It came as no surprise to me that a 2013 Harvard School Of Public Health Study concluded that participants with the highest levels of carotenoids in their blood, had a more optimistic outlook on life. Carotenoids are plant compounds, which are found in both dark leafy greens and brightly colored veggies such as bell peppers, carrots, and cantaloupe melon. They surmise that one of the reasons may be that that all the anti-oxidants in these fruits and veggies help to reduce stress.
Other studies have been conducted recently, which show that people who eat 7-8 servings of produce a day are much happier. Probably because it’s what we’re SUPPOSED to be eating as humans. I certainly feel 200% better when I’m getting all those fruits and veggies into my body on a daily basis. However, it’s challenging to eat 7-8 servings a day, especially if you are on the run most of the time.
So, a great solution is to juice everyday. Of course, you can combo juices and smoothies, too. Some people argue that by juicing, you are not getting the fiber that you need, however, you can get fiber from other sources too. Here are my fave tips:
1. Get creative with your juices: Instead of juicing the same carrot, apple, spinach (or whatever your thing is,) everyday – mix it up by adding: Kiwi, cucumber, fennel, ginger, lemon, watercress – try one NEW thing each week.
2. Make sure you have a juicer that’s easy to clean, or I can promise you that you won’t juice everyday. I have the Breville Juice Fountain, which love because you can toss in whole apples, and it has a soft setting, too.
3. Combo your juice with a smoothie: If you get tired of plain juices, you can juice up a big jug of the green stuff, keep it in the fridge, and add it to a smoothie. You’re in luck if you have a Vitamix (BTW – a great investment,) because you can toss in all kinds of things to sweeten up your juice (dates, goji berries etc).
4. In that downtime in the afternoon, when your blood sugar plummets, reach for juice instead of a coffee drink – you will feel 500% better after downing it.
5. If you just don’t have time to juice, juicing delivery companies are popping up all over the country. They are pretty expensive, but how convenient to have bottles of freshly squeezed juice delivered to your doorstep everyday!
6. Understand the difference between a “Pressed” juice, and the kind you make at home. A cold-pressed juice is created by using a hydraulic press, which slowly presses the juice out, which produces a more nutrient rich juice, and one that stays fresh for up to 72 hours. Conversely the kind of juicer that I currently use, has a centrifugal motor which heats up while it whizzes around. This fast/heating action creates an arguably less nutritious juice, and one that has to be consumed almost immediately – certainly within 12 hours. If you are taking juicing seriously for health and beauty benefits, I’d look into a Cold-pressed model. I’m testing some out, so will keep you posted.
7. Finally, if you’re going to the effort to juice, make sure your fruits and veggies are organic!
