Why Drink Green Juices?
Guest post by Lee Holmes.
Green juices are the best medicine we can give our bodies, and are particularly beneficial for those who have digestive system or mal-absorption issues. Juice is easily absorbed as juicing breaks down the cell walls of fruits and vegetables so that they are pre-digested already. This means that the power-packed nutrients are getting directly into your system.
Juicing is also a wonderful way to ensure that we are consuming our recommended servings of greens too. Let’s face it, no one wants to be eating four cucumbers and three bunches of spinach at 7am, but juicing enables us to get a healthy amount of vegetables in one go to power-up the day.
Another benefit of using greens in juicing is that it oxygenates the body due to the addition of chlorophyll and enables us to release stored toxins in our bodies. Chlorophyll helps in neutralising the pollution that we breathe in every day. If you are a smoker (or have been in the past) it’s a fantastic supplement for your diet. When you ingest chlorophyll, your haemoglobin count is elevated and as a result of this, you’ll find that your circulation improves and you’ll have much more energy. Not only is it a blood enricher with special nutrients that build iron, it also cleanses and improves the health of the intestines, uterus, and lungs. Some people use it as a natural breath freshener and body deodorizer. That’s internally of course – no one wants to go out looking like the incredible hulk!
Here’s what’s my in juice-of-the-moment …
Cucumber, Spinach, Basil, Lemon and Lime Juice
Refreshing and invigorating this juice is an excellent way to start the day, cleansing, detoxifying and renewing health at cellular level.
Preparation Time: 5 mins
Serves 2
What You’ll Need
2 bunches English spinach
2 cucumbers cut in half lengthways
1 lemon (zest and pith removed)
1 lime (zest and pith removed)
½ cup of fresh basil leaves
Method
Place ingredients through the juicer remembering to make them small enough to fit through the shoot. Adding ice cubes once you have finished will make the juice even more palatable and reduce the acidity of the lime and lemon. If you prefer a sweeter juice, why not add a small amount of carrot or apple? Remember too much fruit causes spikes in blood sugar levels.
For more gluten, wheat, dairy, yeast and sugar-free recipes visit www.superchargedfood.com
Author bio: Lee Holmes is the founder of Supercharged Food, an altruistic website to help people expand their range of healthy food choices and plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, wholesome and nourishing diet. Lee is currently a writer for Miranda Kerr’s Kora Organics Blog www.koraorganics.com, and a columnist with Wellbeing Magazine where her column “Quick Kitchen” appears in each issue. Her recipe book Supercharged Food is out now through Murdoch Books ($34.99).
Connect with Lee:
Web: www.superchargedfood.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/superchargedfood
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LeeSupercharged
Blog: supercharged1.wordpress.com
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/leesupercharged
YouTube: www.youtube.com/leeholmes67
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POSTED IN: chlorophyll, cleansing, detox, green juice, health, lee holmes, supercharged food, toxins, wellness
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I have just started making green juices and I’m totally hooked! I never thought I would like them, I had to force myself at first but now I feel dehydrated all day if I don’t have one. Funny how things change!
HUROM SLOW JUICER!! EBAY IT! I just bought mine for $320, which is a bargain. I don’t think it gets much better than that! Good luck!
Hi Jess,
What is the cheapest cold press juicer you have found? Jessica Nazarali (@JessicaNazarali) what do you use?
Lucky » Hi Lucky, these two are probably the cheapest I’ve found: http://www.natureswonderland.com.au/shop/juicers/range/juicebuddy and http://www.natureswonderland.com.au/shop/juicers/range/lexen-healthy-electric x
In Australia I think this would be the cheapest at $149.00 : http://www.productreview.com.au/p/grunn-slow.html
But this one is highly recommended by me… http://www.juicersaustralia.com.au/lexsun-deluxe-juicer.shtml
It is sturdy, made in a range of colours, easily purchased spare parts – and best of all is easy to clean. Pulp is pretty dry too – much better than the acclaimed Champion juicer. Not to be confused with the Lexen – it gets a 5 star rating from juicers australia – cost is $465.
Can I do this in a blender instead of juicer?
Sil » Hi Sil, using a blender would make this a smoothie rather than a juice. Smoothies are good, but juices are even better. It’s awesome to include both in your routine though. Here’s a post I wrote about the difference between juices and smoothies: http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2011/08/juicing-versus-blending/ x
Hola Jess, gracias por las dosis de bienestar.
I find using the Tribest personal blender works better for me than putting all the ingredients in the Omega Vert that I have. Plus the taste is way better! Is this cheating? Am I getting the most out of the veggies? I am going to start adding wheatgrass juiced from the Vert to my smoothies as a way to get the best of both worlds. The smoothies are just so much more drinkable and besides you aren’t throwing out (composting) the bi-product in making your juice if you use a Tribest.
Tim » Hi Tim, smoothies in the Tribest are awesome! But they serve a slightly different purpose to juice. Since juicing removes all of the fibre, there is less work for your body to do to absorb all of the goodness. Here’s a post I wrote explaining the difference: http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2011/08/juicing-versus-blending/
Love Lee Holmes! Her work is fantastic including her delicious recipe book.
I have just invested in a good juicer a couple of weeks ago and have added green juices to my diet, already along with my delicious Green Smoothie, and I have not look back! I feel great, my skin is absolutely glowing and I feel so light and so energised.
I would recommend everyone to drink green juices! Preferably Organic Green juices, (as well as smoothies) believe me you wont regret it!
xx
Simply love green juices. Have been juicing now for almost a year. I even have my husband and daughter on them, which is totally amazing.
However, when you eat only pure foods, your body becomes very sensitive and I now can not eat anything with sugar, wheat, dairy or meat.
Not a problem though, as I feel great doing vegan.
Keep up the good work, it is sooooo worth it. xx
Great post! I love green juices!
If I may also respond to Sil’s question about the blender, I would say that you can extract juice with a blender. This is how I was “juicing” until recently when I finally purchased a juicer (yay!). You just need to add a little bit of water into your blend, then strain the mixture through a cheesecloth, nut milk bag, or a fine mesh strainer (this is the method I used). It is not the least bit glamorous or quick, but it works! 
In fact, I’m having a hard time extracting juice from greens with my juicer, and still find the blender works better in the case of anything leafy. Would love some tips on how to better juice leafy greens! I have a Breville Juice Fountain, two-speed.
Thanks for all you do!
Hi there,
We are also into juicing and simply love it. I have an Omega 8006 juicer which really is great. It juices parsley, wheatgrass and all green leafy vegetables no problem. In fact I find that it juices most things. There is an Omega 8004 and 8006. Both models are exactly the same, however the 8004 is cheaper due to the colour of the machine.
I can highly recommend this juicer and I also have a vitamix as we love our smoothies in the morning.
Good luck and enjoy!
Kate
I love green juices. I make it a habit to have a glass of fresh green juice each day. I start the morning with a quart of green juice before my day starts off. I’m glad to see the benefits of juicing are spreading.
I am a huge smoothie fan and just bought a juicer so that I could enjoy both (and all benefits!). I am surprised to realize just how different they are, though. I love my smoothies because I can supplement with my favorites (spiralina, bee pollin, chia seeds, yucca powder, etc). It’s much easier to get a total meal from it.
I started my juicing with carrot/apple/ ginger and love it! Somehow, though, I just don’t feel “right” if I cheat myself of my GREENS in the morning! I am now experimenting with kale, romaine, swiss chard with apple, cucumber and lemon…. it took some getting used to from my smoothie addiction, but I love it now!
I feel very wasteful, though. I would love to hear how I can use all the healthy pulp that comes from the juicer instead of just throwing it away????
Also, I am finding it really hard to know my calorie intake when its just the juice. I am trying to track my calories I need to lose about 15 .
And finally, how on earth do you process wheatgrass juice???? I bought seeds, grew my own beautifully, then tried to juice them in my Braville multi speed juicer and I get NOTHING! Any suggestions? If I buy one more gadget for the kitchen, my husband will swear off healthy eating! I am already looking for a food mill from yesterdays cleansing post with hippocrates soup!
How do you split your time between smoothies (with great supplements) and green juices? Any suggestions?
Pam
whose kitchen counters look VERY cluttered these days 
Pam » Hi Pam, that’s awesome that you are getting into juicing as well as smoothies. You’re right, they are very different from one another. We use our juice pulp in our compost which is a great way to re-use it. I don’t believe in counting calories at all so I can’t help you with that one. As for wheatgrass, a centrifugal juicer won’t be able to do the job there. This is where a masticating juicer is needed, or a hand-powered wheatgrass juicer. When I have both smoothies and juices I like to drink my juices in the morning, and then have a smoothie in the middle of the afternoon. And yep, our kitchen counters look very cluttered ha ha. Hope this helps! xx