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Making your own fresh juices at home is a great way to up your intake of healthy nutrients. But you may have heard that some blends are healthier than others.
The fact is, with most appliances, juicing does remove most of the healthy fiber from your fresh produce. There are both positive and negative aspects of this.
It’s a good thing, since you’ll probably be able to consume a lot more fresh fruits and vegetables in one sitting than you could ever attempt if you were eating them whole, and that means you’ll be taking in more healthy vitamins and minerals.
But on the downside, taking out the dietary fiber means all of the sugar found in those veggies and particularly in fresh fruits is absorbed more by the body with little to slow it down, resulting in sugar and insulin spikes.
As a compromise, many juice lovers advocate eschewing sweeter veggies like beets and carrots and most fruits in favor of lower sugar options – which are typically green (though not always, as is this case with this healthy and delicious V8-style tomato juice). But this can be difficult for beginners who are not used to the flavor.
Here’s an idea to get you started. This recipe is easily adaptable, so you can introduce those leafy greens gradually.
The sweet taste offered by the carrots and apples still contains a lot of healthy nutrients – it’s not like you added a few teaspoons of corn syrup or empty calorie refined sugar like you would find in a soda!
As you become more accustomed to the flavor, reduce the quantity of the sweeter items that you include, and bump up the proportions of spinach, mizuna, kale, turnip tops, and other green goodies instead.
You’ll be a green juice pro in no time!
Don’t Skip Lunch (or Dinner)
Another important aspect of juicing is that it’s not intended to be a meal replacement.
Though you will find plenty of cleanses out there that may advocate for a liquid diet for certain meals, most nutritionists and juicing advocates say produce-based homemade beverages should not be consumed as a replacement for a healthy breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Expert nutritionist Shira Lenchewski, RD at Laurenconrad.com says you should drink your vegetable juice on an empty stomach for the most nutritional impact, but you should see this as a supplement to a healthy diet rather than an excuse to skip a meal.
Rotate the contents of your daily juice blend to vary the vitamins and minerals that you’ll be getting, and plan to eat a meal about half an hour after you’ve finished sipping.
When I’m feeling particularly ambitious, I like to get in an afternoon workout in my living room, and then make a batch of green juice. I’ll sip it and do the dishes while I cool down (since those juicer parts really need to be cleaned right away to maintain and extend the life of your equipment, especially those centrifugal juicer screens and blades like the ones in my Breville Juice Fountain), take a quick shower, and then eat a light, protein-rich meal.
I can’t say that I’m currently sticking to this routine as often as I would like, but I really look forward to my healthy drink at the end of a much-needed hour of exercise!
Produce Selection and Prep
When you choose your ingredients, look for fresh fruits and vegetables without bruises, soft spots, or moldy areas. If they do have any of these, be sure to cut them away before juicing.
It’s best to wash your ingredients right before you plan to use them. Though cutting up your produce in advance so it’s ready to throw into the juicer may be the more convenient option, some nutrients actually begin to degrade as soon as the produce is picked, and cutting accelerates this process.
Vegetables that have been prewashed (like bagged lettuce) and items that you bring home and wash as soon as you get back from the store also tend to rot more quickly. Waiting to wash until just before use can help to extend their shelf life.
Some leafy greens that are excellent for juicing include:
- Arugula
- Beet tops
- Chard
- Collards
- Dandelion
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Mizuna (a.k.a. Japanese mustard green)
- Mustard
- Radish leaves
- Spinach
- Turnip greens
Carrots: What’s Up, Doc?
This is a juice that any bunny could love, and though they do contain a significant quantity of sugar, the carrots in this drink are also rich in a variety of nutrients.
General Tips
Dirt washes off, and you can even peel your carrots before juicing if you like (though a good scrub with a veggie brush should suffice).
Fresh carrots should be crunchy and firm, without soft spots, cuts, or blemished areas. Wrapping them in a damp piece of paper towel and storing in an airtight container, or placing in a sealed bag in the refrigerator bin, can help to extend shelf life, as well as retention of some nutrients.
Potential Health Benefits
The beta carotene in carrots is a carotenoid that give carrots their vibrant orange hue, and acts as an antioxidant in the body. (Note that anthocyanins are responsible for the purple or red color of some carrots, and lutein helps to create a yellow tone, but both of these act as antioxidants as well.)
- Protective against cardiovascular disease
- Inhibit growth of colon cancer cells
- Promote eye health
A Very Good Source Of:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Potassium
A Good Source Of:
- Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
- Niacin (Vitamin B3)
- Vitamin B6
- Folate
- Manganese
Lettuce Briefly Discuss Leafy Green Nutrition
General Tips
Leafy greens like lettuce should be bought at the peak of freshness, preferably from a local source if possible. Any brown ends and squishy leaves, as well as dirty outer leaves or leaves with whole or yellowing, should be removed before juicing.
Be sure to wash thoroughly, to remove any sand, grit, or dirt before juicing.
One of the best parts about juicing kale is that, unlike when you’re making kale chips or a veggie saute, there’s little prep work involved – those tough stems can be tossed right in the juicer.
For tougher leaves like those of kale, chard, and collards, make sure they have a deep and rich color, and that they’re firm with hard stems.
Leafy greens of all types that have been kept cool and moist in storage leading up to sale (if they aren’t picked from the garden or the field and brought home immediately) usually have the best flavor, texture, and nutritional content.
Greens can be stored wrapped in a plastic bag in the crisper bin of the fridge for about 3-5 days.
Potential Health Benefits of Red Leaf Lettuce
Though you might choose from many different types of leafy greens, red lettuce is suggested for this starter juice since it has a mild flavor, rich color, and high nutrient density.
- Promotes eye health
- Promotes healthy skin
- Helps blood to clot
- Helps to maintain bone density
- May help to prevent hardening of the arteries
- Immune support
A Very Good Source Of:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Vitamin B6
- Folate
- Iron
- Potassium
- Manganese
A Good Source Of:
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Selenium
Potential Health Benefits of Kale
Kale is super popular these days, and with good reason – it tastes great, and it’s good for you! This is a healthy cruciferous vegetable that’s deeply pigmented with chlorophyll, and it has a mild flavor in comparison to some of the other leafy veggies out there.
With two grams of protein per cup and a good dose of omega-3s, it’s also a great option to consume post-workout.
- Lowers risk of bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate cancer
- Helps to detox the body
- Helps to lower cholesterol
A Very Good Source Of:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin B6
- Calcium
- Potassium
- Copper
- Manganese
A Good Source Of:
- Protein
- Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Folate
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
The following recipe is a great option for newcomers to the world of healthy green juice. If you want to branch out with more ingredients, try our tantalizing blend of spinach and apple juice, or our delicious apple beet carrot juice.
As you become more accustomed to the flavor of fresh greens, you can reduce the quantity of apples and sweet carrots, and up the quantity of leafy vegetables instead.
The Recipe
- 1 lb. carrots
- 1/2 lemon
- 2-3 handfuls of leafy greens such as red lettuce or kale
- 2 apples
- Wash all ingredients thoroughly. Peel the lemon and remove any seeds. Remove the core and stem from the apples. Cut as needed, to fit the chute of your juicer.
- Put all ingredients in your juicer and juice according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Stir to blend.
- Serve and drink immediately, with or without ice.
Sweet and full of healthy nutrients, this one really hits the spot. Let us know what you think when you make it at home, and tell us about your own favorite adaptations in the comments!
The staff at Foodal are not medical professionals and this article should not be construed as medical advice. Foodal and Ask the Experts, LLC assumes no liability for the use or misuse of the material presented above. Always consult with a medical professional before changing your diet or using supplements or manufactured or natural medications.
Recipe photos by Kendall Vanderslice, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Revised and expanded from a post originally written by Lori Jo Hendrix.
About Allison Sidhu
Allison M. Sidhu is a culinary enthusiast from southeastern Pennsylvania who has returned to Philly after a seven-year sojourn to sunny LA. She loves exploring the local restaurant and bar scene with her best buds. She holds a BA in English literature from Swarthmore College and an MA in gastronomy from Boston University. When she’s not in the kitchen whipping up something tasty (or listening to the latest food podcasts while she does the dishes!) you’ll probably find Allison tapping away at her keyboard, chilling in the garden, curled up with a good book (or ready to dominate with controller in hand in front of the latest video game) on the couch, or devouring a dollar dog and crab fries at the Phillies game.
Thank you for just reiterating that juicing is not meant to replace meals. I have just had to defend myself on this so much, and it is never the case where anyone is saying I am wrong or anything, but the whole “Oh I’ll be fine” type of responses. You gotta eat something, and in that sense I just think juicing might catch a bad rep for some people. A good addition to a healthy diet, that is the best way to think of it.
My belief when it comes to juicing is that you are mainly looking for the huge amount of nutrients, and so it is not unreasonable to drop a few teaspoons of sugar in there to make it paletable. There are food that are ultra-healthy, but if they taste so bad that drinking them is a chore, then are you really improving your life and will you eagerly drink it every day. This is basically like going 5 steps forward and one step back..you are still way ahead, especially if you don´t have a lot of other veggies in your meal plans.
I always loved drinking homemade carrot juice as a kid and spinach is always fun to have in a sandwich. It does take some time to get used to all the greens in juice when they’re the only vegetables/fruits in there. I’m guilty of dropping in some sugar when it’s only the greens in there. If you’re a newcomer, don’t fret. You should definitely start with the sweeter stuff and slowly decrease it from there.
I was under the impression that juicing could be used to replace meals and that it was actually a healthier option because of all the nutrients. Thanks for clearing that up for us. I am one of those lucky people that just love their vegetables and find a lot of healthy food great-tasting. I would enjoy this carrot juice even though no one else in my house will. Thanks for sharing this with us.
I’ve always considered carrots as a must when it comes to the daily meals. My mom always tends to add some carrots to the salad because she has always said these are good for our visual health. My sister doesn’t like carrots juice at all, but this recipe looks tastier and better than the average one. Thank you for sharing.
One of the issues with juicing is getting the combinations right and to get them to taste nice. At times a juice looks strange, but tastes better than it looks and I need to get over that hurdle.
I do get put off by the ‘mess’ at times, but it is worth it and I feel so much better after a fresh juice.
I’ve never tried to make juice with carrots only, I usually add them in mixes with other vegetables and fruits because they give off a nice taste. A good juice at the start of the day goes a long way, breakfasts are much better with them.
Okay, good to know. Juicing is tempting, but yeah, I’m glad you informed us about the blood glucose issues. I don’t need spikes. I’ll have to be careful for that. I think I can handle the less sweet taste though, so I’ll try to adapt something that works for me. I know I could use more beta carotene.
Definitely take care with washing (even if it says washed). Very important.
Do you recommend any of those veggie wash products or just pure water?
I do love fresh juices and I am very pleased my kids like them (especially the teenager who is inclined to eat too much junk food!)
I hadn’t realised the greens were that much better in juices in terms of the available sugars but it makes sense. And it wouldn’t have occurred to me that carrots and beetroot were in the higher sugar category either – I do like them both with some ginger 🙂
As for adding sugar to a juice (in the comments above) that has never occurred to me either! If you need a sweeter taste, I’d add some apple, kiwi fruit or berries – sweetness but still some nutrients and flavour as well.