Consultant Dietician Sigrid De Silva isn’t a big fan of fruit juices. Even if you leave out the added sugars, fruits are better digested when you chew them thoroughly, she contends, and they’re best taken in moderation. As a juice, the simple carbohydrates can combine to have a detrimental effect on people with insulin resistance, fatty liver problems or diabetes.
But if you can’t do without some cold, liquid refreshment, perhaps what you could consider this month is a glass of fresh, nutrition loaded vegetable juice. Their vivid colours and unusual flavours make them an appealing beverage. Just remember that this shouldn’t become a complete substitute for whole vegetables in your diet – adults should eat at least two to three cups of vegetables a day.
Here are a few recipes worth trying. We have listed the nutrients they’re rich in for you as well. As there are no animal products, none of the recipes contain cholesterol. Additionally they have no saturated fats and contain negligible amounts of sodium. While making your juices, experiment a little.
Sigrid recommends a spritz of lime to add flavour, to keep the vegetables for oxidising and to boost your vitamin C intake. You could also add some onion and garlic which will do wonders for the flavour and provide health benefits as well - though it’s likely to contribute to an episode of bad breath.
She also recommends that you use a liquidizer instead of a juicer so that the valuable fibre is preserved. This fibre offers big health benefits and is one of the best things about the juice.
Apple and Cucumber Cooler
- 2 1/2 apples
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 inch piece of ginger
- Season to taste
Wash thoroughly before removing apple stems and coring the apple. Peel ginger and juice everything together. Serve chilled.
The anti-oxidant gingerol found in ginger is credited with potent anti-inflammatory properties that are said to help alleviate arthritis based joint pain. Cucumber is a good source of pro-vitamin A, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese, and a very good source of vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium. Juiced down with its skin, apple has absolutely no fat and sodium and is a great source of dietary fibre and vitamin C besides.
Cabbage, Cauliflower and Broccoli Medley
- 1 Stalk broccoli
- Quarter head cabbage
- Quarter head cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 Green apples
- 4-6 mint leaves
If preferred add half a green chilli and season to taste
Thoroughly wash and clean all the vegetables and juice them. Add lime at the end. Serve immediately. Garnish with a wedge of lime and mint leaves. Broccoli packs one of the most potent punches in the vegetable world, containing nutrients like vitamin C, pro-vitamin A (mostly as beta-carotene), folic acid and fibre.
Though it couldn’t compare to a glass of milk, it is rich in calcium and a good source for those who don’t consume dairy products. Broccoli is known for its detoxification properties and researchers say that this is because 3 glucosinolate phytonutrients are found in a special combination in broccoli. The leafy, green cabbage offers protein, thiamin, calcium, phosphorus and copper, and is a very good source of dietary fibre, pro-vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, potassium and manganese.
The flower heads of cauliflower contain phytonutrients such as indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane. It is a rich source of vitamin C and dietary fibre and serves up good amounts of many essential B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and thiamin (vitamin B1), niacin (B3) as well as vitamin K. A tip: soak cauliflower in salt water before using it which will take care of any insects or worms in the vegetable.
Parsley Pep Up
- 1 cup of parsley
- 1/2 apple
- 2 carrots
- 3 celery stalks
Wash all the ingredients thoroughly. Remove the stems of the apple and the tops of the carrots. Clean celery stalks. Juice them all together and enjoy!
Parsley is much more than a good garnish. The ‘world’s most popular herb’ is rich in nutrients. it is a good source of protein, vitamin E, rhiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, phosphorus and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fibre, pro-vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese.
Carrots are synonymous with the antioxidant nutrient that was actually named for them: beta-carotene. No other vegetable or fruit contains as much carotene as carrots, which the body converts to vitamin A. They are a rich source of vitamin C and have vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid, iron, potassium and copper. They provide dietary fibre, vitamin K and manganese. Friend to dieters everywhere, raw celery contains riboflavin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, and is a very good source of dietary fibre, pro-vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, potassium and manganese. It has become well known for its role in reducing high blood pressure.
Cabbage, Red Pepper and Tomato Blaster
- 6 red peppers
- 6 tomatoes
- 3½ oz of white cabbage
- 1 tbsp of parsley
Wash the red pepper, cabbage and tomatoes and pass through the juicer. Pour into a tall glass. Finely chop the parsley and stir into the vegetable juice.
Packed with vitamins and carotenoids, red pepper will add that wonderful zing to your drink. It is a good source of vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, potassium and manganese, and a very good source of dietary fibre, pro-vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B6 and folate.
Red and juicy, tomatoes are rich in anti-oxidant lycopene. They are a good source of vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, and a very good source of dietary fibre, pro-vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium and manganese.
Beetroot, Carrot and
Celery Medley
- 1 small beetroot
- 2 large carrots
- 1 stalk of celery
Choose smaller beetroots for their sweetness. Wash thoroughly, and remove the tops of carrots. Peel the beetroot if its skin is tough. If it has a nice thin skin then just cut off the top.
Slice up the vegetables to fit your juicer. Juice and serve.
The lovely, deep red purple of beetroot juice lets you know it’s packed full of betalain pigments. The vegetable is a rich source of carbohydrates, a good source of protein, and has high levels of important vitamins, minerals and micronutrients such as folic acid and vitamin C, plus contains small amounts of vitamins B1, B2, B3, and pro-vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. It's also rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium, with smaller amounts of iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium.
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