While we love to drink smoothies most of the time, I like to have a refreshing veggie juice drink once in a while. The only thing about having juices is that the fibre is not included in them, and that to me it is very important. I have to find a way to use the scraps and maybe incorporate them into some sort of muffin or pancake next time. I hate wasting them. However, I am going to make it a mission to have a couple of homemade juices a week. I have had my juicer put away for far too long. When making juices the sky is the limit. I like to use ginger to counter act the flavour of the strong vegetables, like kale, parsley and celery.
I wanted to point out a few of the nutritious facts of the ingredients I used, their properties have great health benefits. Kale is very high in bet carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C and rich in calcium. Kale is a source of two carotenoids, lutein and zezxanthin. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. Parsley is a very potent antioxidant. Parsley’s volatile oils—particularly myristicin—have been shown to inhibit tumour formation. Myristicin has also been shown to activate the enzyme glutathione-S-transferase, which helps attach the molecule glutathione to oxidised molecules that would otherwise do damage in the body. The activity of parsley’s volatile oils qualifies it as a ‘chemoprotective’ food, and in particular, a food that can help neutralise particular types of carcinogens.
Ginger aids in digestion, alleviates high blood pressure, treats nausea and morning sickness and lowers LDL cholesterol. Celery has antioxidant properties, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese. Many of its phytonutrients fall into the category of phenolic antioxidants that have been shown to provide anti-inflammatory benefits as well.
Enjoy!
Miryam’s original recipe (serves 4)
INGREDIENTS:
2 organic apples
2 organic pears
2 tbs fresh ginger, root unpeeled
4 stalks organic celery
1 cup parsley, stems and all
1/2 lb fresh kale
DIRECTIONS:
Process all the ingredients through a juicer. Drink immediately.
Miryam