On any given day around Fairfield County, hundreds, if not thousands of women can be seen dashing from their SUV's with their designer yoga pants and aviator sunglasses clutching an elusive green juice in their fingerless gloved hands. Green juices are certainly not new, but in recent years have grown in popularity beyond the hippy, tree-hugger, patchouli-wearing crowd of the 1970s.
So what's all the fuss about? We all know that dark green, leafy vegetables are a necessary part of our daily diet. Vegetables such as kale, spinach, swiss chard and collard greens are high in iron, which is good for your blood and rich in vitamins, K, A and C. They have calcium for strong bones and contain antioxidants. They are also low in calories and have zero fat!
The benefits of green juices are numerous. First, as with any type of juice, all the nutrients are absorbed more quickly into the body because all the pulp has been filtered out. It is a virtual vitamin power punch. Second, you can sneak in some veggies that you may not otherwise consume on your own. Think beets are just some mushy, purple root vegetable that your mom would dump out of a can and plop on your plate? Think again. Added to your juice, beets are a natural liver detoxifier, containing potassium, magnesium, folic acid and add sweetness and a beautiful hue to your drink. Third, the amount of vegetables needed for just one glass of green juice, would make even a hardcore vegan weak in the knees. Therefore, juices are incredibly efficient in their vitamin to whole food ratio.
1 cucumber
2 stalks celery
1 green apple
3 huge handfuls of kale or spinach or any other leafy green
1 nub of ginger (great for digestion!) – optional
So why not give it a try, it may change your whole view on veggies.
Happy juicing!
About the author: Nicole Thornbrough is a self-proclaimed green juice junkie. She is also a certified yoga instructor at Hello Yoga in Wilton, CT.
Image from Google Images