The Falcon   |   Volume 83, Issue 52

Published 5/22/13   |   Log In

Juicing both beneficial and delicious

By ANNA REEDER, Staff Reporter

Published: October 17, 2012

You are what you drink.

“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” said Dr. Ann Wigmore, a nutritionist and whole foods advocate.

She believed that what is put into your body can either benefit you majorly or have a negative effect on your body.

Juicing is a beneficial form of detox, taking fresh and organic vegetables and fruits and breaks them down into an easily digested form for your body. Within fifteen minutes, our bodies digest and absorb the nutrients into our cells. The difference between juicing and eating a regular meal is not only the amount of nutrients your body absorbs but also the amount of time it takes.

It takes around five to six hours for your body to absorb any type of chewed food.

With meat being the hardest and toughest for our digestive systems, think of juicing as a vacation for it and the start of a rejuvenation process for your body.

So how does one begin the journey to juicing? First, buy a juicer. The best brands are the Hurom slow juicer or the Omega Vert juicer. When purchasing a juicer, whether it is these brands or another, make sure that it is a slow processing juicer which preserve more of the nutrients in the fruits and vegetables.

Next, pick out some fresh, organic vegetables to juice. You can pick up locally grown vegetables for affordable prices at farmers markets or co-ops like PCC Natural Markets. Here is the fun part! Some beneficial vegetables to start out with are carrots, kale, beets, parsley and celery.

Carrots are high in Vitamin A, which is key to healthy bone growth as well as vision. They are also high in Vitamin E, which supports your immune system. Carrots produce a sweet juice that is a good basic staple to start your taste buds on their juicing adventure.

Kale is high in Vitamin K, which supports your brain and nervous system. It also helps your body build up a stronger inflammatory response.

Beets are high in Vitamin B, which not only helps metabolize your fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, but is also considered a “brain food.” Beets are also rich in anthocyanin, which protects and repairs your DNA from genetically modified foods and chemicals in the environment.

Parsley is a good addition, as it that helps your digestive system process the nutrients to its optimum level of potency.

Celery is high in calcium, which helps calm the nervous system and lower blood pressure.

After you have picked your vegetables, choose one or two fruits to add to your juice. Try to keep a 3:1 ratio of vegetables to fruit . Fruits are high in sugar – while it is natural sugar, it is still harmful to your body if it is not maintained - everything in moderation. Pick out three vegetables and then add one fruit such as apples, ginger or melon.

Apples are high in Vitamin C. Ginger fights against oncoming illness and aids in digestion. Melon is high in potassium and zinc.

After you have juiced your vegetables and fruit, take a sip. Put your mind at ease knowing that you are taking the first step to a healthier life and enjoy how alive your body feels.

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