Create Your Own Recipes for Juicing
Information on creating your own juice recipes including facts about common health conditions and how to combat them.
In the modern world today, we all struggle with common health problems such as high blood pressure, asthma, joint pain, digestive problems and even diabetes. More and more people are turning to juicing to try and prevent a lot of common problems and help with those that won’t go away. So many of us are exhausted, tired, run down and not in very good health. It is no wonder with work, children, homes, yards and numerous other things we are responsible for every week. I don’t know anyone that couldn’t use a huge influx of energy during the day. Juicing will work for just about everyone. That does not mean that everyone will take advantage of it. We are all so bombarded with things to do, that many may think it is just one more thing they will have to do. In reality, juicing will probably simplify your life, if you just give it a chance. There are many recipes available online and in books. However, most of the fun is inventing and creating your very own recipes for juicing that cater to your taste and that of your family. Many of these recipes have been designed to target specific health conditions. If you have a health condition, look in books or online to see what combinations are suggested for your specific ailment, disease, or disorder.
If you are interested in researching a specific ailment, disease, or disorder, whether for yourself or someone you know, try to understand what is the cause of the specific ailment. Many health conditions are caused by the deficiency of certain minerals and vitamins. And it is no wonder. Most of us get up in the morning, grab a cup of coffee, and fly out the door. Do you have any idea how BAD drinking coffee on an empty stomach is for our digestive system? It is terrible! Usually we are so busy we don’t get a chance to eat again until lunch. Many of us either gobble down our food or skip lunch altogether because we have too much work to do. If we drink anything during the day, it is either another cup of coffee or a soda. By this time, our body is starved for nutrients. Then we stop at the store, pick up the kids, and rush home just to throw dinner in the microwave! We also have either another cup of coffee or another soda. It wouldn’t be so bad if this only happened once in awhile, but most of us do this every single day. Can you see WHY our bodies are not functioning properly and why we get ill? Most of us don’t even come close to the daily recommended dietary requirements.
Think about this for a minute. What are we feeding our children? Granted, most of them don’t drink coffee, but just think about what you feed them on a daily basis. Keep a diary for a week. I know, it’s just one more thing to do! But really, if you are concerned about your children’s health, you should really take a look at what you are feeding them on a daily basis. This is where juicing comes in again. Experiments have been done using fresh fruits and vegetables. Kids were asked if they liked broccoli, lettuce, peppers, and brussels sprouts. The resounding answer was “NO!” However, when these vegetables were juiced and combined with sweet fruits such as apple, kiwi, peaches, strawberries or cantaloupe, the kids drank the juice and even thought it tasted good!! Just think how much easier it would be to make sure they get their daily requirements of fruits and vegetables.
For example, research has shown that folic acid plays a major role with those who have breathing problems such as asthma. Tests show that those who have a higher intake of folic acid have fewer allergy symptoms and a lower occurrence of asthma. Once you have learned what vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients benefit your specific disorder, disease, or condition you want to improve, you will need to understand which fruits and vegetables contain these nutrients.
Because certain fruits and vegetables are responsible for producing certain vitamins and minerals, it is imperative you understand which ingredients to choose if you are going to be juicing to eliminate a problem. We all know that oranges and other citrus provide huge doses of vitamin C. Bananas provide our daily requirement for potassium. As you familiarize yourself with different fruits and vegetables, you will become knowledgeable on which ones to use for which conditions. Try to purchase the best produce that you can afford. Remember, you are putting this into your body to help make you healthier. The healthier the produce, the healthier you can expect to be. If at all possible, use organic and local produce free of pesticides whenever possible.
We all know that homegrown produce we have grown ourselves is absolutely the best! When we grow our own, we positively know the we have not used any pesticides or other chemicals. Because of that, we receive the maximum benefits for our health. Also, there is no other taste in the world that compares to that of a fresh, off the vine, fruit or vegetable. Tomatoes are my absolute favorite! Nothing else compares. Unfortunately, most of us either don’t have the time or the space to grow our own gardens. So we have to rely on other sources for our produce. The next best thing is to purchase produce from a farmer’s market or a fresh produce stand. Most cities have both of these. Farmer’s markets are usually held on the weekends, and fresh produce stands can be found in some areas. Both of these options usually offer produce free of pesticides and other chemicals. If you must purchase from your local grocery store, wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly to remove as much pesticide and chemicals from the skins. Some people use sea salt and swear by the fact that it removes most, if not all, of the chemicals. If you are short on time, wash all of your fruits and vegetables as soon as you get home. Then they will be all ready when you want to juice.
In the beginning, it can be hard to judge exactly how much produce you need to juice. On average, it takes about one pound to produce one cup of juice. Once you have started juicing, you will understand exactly what you need for which concoctions. You might even choose to write this information down so you don’t constantly have to guess at the amounts.
Coming up with your own delicious combinations is fun and easy. You do not need to peel most fruits and vegetables because much of the needed minerals and vitamins are in the peel. It is necessary to remove larger seeds, as in the avocado, and any that contain pits, such as cherries.You will also want to remove the skin from cantaloupe, oranges and nectarines. Just be sure to thoroughly scrub the skins of any fruits and vegetables that you are going to use whole. Then just cut larger produce into manageable pieces, and throw into the juicer. The juicer will do the rest.
The sky is the limit when it comes to creating really wonderful juicing recipes. Take advantage of all the fresh fruit and vegetables available this time of year. Use your imagination and creativity to experiment with various combinations of produce to find out what tastes you and your family prefer.