I love this time of year! The farmer’s market is starting to come alive with fresh greens! I feel a little nerdy admitting this but I get giddy walking from one organic farmer to the next and gratefully filling my (reusable) shopping bag with fresh, local greens.
Speaking of greens, i’d have to say, other than the questions regarding immunizing, I think the next most common question I get asked is whether it is better to juice or drink smoothies. My answer? Both!
Juicing. Juice fasts. Cold pressed. Flash pasteurized. These ‘buzz’ words have surrounded the whole concept of juicing for years. They can be confusing. With juice bars popping up all over the place what’s a girl (or guy) to do? Is juicing even healthy? As with most topics, you can find a slew of pros and cons to juicing. My take is simple: juice responsibly.
We like to start each day with either a juice or a smoothie (we alternate). I think if I can start the day with a huge boost of vitamins and minerals in liquid form, why not? It’s important to note however, that juicing is not necessarily the equivalent of eating the fruit/veggies, simply because the fiber gets left behind in the juicing process. We don’t rely on juice to get our day’s intake of veggies as we eat plenty throughout the day but we find it a nice way to get our day started.One of my personal favorite juices is one that honors your liver’s need for some daily love and it’s a terrific way to start your day.
If you don’t already have a juicer there are many variations to choose from: centrifugal, masticating and twin gear. I did my own research (surprise!) prior to purchasing and decided to go ahead with this Champion Juicer. We have had it for 12 years and love it AND it shows no signs of slowing down!
Libby’s Liver Flush Juice
What you’ll need:
1 pink grapefruit – peeled but I keep as much pith on as possible as it contains pectin and bioflavonoids.
- rich in vitamin C, potassium and beta carotene.
- 1 grapefruit can supply almost 60% of vitamin C RDA
- Interestingly, pink or red grapefruit have more vitamin C than white ones.
Benefits: great for sore throats and bleeding gums, also circulatory problems.
1 lemon – peeled but keep pith (I slice off the peel with a sharp knife).
- rich in vitamin C
- contains vitamin B and E
- potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and trace minerals like copper, zinc, iron and manganese.
- rich in bioflavonoids, limonene and mucilage (helps the lining of the stomach)
Benefits: great for the immune system, liver and pancreas. Also helps with digestive problems, mouth ulcers and gum problems.
1 orange – peeled (with pith)
- high in vitamin C, beta-carotene and bioflavonoids
- contains thiamin, folic acid, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and iron
Benefits: great for general health, improves circulation, combats infection, beneficial for heart disease, high blood pressure and fluid retention
3+ leaves of Kale
- high amount of vitamins A (beta carotene-almost a whole day’s dosage in 3 1/2 oz), C and K
- contains minerals like copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus
Benefits: countless anti cancer properties great for the immune system. Helps create digestive enzymes which in turn help the liver.
References:
