The perfect green juice, recipe and benefits

In the last decade we have been hearing a lot of applause for green juice. The list of benefits we hear about green juice are numerous including  improved digestion, weight loss, reduced inflammation, and boosted immunity. In addition, clear skin, enhanced complexion, anti-ageing are also some of the pros we hear about. 

Before going in detail about if these claims are true, What exactly is Green Juice?

Green juice is a beverage made from the juices of green vegetables. But there is no authentic or official recipe for green juice. Green juice can be made with a wide variety of the bitter greens like celery, kale, Swiss chard, spinach, wheatgrass, cucumber, parsley, and mint.

Since the predominant taste is bitter, for taste purposes we add green apples, berries, kiwi, lemons, oranges, and grapefruit along with the greens. The main idea of including the fruits is to sweeten the final product. It is much better than some of the store bought brands which contain added sugars.

Green vegetables are known to have amazing health benefits. They are  excellent sources of several essential vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds. Research has shown that green vegetables reduce inflammation and reduce heart related risks. 

So are there any downsides to it. Yes! Juicing vegetables removes the fiber content. So along with green juice, intake of whole fruits and vegetables is also important. Drinking green juice in moderation can boost your intake of multiple nutrients, but too much may harm the kidney due to the concentrated sources of oxalate. 

Still if you are including other healthy choices in your diet, green juice can provide you with amazing benefits. 

Here’s my simple and favorite green juice recipe. 

Like I mentioned, the ingredient list is really flexible but my choice of veggies are the following - Kale, tender baby spinach leaves, Celer for the fiber and slight salty taste, cucumber for the freshness and subtle taste, freshly grated ginger , tarty lemon and green apples for the sweetness. 

The vegetables and fruits need to be fresh and not frozen. I always like to pick them from our local farmer’s market. 

Wash your ingredients really well and chop them, skin and all, into 2-inch chunks. Toss your cucumber and celery into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Add your remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, about 3 minutes. I prefer this as a green juice and not a smoothie. So, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Pour it in a glass, add ice cubes if required and enjoy!