Those of you following my Facebook/Twitter posts the past week or so will know I’m a new convert to slow juicing. We’re not talking mass produced cartons of high sugar fruit juices, we’re talking juices that you make yourself – mostly out of veggies – drink immediately and that are packed full of goodness, nutrition and life. We’re talking a new way of life! So it felt rather apt to share with you some of my research of late, and culminate it into 8 reasons why juicing is *so* fab, why I’m hooked – and how it could become your way of life too…
You want to be healthy
Notice we didn’t say you want to lose weight. Let’s think of the bigger picture here. Yes, if you’re drinking juices that are packed with seven kinds of goodness for breakfast rather than a fry up, you’re bound to see a shift on the scales. But juicing is about more than that. It’s about embracing a healthy lifestyle for life. Not just until your jeans will zip up comfortably. Because once you start, you’re likely to become hooked! The health benefits of juicing are enormous and its no wonder that millions of people are becoming converted around the world.
A fab recipe for a high nutrient boost:
1 cup green kale (sounds ghastly – I know, but it’s actually delicious juiced!)
1 cup seedless green grapes
1 cucumber, sliced thickly
1 small granny smith apple
1/2 cup water
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
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You want energy
The boost of vitamins and minerals in the average juice made at home is amazing.
Not only that, but the fact that all ingredients are compressed and pulped for you to drink straight down means that the body doesn’t need to burn as much energy digesting them all. The body is getting all of that quickly, and in it’s purest, most natural form. You’ll notice that your body’s performance and energy levels boost considerably- great news if you regularly feel sluggish and tired!
A fab juice recipe for an energy boost:
1 large cucumber
8 sticks of celery
1 handful of kale
1 handful of spinach
1 handful parsley
1/4 lemon
1 inch piece of ginger
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
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You want to lose weight
Yes, we said it wasn’t about being skinny (I gave up on that for my 2012 New Years resolution and swapped it with wanting to be strong), but shedding a pound or two is bound to happen. When you’re putting good, natural ingredients into your body you are going to feel better, and less inclined to eat rubbish. You are also going to feel more full. And with any clean eating you’re going to want to burn off that energy with exercise too! Win win all round. Weight gain can be linked to eating the wrong foods (processed, fatty, etc) and not exercising, therefore it stands to reason that juicing can help you achieve a stronger, leaner frame.
A fab recipe for a weight balancing boost:
1 pink grapefruit, peeled
2 oranges, peeled
1 bunch of mint
1 head of Romaine lettuce
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
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You want better skin
Who doesn’t want better skin?! Last Tuesday I spent the evening at a Face Party with the amazing Jane Scrivner, donned with a headband playing with oils, cotton pads, silk cocoons and learning all about her signature facials and being reminded to pack my plate with Vitamin C…. We all do. And you got it, juicing can help. It’s no surprise that the vitamins and minerals in natural home made juice are fab for your skin, and this is because you’re getting a hit of antioxidants in their purest form; it’s like a super miracle cream for the skin. Studies have found that acne can also be improved…
A fab recipe for a skin boost:
4 carrots
Handful of spinach
Handful of parsley
1/2 an apple
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
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You want better hair and nails
It makes sense. If juices are good for your skin, they’re good for your hair and nails too. That burst of antioxidants is so 
powerful and all those vitamins and minerals are put to good use straight away. Studies have also found that hair growth is actually improved with juicing.
Fab recipe for a hair and nails boost:
1 cup kale
1 lime
1/2 cucumber
2 sticks of celery
1 apple
1 pear
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
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You want to detox
Perhaps your overall life is not so bad, and juicing is not something that you want to commit to fully. Yet. We say yet, because we’re sure that you will soon be converted, but hey let’s go with a detox. Some juice recipes are specifically designed for a detox, even if you’re already juicing, and the benefits of said detox are huge.
Basically, a detox is a short period where you give your liver a rest. The liver is responsible for cleansing and detoxing the blood, and if your diet is less than perfect, this is no mean feat. If your liver is unable to work with the conditions you provide, your blood is more likely to be of poor quality, resulting in low energy and fatigue. If you detox, your liver has a chance to recover and to cleanse the blood more efficiently. With the results of a detox (feeling happier, lighter, filled with more energy) more people tend to go on to stick to a better diet afterwards too.
A fab recipe for detox:
2 apples
Handful spinach
1 slice cucumber
1 slice lime
Half stick of celery
1/4 pineapple
1/4 avocado
ice cubes
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
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You want to sleep well
Yes, even sleep can be improved with juicing! If you tend to toss and turn, or you wake early and cannot go back to sleep, or you wake sluggish and tired regularly, it might be worth looking at your diet. Refined carbohydrates and processed foods tend to make the body inefficient at most things, and sleep is one of them. Want to wake up rested and full of energy for a busy day? Get a juicer.
A fab recipe to improve sleep:
2 large oranges, peeled
1 lemon, peeled
1/2 bunch watercress
8 sticks celery
1/2 head Romaine lettuce
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
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You want to prevent diseases
Bodies that are filled with toxins and bacteria are playgrounds for diseases. Which makes a lot of sense. A body that has a good immune system and is filled with vitamins and nutrients is going to be a lot better at fighting illnesses than one that is not. To defend itself, your body needs lots of the good stuff so that it’s ready for battle; studies have suggested that juicing may be able to help prevent and fight off diseases.
A fab recipe for an immune system boost:
1 lemon
2cm slice ginger
2 medium carrots
4 sticks celery
4 kiwi fruit
Handful parsley
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
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Top juicing tips
If you do decide to go for it and get yourself a juicer, do plenty of research first. No two juicers are alike!
This is ours…
We use a ‘slow juicer’ which is specially designed to minimise damage to the ingredients. It rotates slowly (hence the name) and squeezes the fruit and veg so that optimum taste and nutrition is preserved. Other juices tend to work a lot more quickly, and as a result less nutrients are reserved.
Always use vegetables in your juice if you can. Fruit certainly makes most juices a lot more palatable, but too much fruit can cause blood sugar spikes in some people (myself included) so at first it may be a case of trial and error. Experiment with some of the recipes above and in books, but soon you’ll become a pro and want to concoct some of your own too…
Finally – and this was the best advice I was given… thank you Facebook followers! USE THE PULP! The fantastic Life after Bread page and site often features recipes which utilise the bits that are left over after you juice, and there are some lovely recipes for chapatis and so on that will make the most of the pulp. We recommend Moorish smoked hummus for dipping!
