oranges, skins off savory: onions, basil, ginger or garlic Pineapple Spice Spinach &Tomato Strawberry Cocktail ¼ pineapple ½ apple, seeded ¼ inch sliced ginger root 3 large clumps spinach 1 medium tomato 2 large clumps spinach 3 large strawberries ½ apple, seeded ½ cucumber Strawberry & Pineapple Spinach & Lettuce Raspberry & Orange 4 strawberries 1 large chuck pineapple 1 bunch black grapes 4 sprigs parsley 4 lettuce leaves 6 spinach leaves 6 carrots ½ beet (Source of iron and Vitamin A) ½ cup raspberries 1 medium orange, peeled (150% daily Vitamin C; 10% daily folacin;10% daily thiamin; 10% daily calcium Tomato & Celery Italian Tomato Tomato & Cucumber 1 medium tomato 2 stalks of celery 6 sprigs fresh basil 8 sprigs fresh parsley 1 large tomato 1 sprig parsley 1 tomato 2 stalks celery 1 cucumber, peeled Tomato & Carrot Watermelon   several tomatoes several carrots garlic to taste cut into strips and juice (rind and all)

Healthy Eating for Children The secrets of getting children to eat healthily in 14 days or less. Detox Diet Programme Diet programme to lose weight and cleanse the body system. The Raw Food Diet Health, energy, and Success, with a flexible living food diet.

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