To juice or not to juice
Drinking juiced vegetables and fruits is one of the most powerful rituals you can introduce to your daily routine. The health benefits of juicing are numerous. For one thing, the body can quickly absorb larger amounts of nutrients from juicing than from solid foods because the process of digestion that is necessary when you eat whole foods is bypassed. Additionally, vegetables lose nutrients and enzymes when cooked. Raw fruits and vegetables contain many substances that enhance health, and juicing benefits the body by providing the most concentrated and readily absorbed source of these substances. When food is closest to its natural state, it has all the essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to stay strong, young and healthy.
Your body requires more than 20 different minerals, some of them major minerals like calcium and iron, some of them “trace elements”, present in small quantities but absolutely vital. They help in the regulation of your body’s acid-balance, your blood pressure, your nerves, your cell regeneration, and reproduction. Modern food processing can destroy vitamins and minerals. A juicer will help you to “mine” fruits and vegetables for calcium, iron and other minerals you need.
One of the primary health benefits of juicing is that feeds beneficial enzymes, which are primarily found in raw foods, into the body. Enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables have the vital role of converting food into body tissue and energy. Enzymes are also involved in metabolism, so one of the more valuable health benefits of juicing is that it can increase metabolic rate. Juicing also ensures that the body is getting sufficient amounts of phytochemicals, substances in plants that are considered among the most powerful ways to fight disease. While most people do not eat enough raw fruits and vegetables to obtain the amount of phytochemicals that would make a difference, it is relatively easy to drink enough juice to obtain sufficient amounts of these powerful nutrients. In addition, antioxidants and other immune enhancing properties are concentrated in juices.
Juicing boosts your immune system. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of natural antioxidants. Foods rich in vitamins A, C and E break down toxins and free radicals that attack healthy cells and can cause cellular mutations. Antioxidants boost cellular regeneration, making it easier and faster to recover from illness. Juicing also makes you look younger and feel happier. The action of antioxidants on free radicals and cells slow down the process of aging; cell regeneration shows through.
Among the most interesting health benefits of juicing is its potential for alleviating symptoms of depression. The effects of juicing on depression are accomplished by providing a concentrated source of minerals like magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, and folic acid. Deficiencies of these nutrients are associated with symptoms of depression. Furthermore, the concentration of antioxidants in juices combats the damaging effects that free radicals have on skin and muscle. Juicing can help keep skin free from wrinkles and muscles well-toned. In addition, increasing the intake of antioxidants by juicing can slow the onset of age-related illnesses.
Making juicing a part of your daily routine supports your system in cleansing toxins and maintaining optimal vitality and healthy.