Brenda Watson--

Throughout history the remarkable health benefits of fruits and vegetables have been recognized by cultures across the globe. Nowadays as more and more people are making a conscious choice to improve their health through beneficial diet and lifestyle changes, juicing is enjoying a popularity boost like never before.

Essentially, extracting the valuable nutrients from raw foods through juicing is an effective way to unlock the benefits of those foods without all of the digestive work. This allows your body to conserve energy and use it to perform other functions such as the natural cleansing process carried out by the organs and organ systems involved with detoxification—specifically the lungs, liver, lymphatic system, kidneys, skin, blood and bowel (or colon). Therefore, getting all of the benefits of juicing has a lot to do with the plants you choose to use.

Vegetables are preferable over fruits, as juicing may concentrate the sugars found in fruit, and excess sugar can inhibit the digestive process. Start with a dark-green, leafy base of kale or chard, and add vegetables such as beets and celery. Lemon may be added for taste, and incorporating half an apple will add a hint of sweetness. In addition to providing an invigorating nutrient boost, the fresh ingredients in this particular mixture have been used traditionally to help cleanse and purify the blood as well as to support healthy liver function. Both delicious and nutritious, homemade juices are a beneficial addition to every healthy lifestyle.

Below are more delicious juice recipes to help you get started. Simply pass all ingredients through a juicer, serve and enjoy!

Note: The following recipes are for one serving, but each can yield different amounts depending on the size of your fruits and vegetables. Because juicing extracts so much concentrated juice, it’s important to use organic produce whenever possible—especially if skins and rinds are involved, as they may harbor chemicals from sprayed pesticides.

Citrus Cocktail                                              Cucumber Refresher

1/4 lemon, with rind                                         1 cucumber

1/2 grapefruit, peeled                                       1/4 green pepper

2 oranges, peeled                                           3 leaves kale or other dark greens

Small section of fresh ginger, with rind              4 carrots

Fresh Garden Tonic                                     Tropical Spritzer

1/2 beet                                                         1/2 lime, with rind

1/2 handful wheatgrass                                   1 mango, peeled

1 apple                                                          Small section of fresh ginger, with rind

1 leaf Swiss chard, kale, or collards                 Splash of sparkling water to finish

2 celery stalks

2 sprigs parsley

4 carrots

Pinch cayenne pepper

Small section of fresh ginger, with rind

Tip: If you enjoy your juices cold, be sure to store your fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, and always wash them thoroughly before placing them in the juicer.

Related: The Truth About Toxins

              Clean The Toxins Out of Your Body

              Do You Need Probiotics?

Update on Apr 13, 2008 by Editor

Seen at Reuters!