I recently wrote a piece on why juice cleansing might not be the right choice for you by assessing – on a deeper level – the psychology behind juice cleansing. Despite my suggestions to avoid going on a restrictive juice cleanse, incorporating more veggies into your normal diet by adding a daily juice is an awesome idea. Juices, especially green ones, are a smart first food of your day and pack in nutrients and enable you to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Some Basic Guidelines for the Perfect Juice
First, make sure you have a juicer, not a blender. A juicer will extract the juice and a blender will make more of a smoothie. Then:
Add some greens. The greener the better. Think kale, Chinese greens or spinach.
Add something sweet. Any fruit usually works – good choices include melon, pineapple, watermelon, and pears.
Add something acidic. Acid will balance out your flavors – lemons, limes or oranges are the usual suspects.
Add something more. Fresh mint or other herbs for a kick of flavor, ginger, additional veggies like romaine, cucumbers.
Juice Recipes I Love
Here’s my roundup of some of my favorite green juice combos. Remember to use these recipes as ideas and play to create your favorite version. If you’re trying these juices out on kids, cut down on the acids and the greens and add more fruit. The best way to ensure that you actually make the juice instead of just reading about it is to place your juicer on the counter so you see it first thing in the morning. Shop in advance and have all of your ingredients prepared. Ready, set, juice!
Amy Ippoliti’s Exotic Citrus Green Juice
Take one look at my friend Amy’s magnificent skin and you’ll want what she’s drinking.
Reboot with Joe’s Kickin it with Kale
All you have to do is pair this with a square of dark chocolate and you are eating my two favorite things ever: chocolate and kale!
My Favorite Green Juice
Here’s my version of the perfect green juice. Nicely balanced and palatable, I like to serve in shot glasses for fun.
Kris Karr’s Green Juice
This juice is a solid combo of the right flavors plus some additional nutritional goodies like fresh pea sprouts and broccoli.
Do you have a great juice combo? Post your favorite one and share it with me on Instagram!
