40 Juicing Recipes for Weight Loss and Healthy Living (3 page)

Variation:

• Squeeze a few drops of lemon to counter the strong taste of coriander.
  
• For an added kick, add 4 thin slices of ginger before juicing.
  

Weight loss benefit:

1. Asparagus is an alkaline based vegetable which makes it ideal for burning fat. It is low in calories but high in protein, folic acid, beta-carotene and Vitamin C.
   
2. Coriander leaves contain a host of nutrients, fiber, carbohydrates, Vitamin C and minerals such as calcium, iron, niacin, potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin, thiamin and oxalic acid. Coriander promotes digestion and cleanses and strengthens the stomach. It is also a good diuretic (promotes the production of urine), which helps rid the body of toxins.
   

Carrot + Watercress + Spinach

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• 2 medium carrots
  
• 1 cup watercress (about 15 sprigs)
  
• ½ cup spinach leaves
  
• ¼ cup coriander leaves (about 3 sprigs)
  
• 2 whole tomatoes
  

Preparation:

1. Rinse carrots in cold running water. Peel and dice into 1-inch cubes.
   
2. Rinse watercress, spinach and coriander in running water. Chop.
   
3. Wash tomatoes. Do not peel.
   
4. Process all ingredients in a juicer on high speed setting to ensure a good blend.
   
5. Pour juice into a tall glass. Best enjoyed as a morning drink.
   

Variation:

• Add 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon of rock salt before juicing for an added kick.
  

Weight loss benefit:

1. Carrots are high in polyunsaturated fats or good cholesterol. Carrots are also rich in fiber, which helps speed up the body’s metabolism and prevents it from storing energy as fat.
   
2. Watercress is an excellent source of potassium, which serves as a diuretic to draw excess fluid from the body. Because watercress has more sulphur than almost any other vegetable, it is excellent in blood purification, protein absorption, cell building and promoting healthy skin and hair.
   
3. When consumed raw, spinach is an excellent source of foliate, manganese and vitamins A and K. Spinach is high in fiber and low in fat, sodium, cholesterol and protein.
   

Broccoli + Bell Pepper + Carrots

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• 3 cups broccoli (about 2 stalks)
  
• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper (about ½ medium whole)
  
• 2 cups carrots (about 4 medium whole)
  

Preparation:

1. Rinse broccoli in cold running water. Cut into 2-inch pieces.
   
2. Wash bell peppers, remove seeds and chop.
   
3. Wash carrots, remove tops and cut into 2-inch slices.
   
4. Juice the broccoli, bell pepper and carrots together. Serve immediately.
   

Variation:

• Carrots are the most versatile vegetable that can be used in making healthy juices. You can combine them with almost any vegetable or fruit and it will still taste good. Try adding a small apple into this recipe to make a sweet concoction.
  

Weight loss benefit:

1. Rich in foliate, manganese and vitamins A and K, broccoli is an excellent vegetable for losing weight because it is high in fiber and very low in cholesterol. You can help yourself with almost an unlimited serving of raw broccoli and you will feel satiated without having to gain hard-to-burn calories!
   
2. Unknown to many, bell peppers are actually a good source lycopene, beta carotene, potassium and fiber. Bell pepper increases your metabolism, controls your appetite and suppresses your craving for sweets.
   
3. Carrots are an excellent source of beta carotene, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin and vitamins A and C.  
   

Cabbage + Beet + Cucumber + Carrots

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• 2 large leaves of cabbage
  
• 1 small beet
  
• ½ medium cucumber
  
• 4 medium carrots
  

Preparation:

1. Wash all ingredients thoroughly.
   
2. Roll cabbage leaves tightly into balls.
   
3. Peel beet and cut into cubes.
   
4. Cut cucumber into cubes.
   
5. Peel carrots and slice into chunks.
   
6. Process all ingredients in a juicer. Drink fresh.
   

Variation:

• Use more cucumber if you want to increase the quantity of your juice. Adding water will do the same trick, but using water-rich cucumber instead will add in more nutrients than water.
  

Juicing tip:

• When using cabbages in a recipe, you will extract more juice from the cabbage if you run it with hard produce like beet.
  

Weight loss benefit:

Cabbages are extremely high in Vitamin K and manganese. Those on high-fiber, low-fat, low-sodium and low-protein weight loss program will benefit most from incorporating cabbages into their diet.

Fruit and Vegetable Juices

Orange + Parsley

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• 5 whole oranges
  
• ½ cup parsley
  

Preparation:

1. Peel oranges and remove the seeds.
   
2. Rinse parsley in running water. Leave for a few minutes to dry before chopping.
   
3. Put oranges and parsley through a juicer. Pour into a chilled glass and drink immediately.
   

Variation:

• For a fancy presentation, form two layers when pouring this juice into a glass by juicing the oranges and the parsley separately. Pour the orange juice first and then slowly pour parsley juice over it. The parsley juice will not mix with the orange juice and keep its place above it in your glass. You can just stir the juice before drinking if you do not enjoy the taste of pure parsley.
  

Juicing Tip:

• When juicing oranges, remember to remove the outer rind but leave as much white skin intact as these are rich in nutrients.
  

Weight loss benefit:

1. Herbs such as parsley figure well in a weight loss program because they aid in digesting and absorbing food while providing a low-calorie diet.
   

Apple + Carrot + Celery

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• 2 medium apples
  
• 3 medium carrots
  
• 4 large stalks of celery
  

Preparation:

1. Wash all ingredients thoroughly.
   
2. Core the apples but do not peel. Cut into segments.
   
3. Remove greens from the carrots. Slice into 1-inch cubes.
   
4. Cut celery into 2-inch sticks.
   
5. Run all ingredients through a juicer. Pour into a glass and drink.
   

Variation:

• Add a dash of cinnamon to the juice and stir before serving for an added kick.
  
• For added natural sweetness, put in one more apple to your juice.
  

Weight loss benefit:

This recipe is good for those who are still easing themselves into juicing and are not quite prepared for dark colored juices—you get all the benefits from the fresh and healthy ingredients without feeling “hardcore” about it.

Pear + Celery + Ginger

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• ½ cup pear slices (or 1 medium fruit)
  
• ½ cup diced celery (or 1 large stalk)
  
• 1-inch cube of ginger root
  

Preparation:

1. Make sure all ingredients are thoroughly washed before preparing according to measurement indicated.
   
2. Run all ingredients through a blender. Pour over ice cubes in a glass. Serve immediately.
   

Variation:

• For a creamier texture to this juice, process juice and ice cubes (about 5 pieces) in a blender.
  

Weight loss benefit:

Pears act as a mild laxative while celery is a good natural diuretic. On top of this, ginger aids in proper digestion.

Banana + Apple + Bitter Melon

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup sliced bananas
  
• 2/3 cup sliced raw bitter melon
  
• 2/3 cup diced apples
  
• ½ cup distilled water
  

Preparation:

1. Wash and then prepare or cut bananas, apples and bitter melon according to recipe specification.
   
2. Process all ingredients in juicer. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
   

Variation:

• Try adding a teaspoon of vinegar to the recipe to prevent color darkening of banana and apple due to oxidation.
  
• If you still find the juice to be bitter despite the apple in the recipe, add a tablespoon or two of natural honey to sweeten it more.
  

Weight loss benefit:

Bitter melon aids in digestion and detoxification. It also helps regulate energy and fat storage.

Mango + Banana + Peach + Spinach

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup mangoes
  
• 1 medium ripe banana
  
• ¼ cup peaches
  
• ¼ cup spinach
  
• ¼ cup distilled water
  

Preparation:

1. Peel mangoes and separate the flesh from the seed. Cut flesh into 2-inch cubes.
   
2. Peel bananas. Cut into 2-inch slices.
   
3. Cut peaches in half. Scoop out the flesh.
   
4. Rinse spinach in cold running water. Chop.
   
5. Process all ingredients, including the water, in a juicer or a blender.
   
6. Pour juice over crushed ice in a glass. Drink immediately.
   

Variation:

• Chop 3 fresh mint leaves and add in the juice for a more refreshing treat.
  

Juicing tip:

• The base ingredient in this juice is banana. Try it with any fruit and vegetable combination—like strawberries, pineapples, kale, Swiss chard or lettuce.
  
• If you want a creamier juice, try using avocados or coconut.
  
• This juice is best taken as your breakfast, so if you are constantly in a rush in the morning, you can prepare this juice in the evening and just put it in the refrigerator. Juices and smoothies will usually remain fresh for 24 hours.  
  

Weight loss benefit:

Aside from potassium, bananas are also rich in fiber, amino acids, manganese and Vitamin B6. It is an excellent fat burning food due to its high content of resistant starch, which helps rid the body of excess fats.

Orange + Beet + Carrot + Mint

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• 2 oranges
  
• 1 medium sized red beet
  
• 4 medium sized carrots
  
• 8 pieces mint leaves
  

Preparation:

1. Wash all ingredients thoroughly, especially the beets.
   
2. Peel oranges and remove seeds, but leave as much white pith as possible to retain fiber.
   
3. Remove greens from the beets. You may or may not peel the beets before cutting into 1-inch cubes.
   
4. Remove greens from carrots and cut into 1-inch cubes.
   
5. Process all ingredients in a juicer. Pour into a glass and serve.
   

Variation:

• Add 2 medium stalks of celery to the recipe to further enhance the taste of beets.
  

Juicing tip:

• When a recipe calls for juicing vegetables and fruits with their peel or skin intact (such as beets and carrots), it is best to use organic produce since they are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
  

Weight loss benefit:

This juice is a powerful antioxidant. Although best to take in moderation, beets are good for weight loss because they are low in fat, fight water retention and help your body flush out toxins.

Pineapple + Carrot + Lime + Chili

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pineapple chunks
  
• 1 cup chopped carrots
  
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
  
• ½ small red or green chili
  
• 4-5 ice cubes
  

Preparation:

1. Make sure all produce were washed thoroughly before chopping or juicing.
   
2. Prepare pineapples and carrots according to cut and measurement required by the recipe.
   
3. Slice the chili in half and remove seeds and stem.
   
4. Juice the pineapple and carrot. Process pineapple and carrot juice, lime juice chili and ice cubes in a blender. Consume immediately.
   

Variation: